Criss Angel Has 210 Seconds To Escape Handcuffs, Five Locked Shackles, Four Locked Doors & Climb Three Flights Before Dynamite Explosion

It’s now just a matter of a few hours before Mindfreak magician Criss Angel puts his life on the line in the most dangerous and death defying escape he’s ever tackled.

This time it’s all live and viewers from around the world will watch the horrifying 3 ½ minute chilling countdown. “It’s the biggest and the baddest, and anything can happen. A lot can go wrong. No-one knows what the outcome will be—even me. I know what I am going to try to achieve but I can only remain cool, calm and collected. I must stay on target; keep my heart rate from racing so I accomplish what I have to do in the time allotted. I will get myself into that zone,” said Criss.

“There are a million uncertainties. The sticks of dynamite could blow prematurely. The weather could cause problems with the helicopter. I could trip. If I don’t make it through the cuffs, the five locks and four doors and I’m one second late the helicopter flies off without me. Then 466 sticks of dynamite go off and 4,500 tons of cement barrel to earth. My mission is not to be inside it! Failure is not an option.”

“I don’t fear death but I don’t want to die. I am totally focused for this mentally, physically and spiritually but if God should want me to come tonight to the end of my life so be it.”

Criss who has broadcast more magic on television than any other previous performer, told Luxe Life in a far-ranging discussion just before he flew to Florida for the stunt that he has promised his mother that this will be the last and final dice with death, “I vowed to my mother that I will retire after this. I have performed 1000-escape illusions and I haven’t killed myself. I don’t need to prove that to anybody anymore. I have proved it to myself. I’ll still be doing television and my Believe show where there are lots of dangerous things but no more of this. It’ll be more magic and fewer risks.”

Here’s the rundown of what will happen tonight (WED). You can watch on A&E cable television live (7 p.m. here on the west coast and 10 p.m. live on the east coast) from Clearwater, Florida at the site of the old beachfront Spyglass resort.

Thousands of “Loyals” are expected there and Clearwater police have shut several roads there to accommodate the crowds who will be kept at a safe distance from the explosion. Some began camping out last night (TUES) to watch the challenging escape. Click here for the last two death defying stunts that Luxe Life covered that drew 7,000 people to Times Square New York for his cement block escape and in March another 10,000 watched his double straitjacket escape hanging upside down on Bourbon Street, New Orleans. “Every time I do a demonstration I try to take it up a level or two from what I have done in the past,” said Criss. “I can assure you that this demonstration will blow your mind and be above and beyond anything you have ever seen me attempt.”

Handcuffs taken from the Clearwater Police Department will restrain him. Then he will be loaded into a fire truck bucket along with Mayor Frank Hibbard and Vice Mayor George Cretekos. Criss’s wristband will be thrown into the crowd and whoever randomly catches it will then check all his restraints. Criss will go to the center balcony on the 7th floor to be chained up in full view of TV cameras and the crowds. The front of the building has already been removed along with all staircases down to the ground.

Over 400 sticks of dynamite will have been inserted into the vertical beams of the first three floors so that on the timed-detonator explosion the building falls slightly forward some 30 feet but collapse on itself. Idaho-based Advanced Explosives Demolition Inc. (AED) has teamed with Tampa-based Cross Construction Services (CCS) for the implosion of the Spyglass Resort. Criss will pick his way through the handcuffs, the locks and then has to get through a series of four locked doors and race up three flights of stairs to the roof. A 30-foot rope ladder will dangle from the helicopter flown by a stunt pilot friend. It has to soar 1000-feet high instantly to avoid the blast.

A&E’s companion Phenomenon show-host, Tim Vincent, and an Access Hollywood correspondent in Britain will host tonight’s show for Criss and walk viewers, from as far away as New Zealand to Latin America, through the escape route and challenges. Once Criss is chained in place a series of staged mini-cams will show him in close-up during the escape and his race to the roof and freedom as the dynamite explodes. By 7:56 p.m. our time tonight we should know if he makes it—or not.

“It’s a fight between me and the building,” said Criss. “I have to beat it just like a fighter in the ring. I’ll visualize that. I’ve trained for it. I am ready and God willing, I’ll be successful. This is not an illusion, this is the most dangerous escape ever attempted. When Evel Knievel did live jumps he didn’t know if he would live or die and people tuned in to see what would happen. It’s the same with this. It is not a trick this time. It is a real live escape and we do not know what will happen. As I’ve told you before ‘what you see is what you get’—and my life is really on the line.”

