Jealously got one of the best of him.
Ben Murphy, an Australian TV host and magician, was allegedly attacked during his performance on a Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas cruise on March 1.
Throughout the trick, Murphy and the volunteer sat with folded playing cards protruding of their mouths as Murphy leaned in for a “kiss” — an element of the trick where the magician will “swap” the cards to the opposite’s mouth.
Murphy then attempted to take the cardboard out of his mouth but his eyes, seen on a big screen on stage, widen as a member of the gang — believed to be the girl’s partner — charged the stage and pushed the entertainer to the bottom.
“My assault on board. Entertainment, comedy, and magic are NOT contact sports. This guest mustn’t have been allowed to enjoy the remaining of his cruise,” Murphy wrote on TikTok.
Murphy claimed he suffered multiple bruises and “blurry vision,” based on 7News.
“Hit my head so I even have had blurry vision,” Murphy said, adding the onboard medical team advised him to see a neurologist.
Murphy said the volunteer had given her consent for the act.
“She was lovely and was laughing and having an actual good time, she danced and giggled and gave consent for all of it,” Murphy said.
The magician alluded to officials not being helpful following the incident saying his statement wasn’t taken until every week after the alleged assault.
“Statements must have been taken by the witness that day,” Murphy said. “How they said there have been no witnesses to this baffles me.”
Viewers took to Instagram to share their support with Murphy, one asking if the magician was in a position to go on with the show.
“In the event you finished the show, you deserve an award. It will take superhuman strength to have the opportunity to remain on stage after that,” magician Chris Herrick commented on Instagram.
“Finished the show (25 minutes remained. And did 2 more shoes 4 nights later)” Murphy responded.
Other commenters took the chance to ridicule the attacker.
“Tell me your insecure in your relationship without telling me your insecure in your relationship lol,” one user said.
“Dog ruined the rattling magic trick, now I won’t ever know what was presupposed to occur,” one other user added.
The Quantum of the Seas was on a five-day round trip Queensland cruise that departed from Brisbane on Feb. 26 and returned on March 3, based on an itinerary on CruiseMapper.
Murphy’s website claims he has sold out over 300 shows within the US and holds the world record for probably the most times someone has performed the “Houdini Chinese Underwater Torture Cell.”
