In New York, burlesque performer Gin Minsky has a reputation for feats that feel impossible. For her newest stunt, she swapped the stage lights for clinical ones. She let Columbia University doctors film her swallowing an 18-inch sword, producing a viral video that shows us the steel’s path past her larynx and into her esophagus.

The clip, posted to Instagram, has already pulled in more than half a million views. Comments range from admiration to disbelief. One viewer wrote, “Omg how did she just stay alive and so calm? I almost dropped to the floor.” Another admitted, “My brain couldn’t fathom enough composure to witness that.”

Minsky, who lives in Bed-Stuy, wanted the video to prove the act’s authenticity. “I was just performing this weekend, and I could see a woman in the audience tha

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