So I just listened to Penn Jillettes take on David Blaines Self Bullet Catch, and he seemed very angry with his act. I really appreciate david blains art,however I do understand what Penn is saying.

Link Below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUDCn0snnPU

I'd like to see the Café's take on this, what do you guys think?

Penn is correct. This whole thing is resurfacing in the UK with the recent broadcast. There are way too many young folks who are willing to try this simply because David Blaine did it. Being an 'example' comes with a certain responsibility.

Is it really his responsibility if someone else decides to ignore his disclaimers and do something his programming is specifically telling them not to do?

I think the main argument Penn is trying to portray is that, either David is doing a real trick and really risking his life, or he is doing an illusion but trying to sell it as real - both of which Penn is against. He has a strong feeling towards real risk in entertainment, saying in Art no one is ever truly hurt.

While he is a very influential person, many performers have done a bullet catch variation prior to David. In that sense, I do not believe he is wrong for performing the bullet catch. His actions should not be replicated without adequate knowledge and supervision, that should be common sense, and applicable to almost anything you see on tv/video games. Penn's perspective I do agree with, selling it as a real stunt if it really is not, would be morally incorrect. Where it may sell well, it is simply put lying. But how often does something like this occur in the world of magic/performance? Would you say it is similar to Houdini's situation, saying that escaping a straitjacket was done by dislocation of his shoulder? Do you agree with this concept?

If he is truly performing that act for real, then I can only say in astonishment that he is brilliantly-crazy (as I have said before.).