In a recent sketch on Saturday Night Live, Mikey Day showcased his impeccable talent for impersonating renowned magician David Blaine as he performed street magic tricks for unsuspecting pedestrians. Day's performance was a spot-on portrayal of Blaine's signature mysterious and awe-inspiring magic tricks. He skillfully recreated the magician's enigmatic demeanor and exaggerated mannerisms, making the audience believe they were truly witnessing Blaine in action. The sketch began with Day approaching random people on the street with his deck of cards, pulling off mind-boggling tricks that left them in awe. From pulling a card out of thin air to making it disappear and reappear in unexpected places, Day captivated the crowd with his impeccable sleight of hand and misdirection techniques. The main highlight of the sketch was when Day performed a trick where he seemingly levitated off the ground, a classic move often associated with David Blaine's street performances.

Rebel Black Bear Selected As New On- Field Mascot for Ole Miss Rebels

OXFORD, Miss. – The Rebel Mascot Selection Committee is excited to announce the Rebel Black Bear as the new on-field mascot for the Ole Miss Rebels.

The committee made the recommendation to University of Mississippi leaders Wednesday night following a thorough analysis of the latest poll of Ole Miss students, faculty, staff, alumni and season ticket holders. The poll indicated that 62 percent of those polled support the Rebel Black Bear. The Rebel Land Shark drew 56 percent support, and Hotty Toddy drew 42 percent.

“We selected the Rebel Black Bear because it was supported through the entire process and was the lead runner in the final poll,” said Margaret Ann Morgan, committee co-chair. “It has a Mississippi connection, is timeless, appeals to children, is unique to the SEC and fits the other characteristics established in the initial focus groups.

“Through this long process, we have seen the love that people have for the university. Having listened to all of those groups, we know this is a choice that best represents what they have said they looked for in a mascot.”

The committee’s decision follows an eight-month process that began in February, when UM students voted 3-to-1 in favor of a student-led process for selecting a new on-field mascot for the Ole Miss Rebels athletics teams.

“We gave everyone in the Ole Miss community a voice and are comfortable with our decision, knowing it was the most popular choice,” said Ty New, committee co-chair. “The fact that we were completely transparent through the process makes this a credible choice.”

The student-led process, which involved input and ideas from all groups in the Ole Miss community, has been supported by the leadership of the UM Alumni Association, Ole Miss coaches, the Athletics Department and university administration.

“As I have watched this process unfold, I have been impressed with our students’ efforts to seek input from all parts of the Ole Miss family,” Chancellor Dan Jones said. “I want to thank the students who have served on the Rebel Mascot Selection Committee for their hard work and leadership. The university has accepted the students’ mascot recommendation, and we have turned this matter over to Athletics to bring the new mascot to life.”

Athletics Director Pete Boone said he also admires the student selection committee for their work.

“They were willing to take on an emotional issue and managed it in an upfront and transparent way,” Boone said. “Ole Miss Athletics will now be responsible for implementing this decision. Michael Thompson, senior associate athletics director for marketing and communications, will lead this process.”

Thompson said there are two main goals in implementing the new mascot.

“We know that the new mascot has to complement the experience at all athletics events and create a lasting connection between Ole Miss and children, our future Ole Miss Rebels,” he said. “As simple as that may sound, there are many elements involved to make that successful – everything from creating a costume and recruiting and training someone to serve as the first mascot to selecting a 2011 launch venue and date.”

Thompson said work on the next steps will begin immediately.

Charles Clark, president of the UM Alumni Association, said he is grateful to Ole Miss alumni and friends for their increased participation in the recent mascot survey and to the Mascot Selection Committee for its hard work and involvement of alumni in the process.

“While we might not all agree with the committee’s selection, I am confident that we will come together and continue to strongly support the Ole Miss Rebels,” Clark said. “I know that my love of Ole Miss is as strong as ever, and that I will be in Tuscaloosa on Saturday night cheering loudly for our Rebels.”

The selection of the Rebel Black Bear follows a process that was based on input from the entire Ole Miss community. In 33 initial focus groups, Ole Miss students, alumni, faculty, staff and season ticket holders identified characteristics that are vital to a new Rebels mascot. According to those groups, the ultimate mascot should unify the Ole Miss community, have a Mississippi connection, be unique, adapt from the Grove to the game, fit the Ole Miss culture, project a proud image, be timeless and not trendy, have the ability to be active and appeal to children.

After reviewing more than 1,000 mascot suggestions, the selection committee submitted 11 concepts for public input at the end of June. More than 13,000 students, faculty, staff, alumni and season ticket holders responded to the first poll. Based upon the results of the first poll and work with design professionals, those 11 choices were narrowed down to the three final selections, and artist’s renderings of the concepts were unveiled Oct. 6.

Participation in the October poll was up slightly over the initial poll, with more than 13,300 people responding and 87 percent supporting at least one of the three options. Of people expressing a preference for one of the options, 72 percent supported the Rebel Black Bear. Among students, support was even stronger for the Rebel Black Bear, with 74 percent of students who indicated a preference supporting that option. Off-campus participation, including alumni and season ticket holders, made up the largest segment of those polled.

