A friend from Minnesota just sent me the following Ripley’s Believe It or Not! cartoon that came out this morning, and told me I was IN IT! I didn’t have a clue that Ripley’s was even aware of it! What a total surprise!
So here’s today’s Ripley’s Believe It or Not! cartoon:
Ripley's Believe It or Not Cartoon April 8, 2011
And for those of you who hadn’t seen it, here’s the first Ripley’s Believe It or Not! cartoon I received in September 22, 2007:
Ripley's Believe It or Not cartoon Sept 22, 2007
Ripley’s cartoons are syndicated in newspapers in 43 countries around the world. The original cartoon got me a mention and photo in the Ripley’s Believe It or Not book, and in a Ripley’s card game!
As for me, this is the best surprise birthday present I could ask for!
Thanks for all your calls, emails, txts, and comments on Facebook and Twitter about my episode on The History Channel’s Stan Lee’s SuperHumans! It’s been great to hear from all of you, and I’m glad so many of you got to watch the episode last week!
For those of you who missed it last week, it is scheduled to reair again on The History Channel this Thursday, Sept 30, at 8pm cst / 9pm et/pt.
Or you can watch it here:
Here is some behind-the-scenes footage of the film crew shooting the event:
Shortly after filming this episode, I felt a strong pain in my throat, almost like a bad cramp that made it impossible to swallow. From the studios, they took me by ambulance to one hospital and then another in Rome, where an MRI showed that I had punctured my esophagus while swallowing the first sword (see video above to see it happen!).
I stayed in the hospital on an antibiotic IV drip for 8 days - No food, no water, just antibiotics! Finally they released me, but I needed to wait a few more days before I could fly home to make sure there was no air embolism left that had leaked into in my body cavity - If I still had an air embolism, the air would expand and double and triple in size when my flight flew home… and POP goes the Weasel! NOT a good idea!
So I stayed in Rome a few more days and got to visit the Coliseum at Rome the next day before flying home!
Dan Swallows a RED-HOT SWORD for the The History Channel
Dan just filmed an episode for The History Channel - The documentary is tentatively to be titled “The Most Amazing SuperHumans on the Planet” and features host Daniel Browning Smith, one of the top contortionists in the world!
The first segment was filmed at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, TN where Dan underwent some medical tests including several fluoroscopes (moving x-rays) so the doctors could see Dan swallow straight swords, a large forceps, a serpentine sword, a curved sword, and a stack of 7 swords at once! Big thanks to Dr. Edwin Donnelly at Vanderbilt, and Dr. Eric Mashburn of Hartselle!
The final segment of the episode was filmed on the farm in Hartselle where Blacksmith Ben Robbins finishes making a large 37 inch sword, and then heats it to RED-HOT over 1500 degrees Fahrenheit before lowering it down into Dan’s gullet!
Here are some behind-the-scenes shots filmed by my friend Josh Pittman:
Special thanks to Ben Robbins, Josh Pittman, Dr. Mashburn, Dr. Donnelly and everyone else involved! The documentary is tentatively scheduled to air all 32 episodes worldwide starting in February 2011. We’ll keep you posted on details when it airs in 2011!
Here’s your chance to vote for your TOP 5 VIDEOS and let us know which ones YOU like best…
And WHY! What do you LIKE about them, and what makes you like them the MOST?
Please watch, leave a comment and let us know which are your TOP 5 VIDEOS in order of 5 lowest up to your absolute #1 FAVORITE, and tell us WHY they are your favorites!
Have Sword Will Travel:
Convincing a skeptical sword shop owner
in Souq Waqif Bazaar, Doha, Qatar
Dan Swallowing 10 swords and hedge clippers for Cirque Eloize, Montreal
World Record - Nobel Laureates Remove Sword!
Dutch Documentary “Sword Swallowing and Its Side Effects”
Dan Swallowing the RED-HOT Sword for The History Channel!
Ig Nobel Science Lecture Tour video from Odense, Denmark
Italian Science Festival Dan drops a sword down his throat NO HANDS
Dutch Ig Nobel Laureate removes sword from Dan
Italian Cardiologist WHIPS sword from Dan’s mouth!
Sword Swallower performs at Italian dinner party in Genova Italy
Dan Meyer Sword Swallowing highlights
IAEWP World Peace Conference Delegates Remove Sword of War
Wow! What an interesting week! We’ve been notified that new records were recognized by TWO different world record organizations this week, and two of them are being released in a new book!
Alex and Me
Black, Red, White
Blink
Heading For Home
How the Best Get Better
How to Promote Your Book on a Shoestring Budget
Maximum Entertainment
News of the Weird
Outliers
Quiet Diplomacy
Ripley’s Believe It or Not Book
Sorcerer’s Apprentice
Swallowing the Sword
The Art of the Solo Performer
The Faith of George W Bush
The Last Lecture
The Shack
Bounty
Bucket List
Facing the Giants
Final Season
Fireproof
Mountains of the Moon
Pirates of the Caribbean
Shadowlands
Carter Burwell
Ceili Rain
Dan Meyers
David Foster
David Wilcox
Family Force 5
Freddie Fernbrant
Mark Isham
Dan’s Favorite Quotes
Dan at Ripley’s Believe It or Not Copenhagen Denmark
Sword Swallower.