Although he will hopefully walk away from great escapes after tonight’s dice with death he will still feature a previously filmed escape on his current fourth season of Mindfreak episodes. aster Magician Lance Burton will host as Criss performs his homage to the Great Houdini. Determined to go beyond Houdini, Criss devised a plan to top Houdini’s 1908 milk can escape by locking himself inside a wine barrel filled with water hanging over 8 stories above the ground all while being handcuffed. Complications arose with the water temperature, the size of the wine barrel, and the amount of time Criss was able to hold his breath under water, You’ll have to tune in to watch what happens to Criss when the barrel plummets to earth as the two-minute timer runs out.

PARIS HILTON SETS OFF SHOE FRENZY

Just as Luxe Life predicted yesterday (TUES) there were fans by the hundreds who showed up for her appearance at the Fashion Show Mall to launch her new line of fall footwear. All of Luxe Life photographers were on the front line for Paris’ appearance, snapping these candid close-ups.

Paris celebrated here shoe launch with a party at the Pure nightclub.

90210 STAR CELEBRATES A “NIP & TUCK” 21ST BIRTHDAY

It was a double celebration for Hollywood newcomer AnnaLynne McCord on her visit to Vegas. She celebrated her 21st birthday at the hot Pure nightclub in Caesars Palace, and also the great news that she’s joining the cast of the new Beverly Hills 90210 series.

The young actress, who is recognized from last season’s Nip/Tuck plastic surgery drama series, arrived shortly after midnight looking stunning in a bright blue dress.

She’d enjoyed a fabulous “family and friends” yellowtail jalapeño and Kobe sliders dinner at the Strip’s chic sushi spot, Social House. At Pure, AnnaLynn danced and sang along to the mega mix spun by DJ Hollywood as the Las Vegas Pussycat Dolls serenaded her with a sexy rendition of happy birthday, complete with a gorgeous cake.

She blew out her candles and took photos with fans mingling with her party through the night.

One of Maxim’s Hot 100 beautiful people of 2008, actress Ashley Scott celebrated her birthday just three resorts north on the Strip at the new sister nightclub, Christian Audigier, in Treasure Island.

Celebrity friends including actress Amy Smart and comedic actor David Spade joined her large party sprawled over two of the nightclub’s biggest VIP tables. They sipped on Grey Goose Vodka cocktails and danced to the master mixes of resident DJ CyberKid until the lights were turned on pre-dawn. Ashley and Amy posed for photos with lucky fans after the birthday girl was presented with a beautiful yellow cake topped with crimson red roses and a slew of flashy sparklers. Revelers throughout Club A all joined in to sing-along to a hip-hop rendition of “Happy Birthday.”

An impressive group of professional athletes has literally called the Pure nightclub their second home the past few days. Kansas City Chiefs running back and now frequent Luxe Life boldprint name, Larry Johnson partied until the early morning hours sipping on Dom Perignon Champagne.

He took over the mic chatted to the crowd and let fans take photos. Close by on the main stage, Marcus Banks of the Miami Heat enjoyed the company of friends; Houston Rockets point guard Rafer Alston snagged a supreme spot on the dance floor where he moved and grooved to the sweet sounds of DJ Hollywood and Computer from the reality show Adventures in HollyHood.

Meanwhile at Pure’s other sister club, LAX in the Luxor, NBA player Earl Watson from the Oklahoma City franchise partied until pre-dawn with shots of Patron until the club closed.

Also partying there were Amare Stoudemire of the Phoenix Suns who stuck to Patron shots and Grey Goose vodka and Antoine Walker, now with the Memphis Grizzlies who ordered up fine Perrier Jouet rose champagne! Another Patron booster was actor and standup comic Bill Bellamy. On the lower level dance floor professional boxer Daniel Judah mingled with fans while Mindfreak magician Criss Angel watched over all from a lavish VIP loft.

I’d be remiss not to mention Pure’s other sister club Aura even though its 3000 miles away from the Vegas Strip In the Bahamas. Remiss because that’s where partner Stevie Davidovich, subject of a Vegas IRS investigation, is allegedly running the action these days and it’s where the Pure club there played host to celebrity guest DJ Nick Cannon and his new wife Mariah Carey.

There’s no lessening in the newlywed’s passion and in-between the open hugging and kissing Mariah was the most laid-back ever, even posing for photos, kicking back and greeting fans way into the early hours.

They also greeted Miss California USA Raquel Beezley, Miss Nebraska USA Micaela Johnson and Miss Arkansas USA Rachel Howells and vacationing Sacramento Kings player Kenny Thomas and his lovely wife.