Dan Meyer (born April 7, 1957) is an American sword swallower, multiple Guinness World record holder in sword swallowing, global TEDx speaker, finalist on America's Got Talent, Golden Buzzer finalist on Sweden's Talang, and recipient of the 2007 Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine at Harvard University.

Meyer is president of the Sword Swallowers Association International (SSAI). He has performed in more than sixty countries on six continents, on 11 Got Talents, at fifteen Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditoriums, at several Las Vegas casinos including The Mirage and Paris Las Vegas, and on numerous films and television programs including Stan Lee's Superhumans.

Got Talent Auditions
Meyer was one of the Top 50 finalists on America's Got Talent Season 3 (2008) and returned to compete on America's Got Talent Season 11 (2016). Meyer also auditioned on the Italian talent competition Tu Si Qu Vales Season 3 (2016), on France's Got Talent Season 12 (2017), Israel's Got Talent International All Stars Edition Season 2 (2018–19), Australia's Got Talent Season 10 (2022), and was a Golden Buzzer recipient and finalist on Sweden's Talang Season 13 (2022–23).

In 2008, Meyer auditioned for the third season of the NBC reality competition America's Got Talent. In episode 303, Meyer swallowed a series of progressively longer swords which he removed by flinging them into the air. As he was swallowing seven swords at once, judge David Hasselhoff buzzed Meyer, causing him to jump and nearly puncturing his stomach. Although Hasselhoff voted "No," claiming the act was too scary and hard to watch, Piers Morgan and Sharon Osbourne both voted "Yes," sending Meyer on to the Las Vegas round.

In his Vegas audition episode 309, Meyer swallowed a curved sword, a flaming sword, and had a sword whipped from his throat while juggling 6 juggling clubs. Meyer was eliminated before being brought back as a Top 40 Wildcard in the Finals in Hollywood, where he was eventually eliminated again in episode 310.

In 2016, Meyer returned to audition for the eleventh season of America's Got Talent, where in episode 1105 he swallowed a car axle and pulled host Nick Cannon across the stage in a 1974 Triumph Spitfire car by swallowed sword. He received a standing ovation and four "Yes" votes.

In October 2016, Meyer auditioned for Season 3 of the Italian talent show Tu Si Que Vales in Rome Italy, where he swallowed a variety of implements and pulled Argentinian model Belén Rodríguez across the stage in a Triumph Spitfire by swallowed sword. Meyer received four "Yes" votes and a "Yes" vote of 82% from the studio audience.

In August 2017, Meyer auditioned on Season 12 of France's Got Talent, where he pulled judge David Ginola across the stage in a car by swallowed sword. He received 4 Yes votes.

In October 2018, Meyer auditioned on Israel's Got Talent International All Stars Edition Season 2, episode 17. As part of his act, he had judge Uri Geller remove a sword from his throat, and for his finale, he pulled hosts Ofer Shechter and Asi Israelof across the stage in a 1954 BMW Isetta by swallowed sword. He received a standing ovation and four "Yes" votes.

In June 2022, Meyer auditioned on Australia's Got Talent Season 10 where he received a standing ovation for  pulling judges Shane Jacobsen and Kate Ritchie across the stage in a 1964 Triumph Spitfire.  He received a standing ovation and three "Yes" votes.

In October 2022, Meyer auditioned on the thirteenth season of the Swedish talent competition Talang. During his audition in episode 13.2, Meyer swallowed part of the microphone stand, a long sword, and a car axle that was verified by a metal detector wanded by Helena Bergström, and removed by judge Johanna Nordström.

At the end of his audition, Meyer pulled judge David Batra across the stage in a 2022 Mini Cooper weighing 3,144 lbs. He received four "Yes" votes and a standing ovation. In the judges’ deliberation, Meyer was given the Golden Buzzer by David Batra advancing Meyer directly to the Finals. Meyer’s audition was broadcast on Season 13 episode 2 on 20 January 2023 on TV4.

On March 17, 2023 during the live finals of Talang, Meyer swallowed the blade of an antique Swedish Sparkstötting kick sleigh which was lowered from the ceiling and down his throat. He then swallowed a serpentine sword, a curved sword, and a large saw before the judges. Meyer finished his act by inviting David Batra onstage to whip a sword from his throat with a whip. Episode 13.10 was broadcast live on TV4 on 17 March 2023.

In June 2023, Meyer competed on Season 10 of Croatia's Supertalent on Nova TV in Zagreb, Croatia, and Season 9 of Got Talent España in Madrid Spain. Results to be broadcast in September 2023.

Awards and honors
 Guinness World Record for Most Sword Swallowers Swallowing Swords Simultaneously
 Most Swords Swallowed Simultaneously
 Guinness World Record for Single Sword Swallowed by the Most Sword Swallowers
 Most Swords Swallowed Simultaneously by Sword Swallowers
 Guinness World Record for Sword Swallowing Underwater - 21 inch sword with 18 inch long blade
 Guinness World Record for Sword Swallowing Underwater - 30 inch sword with 24 inch long blade
 Guinness World Record for Most Swords Swallowed Simultaneously Underwater: 2 swords
 Ripley's Believe It or Not! Myrtle Beach - Sword swallowing underwater in tank of sharks 
 2006 Published in British Medical Journal
 2007 Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine at Harvard

References

External links

1957 births
Living people
Sword swallowers
Got Talent contestants
America's Got Talent contestants
Australia's Got Talent contestants
Talang (Swedish TV series) contestants
People from Michigan City, Indiana