EXTREME STUNTS and FEATS
As if sword swallowing is not dangerous enough as it is, Dan is often known as the "EXTREME Sword Swallower" for his extreme feats and stunts. Here are just a few...
America's Got Talent Pasadena (2016):
Swallow Car Axle and Pull a Car
On his return back to America's Got Talent audition in Season 11 2016, Dan decided to push the envelope and step it up a notch. At the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, Dan started by swallowing a 30 inch long sword with no hands drop for a standing ovation! Dan then topped that by swallowing an 8 lb car axle, leaving the judges and audience speechless!
For his finale, Dan did something he had never done before on national TV - Dan swallowed a sword attached to two straps and pulled a 1974 Triumph Spitfire convertible steered by host Nick Cannon a total of 15 feet using only the sword, his mouth and stomach, and a lot of prayers and stamina!
Dan was awarded TWO STANDING OVATIONS, and 4 YES VOTES from Howie Mandel, Mel B, Heidi Klum and Simon Cowell who said he loved the act!
Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Underwater Sword Swallow in Shark Tank
This was Dan's first major stunt in an attempt to do the impossible and take sword swallowing to the next level.
Dan had lived on a little island in the Bahamas for nearly 7 years where he swam with sharks and stingrays every day. Dan had also swallowed swords for almost 7 years. He knew he could do them both separately. The challenge:
Could he do them BOTH at the same time and SURVIVE?
On May 18, 2007, Dan climbed into a tank full of 88 sharks and stingrays at Ripley's Aquarium Myrtle Beach SC to make history by swallowing swords underwater in a tank of sharks. This stunt was broadcast on CNN and over 500 TV stations to over 50 million viewers, and earned Dan a place in Ripley's Believe It or Not cartoons and books forever. Believe It or Not!
America's Got Talent Las Vegas:
Flaming Sword and Curved Sword
On the Las Vegas Semi-FInals of America's Got Talent, Dan decided to push the envelope and step it up a notch. At the Mirage Casino Las Vegas on May 10, 2008, Dan swallowed a 30 inch long sword with blade engulfed in flames, then a curved sword that required him to bend his body to the right to accommodate the sword.
For his finale, Dan swallowed a sword attached to a whip, then juggled six juggling clubs with a juggling partner until his partner whipped the sword from his throat! Here's the first part of that episode. For some reason, America's Got Talent edited out the whipping out of the sword finale while juggling, as NBC found it a bit too extreme for their audiences. What do YOU think?
Stan Lee's Superhumans
Swallowing Red-Hot Sword
For Dan's big superhuman stunt on Stan Lee's Superhumans, Dan swallowed a long sword that his blacksmith heated red-hot to over 1500 degrees, as hot as molten lava. Watch as the blacksmith lowers the sword down Dan's throat! Stan Lee called Dan a superhuman "Man of Steel"!
This is behind-the scenes footage that you won't see on TV!
This feat was filmed in Hartselle Alabama on January 31, 2010, and aired on Stan Lee's Superhumans on the History Channel and Netflix.
Ripley's Believe It or Not! Car Pull
Pulling a Car by Swallowed Sword
For World Sword Swallower's Day 2013, Dan decided to attempt a new stunt he had never attempted before: Pulling a car by swallowed sword!
On World Sword Swallower's Day, February 23, 2013, at the Ripley's Believe It or Not Baltimore, Dan swallowed a sword with 18 inch long blade attached by towing straps to a 2003 Mini-Cooper weighing 3300 lbs covered with over a million Swarovski gems weighing an additional 400 lbs for a total of over 3700 lbs. He pulled the car out of the Ripley's showroom and into history! Believe It or Not!
Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Swallowing Antique Saw and 15 Swords
On November 14, 2010, while performing at a museum lecture at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich CT, Dan asked the museum curators to remove from their circus exhibit a giant antique 100 year-old saw and 6 swords that belonged to World Champion Sword Swallower Edith Clifford from the 1890s to 1910.
In order to bridge the past with the present, Dan carefully swallowed the antique serrated saw. Then he swallowed a total of 15 swords at once, including 6 of Clifford's antique swords. This feat was documented in a Ripley's Believe It or Not cartoon on April 8, 2011 in 43 countries worldwide. Believe It or Not!
Ricki Lake Show
Swallowing Glowing Light Saber
Eating Fire and Glass Lightbulb
On March 13, 2013, on the Ricki Lake Show, watch Dan swallow a glowing light saber that shines through his neck. Then watch him eat fire and a glass lightbulb and watch the amazement in Ricki's face! This episode aired on May 17, 2013, just prior to Ricki Lake winning an Emmy award.
Most Swords Swallowed and Rotated 180°
12 Swords (24 Swords by 2 People)
On World Sword Swallower's Day, February 28, 2015 at Ripley's Believe It or Not Orlando, Florida, Dan Meyer and Franz Huber both broke the standing Guinness World Record (10 swords), by each swallowing 12 swords at once and TWISTING the swords 180 degrees while in their throats before a live audience of fans and fellow sword swallowers. Believe it or Not!
Most Swords Swallowed Simultaneously:
29 Swords at Once!
On August 6, 2012 in Indianapolis Indiana, Dan Meyer set his own personal record by swallowing 21 swords at once including a number of antique swords that once belonged to other famous historical sword swallowers.
On March 29, 2015, at Ripley's Believe It or Not St. Augustine, FL,
Dan Meyer swallowed 29 swords at once before a live audience to break the standing Guinness World Record of 27 swords! The swords measured
27 inches in length with 20 inch long blades that were 1 mm thick to be in compliance with official Guinness World Records and Sword Swallowers Association International requirements. Believe it or Not!
Most Push-ups While Sword Swallowing:
21 Push-ups
On February 17, 2015 in Tampa Florida, Dan Meyer broke his own personal record by doing 21 pushups while swallowing a 21 inch sword with 16.5 inch long blade. This record was certified an official Record Setter World Record.