Criss Angel Escapes from Cement Box

And you thought landing Cameron Diaz was impressive...

On Monday, Criss Angel appeared to escape from a cement box suspended above Times Square in New York after it crashed to the ground without anyone seeing him emerge.

Angel was enclosed for 24 hours in a clear box that was encased in cement as fans and reporters watched. The box was hoisted 12 meters above the ground in a parking lot just off Times Square.

Hundreds gathered to watch his escape, as a big screen showed Angel inside the box, kicking at the walls and dejectedly holding his head in his hands. When a countdown clock hit zero, the box was sent plunging to the ground. As organizers called for paramedics and fans went quiet, Angel appeared atop the screen's nearby scaffolding, waving to the crowd and with his hand across his heart.

Eat your heart out, David Blaine!

While much of the audience cheered, several people were heard asking: "Was he actually in the box?"

"Well, I was in it when I fell â€" that's the truth," Angel told Reuters, adding that people should be asking how he got from the fallen box to the scaffolding.

The stunt was meant to draw attention to the third season of his show Mindfreak, which premiered last night on A&E.

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.