No, this was not, in fact, part of the grand reveal.
Australian magician Ben Murphy is going viral after a video shows him getting assaulted by an audience member mid-act while aboard Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas cruise ship on March 1.
The footage, which Murphy posted on his personal TikTok and has since garnered 9 million views, shows the magician performing a magic trick with a female volunteer from the audience. The two “kiss” by touching the ends of two playing cards that they both have in their mouths.
In theory, Murphy is supposed to “swap” the cards after they touch, with each person ending up with a different card than they started with.
@thebenmurphy_ My assault onboard. Entertainment, comedy, and magic are NOT contact sports. This guest should not have been allowed to enjoy the rest of his cruise. #assault #magician #magic #comedianattacked #violence #cruiseship #cruise #magic #comedian #comedy #domesticviolence #insecure #toxicmasculinity ♬ original sound – The Ben Murphy
However, before Murphy could get to the “magic” part of the performance, a man barrels in from the audience and tackles the magician off his seat, pummeling him to the ground as the woman volunteer attempts to hold the man back.
“My assault on board,” Murphy captioned the clip. “Entertainment, comedy, and magic are NOT contact sports. This guest should not have been allowed to enjoy the rest of his cruise.”
He told local outlet 7News that he suffered bruises all over his body as well as blurry vision as a result of the debacle, noting that the staff of the cruise requested that he see a neurologist.
The magician followed up with a second video, which showed the man being escorted away from the show following jeers from the audience as Murphy and his stunned volunteer finish out the rest of the performance.
@thebenmurphy_ Part 2 Entertainment, comedy, and magic are NOT contact sports. T #assault #magician #magic #comedianattacked #violence #cruiseship #cruise #magic #comedian #comedy #domesticviolence #insecure #toxicmasculinity ♬ original sound – The Ben Murphy
Though Murphy turned off comments on TikTok, he cross-posted the footage to his Instagram account where many chimed in and commended the magician for what he went through.
“He not only harmed you, but that poor woman looked so happy,” one user commented. “After she looked mortified. How sad. I hope you experience no long term effects! Heal quickly, and gently.”
Other viewers claimed to be audience members on board the cruise that night, sharing their experiences in witnessing what went down.
“We were in the audience and it was absolutely nuts! We assumed he would have been locked in his cabin for the rest of the cruise and I’m fuming if he wasn’t,” one woman said. “You did an amazing job continuing on with the rest of the show. Hope you’re doing ok.”
“We were in the audience for this and my jaw nearly hit the floor,” another chimed in. “Feel sorry for not only you, but the poor wife and kids who saw the whole thing.”
It’s not clear what exactly the relationship is between the woman volunteer and the attacker though local outlets reported that he is “believed to be her partner.”
Royal Caribbean did not publicly comment on the incident but told 7News that it could not comment as the situation was pending investigation.