Ole Miss adopts Landshark as new official mascot for athletic events

Ole Miss chancellor Jeffrey Vitter announced the change Friday, adding the university will still be known as the Rebels.

"The growth of the Landshark mystique over the last seven years has been phenomenal with every athletics team embracing it, including such standouts as Marshall Henderson with basketball and Kaitlin Lee with softball, in leading their respective teams to SEC championships," Vitter said in a statement.

The term Landshark originated in 2008 and was quickly adopted by the football team's defensive unit, according to the athletic department. Since then, players from Ole Miss teams have celebrated big plays by putting a hand to their forehead in the shape of a shark fin.

The as-yet named Landshark will replace Rebel the Bear, who was selected as the Ole Miss mascot in 2010. In 2003, the university retired Colonel Reb from the field in an effort to move away from symbols of the Old South.

Rebel the Bear's retirement is effective immediately, and the mascot will not be present at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium when Ole Miss plays Auburn on Saturday, athletic director Ross Bjork said.

The bear's ouster follows a student-government poll in which 81 percent of the respondents endorsed the Landshark. Vitter said he conferred with several student and alumni groups before making the decision. The Landshark is expected to be unveiled in 2018.

Rebel Black Bear Selected As New On-Field Mascot for Ole Miss Rebels

OXFORD, Miss. – The Rebel Mascot Selection Committee is excited to announce the Rebel Black Bear as the new on-field mascot for the Ole Miss Rebels.

The committee made the recommendation to University of Mississippi leaders Wednesday night following a thorough analysis of the latest poll of Ole Miss students, faculty, staff, alumni and season ticket holders. The poll indicated that 62 percent of those polled support the Rebel Black Bear. The Rebel Land Shark drew 56 percent support, and Hotty Toddy drew 42 percent.

“We selected the Rebel Black Bear because it was supported through the entire process and was the lead runner in the final poll,” said Margaret Ann Morgan, committee co-chair. “It has a Mississippi connection, is timeless, appeals to children, is unique to the SEC and fits the other characteristics established in the initial focus groups.

“Through this long process, we have seen the love that people have for the university. Having listened to all of those groups, we know this is a choice that best represents what they have said they looked for in a mascot.”

The committee’s decision follows an eight-month process that began in February, when UM students voted 3-to-1 in favor of a student-led process for selecting a new on-field mascot for the Ole Miss Rebels athletics teams.

“We gave everyone in the Ole Miss community a voice and are comfortable with our decision, knowing it was the most popular choice,” said Ty New, committee co-chair. “The fact that we were completely transparent through the process makes this a credible choice.”

The student-led process, which involved input and ideas from all groups in the Ole Miss community, has been supported by the leadership of the UM Alumni Association, Ole Miss coaches, the Athletics Department and university administration.

“As I have watched this process unfold, I have been impressed with our students’ efforts to seek input from all parts of the Ole Miss family,” Chancellor Dan Jones said. “I want to thank the students who have served on the Rebel Mascot Selection Committee for their hard work and leadership. The university has accepted the students’ mascot recommendation, and we have turned this matter over to Athletics to bring the new mascot to life.”

Athletics Director Pete Boone said he also admires the student selection committee for their work.

“They were willing to take on an emotional issue and managed it in an upfront and transparent way,” Boone said. “Ole Miss Athletics will now be responsible for implementing this decision. Michael Thompson, senior associate athletics director for marketing and communications, will lead this process.”

Thompson said there are two main goals in implementing the new mascot.

“We know that the new mascot has to complement the experience at all athletics events and create a lasting connection between Ole Miss and children, our future Ole Miss Rebels,” he said. “As simple as that may sound, there are many elements involved to make that successful – everything from creating a costume and recruiting and training someone to serve as the first mascot to selecting a 2011 launch venue and date.”

Thompson said work on the next steps will begin immediately.

Charles Clark, president of the UM Alumni Association, said he is grateful to Ole Miss alumni and friends for their increased participation in the recent mascot survey and to the Mascot Selection Committee for its hard work and involvement of alumni in the process.

“While we might not all agree with the committee’s selection, I am confident that we will come together and continue to strongly support the Ole Miss Rebels,” Clark said. “I know that my love of Ole Miss is as strong as ever, and that I will be in Tuscaloosa on Saturday night cheering loudly for our Rebels.”

The selection of the Rebel Black Bear follows a process that was based on input from the entire Ole Miss community. In 33 initial focus groups, Ole Miss students, alumni, faculty, staff and season ticket holders identified characteristics that are vital to a new Rebels mascot. According to those groups, the ultimate mascot should unify the Ole Miss community, have a Mississippi connection, be unique, adapt from the Grove to the game, fit the Ole Miss culture, project a proud image, be timeless and not trendy, have the ability to be active and appeal to children.

