Atkins? South Beach? No--Glass Box

By Rebecca Winters

Triumphing over extreme hunger, cramped quarters and churlish Londoners who whacked golf balls at him and tried to cut his water supply, magician DAVID BLAINE finally emerged last week from the Plexiglas box in which he had dangled above the banks of the Thames River for 44 days. Blaine said he staged the public endurance test to display "the ultimate work of art ... human suffering." Upon exiting his box, the frail showman burst into tears. Blaine, who had lost nearly 60 lbs., was rushed to a hospital and given nutritional drinks before being allowed his first solid food, a handful of potato chips. Doctors say it may take months before the illusionist fully recovers from his weeks of deprivation. His starvation for attention, however, appears to be chronic.