Bodog Beat

David Blaine will appear on Oprah today and hold his breath for over 17 minutes. (AP Images)

Magician… illusionist… whatever he is… David Blaine has officially broken the record for holding his breath. He will appear on the Oprah show today and hold his breath underwater for a staggering 17 minutes, 4 seconds.

The AP reports: "The feat was broadcast live during The Oprah Winfrey Show and the studio audience cheered as divers pulled the 35-year-old magician from a water-filled sphere. Blaine looked relaxed afterward and said the record was 'a lifelong dream.' Before he entered the sphere, Blaine inhaled pure oxygen through a mask to saturate his blood with oxygen and flush out carbon dioxide."

Want to know more about David Blaine and other tricksters? Here's the skinny.