After reviewing more than 1,000 mascot suggestions, the selection committee submitted 11 concepts for public input at the end of June. More than 13,000 students, faculty, staff, alumni and season ticket holders responded to the first poll. Based upon the results of the first poll and work with design professionals, those 11 choices were narrowed down to the three final selections, and artist’s renderings of the concepts were unveiled Oct. 6.

Participation in the October poll was up slightly over the initial poll, with more than 13,300 people responding and 87 percent supporting at least one of the three options. Of people expressing a preference for one of the options, 72 percent supported the Rebel Black Bear. Among students, support was even stronger for the Rebel Black Bear, with 74 percent of students who indicated a preference supporting that option. Off-campus participation, including alumni and season ticket holders, made up the largest segment of those polled.

Goodbye black bear? Some Ole Miss students call for new mascot

OXFORD, MS (WMC) - After seven years of a black bear, is it time for a new mascot at Ole Miss?

Students are pushing for a mascot tied to a historic Ole Miss win.

A black bear has been their mascot ever since Colonel Reb was retired in 2010. But it could soon be changing again to make this much more official.

"I'm a die-hard landshark fan, so I'm pretty excited if it gets changed," said freshman Bryson Beard. "I've never really been a fan of the black bear, fins up always."

The landshark gesture has been used ever since Ole Miss's historic upset over the Tim Tebow-led Florida Gators in 2008.

"I think I like the landshark better actually, I think the football players and athletes will like it better," said senior Jake Miller.

This week, the Associated Body announced a "Landshark Referendum" with a push for the landshark to become official.

"When something big happens you throw up the landshark, you don't wanna go around doing no bear," Miller said.

But not every Rebel we spoke with was on board with the possible change.

"I feel like people want to keep the bear, I think they wanna keep the black bear honestly," said freshman Gabrielle Tate.

So what would a Rebel Landshark even look like?

"I envision a lot of shark costumes in the near future at the stadium, which I think would be really fun," said sophomore Jessica Flach.

The school will vote Sept. 26 in this year's fall election on whether the landshark will be making landfall at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

Copyright 2017 WMC Action News 5. All rights reserved.

The main highlight of the sketch was when Day performed a trick where he seemingly levitated off the ground, a classic move often associated with David Blaine's street performances. The pedestrians' reactions ranged from astonishment to disbelief, further enhancing the comedic effect of the sketch. Throughout the sketch, Day maintained a deadpan expression and subdued voice, mimicking Blaine's serious and mysterious personality perfectly.

This added to the comedy as his deadpan delivery contrasted with the ludicrousness of the magic tricks he was performing. Day's portrayal of David Blaine's street magic was not only funny but also a tribute to the world of illusion and showmanship. The sketch highlighted the power of magic to astound and captivate, even in everyday settings. In conclusion, Mikey Day's portrayal of David Blaine's street magic was a hilarious and impressive showcase of his talent for impersonation and comedic timing. His ability to mimic Blaine's enigmatic persona and perform mind-bending magic tricks left the audience in stitches, proving once again that the art of magic continues to mesmerize and entertain people of all ages..

Reviews for "In Awe of David Blaine's Street Magic: Mikey Day Shares the Experience"

1. Beth - 1-star rating: I found "Mikey day showcasing David Blaine street magic" to be incredibly underwhelming and disappointing. The tricks performed by David Blaine lacked any sense of wonder or amazement. It felt like he was just going through the motions without any real passion or excitement. On top of that, Mikey Day's hosting didn't add anything significant to the show. Overall, I would not recommend wasting your time watching this lackluster performance.

2. Ethan - 2-star rating: I was excited to watch "Mikey day showcasing David Blaine street magic" as I am a fan of magic shows, but this one failed to impress me. The tricks were not innovative or mind-boggling; they were quite basic and predictable. The whole performance seemed rushed, and it felt like the magician was not fully invested in his act. Mikey Day's hosting was forgettable, and I wish there was a better flow throughout the show. If you're looking for an exciting and captivating magic experience, I suggest you look elsewhere.

3. Sarah - 2-star rating: I had high hopes for "Mikey day showcasing David Blaine street magic," but unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations. While it's clear that David Blaine is a talented magician, the tricks he performed in this show were rather lackluster. There was no real wow factor or moments that left me in awe. Mikey Day's hosting felt forced and over-the-top, detracting from the overall experience. If you're a fan of David Blaine's previous works, you might find some enjoyment in this show, but for me, it fell short of being captivating or memorable.

4. Jake - 1-star rating: As someone who loves magic, "Mikey day showcasing David Blaine street magic" was a huge letdown. David Blaine's tricks felt rehearsed and unimpressive. I've seen similar tricks performed by other magicians that were much more compelling and mind-boggling. Mikey Day's hosting didn't do much to elevate the show either; it lacked charisma and engagement. Overall, I found the whole performance to be underwhelming and not worth the time or effort. I would recommend seeking out other magic shows that offer a more thrilling and captivating experience.

The Artistry of David Blaine's Street Magic: Mikey Day Chronicles an Unforgettable Night