Australian Olympian Raygun has issued a heartfelt response to, and explanation of, the sudden cancellation of a musical inspired by her infamous Paris performance.
Raygun: The Musical was set for a trial show at the Kinselas Hotel in Sydney on Saturday night, but on the morning of the debut show, Rachael Gunn’s lawyers stepped in and threatened legal action.
The parody musical, written and starring Aussie comedian Steph Broadbridge, intended to retell the story of Raygun’s Olympic journey, which spawned countless moves on social media.
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The 37-year-old’s routine consisted of moves including an iconic kangaroo hop, a backward roll and various other moves while lying or crawling on the floor.
She did not register a single point across her Olympic battles, losing 18-0 in all three rounds.
In a statement to 7NEWS, Raygun’s management and legal team said: “We are committed to protecting her intellectual property and ensuring that her brand remains strong and respected.
“While we have immense respect for the credible work and effort that has gone into the development of the show, we must take necessary steps to safeguard Rachael’s creative rights and the integrity of her work.
“This action is not intended to diminish the contributions of others, but rather to ensure her brand is properly represented and protected in all future endeavours.”
The move sparked backlash among fans, who accused Raygun of not being able to take a joke.
In a lengthy video posted to Instagram on Friday afternoon, the Australian breaker addressed that accusation, among several other issues with the musical and her dance itself.
“The first we heard of it was last Friday when it was a story in the Sydney Morning Herald and on Channel 7 news,” Raygun said.
“We were totally blindsided by this, and unfortunately, the blowback was quick.
“People assumed that we had developed it, that we had approved it, and it damaged many relationships, both personal and professional.
“So, this is why my management and legal team had to work so quickly to shut the musical down.
“It was really unfortunate that the show had to be cancelled so close to the launch.
“I know the artists would have put a lot of work into it, and that (we had to cancel it) really sucks. But had we known about it sooner, there could have been a different outcome.
“I really do strive to support creativity and have loved the ways my performance has sparked so many different artistic interpretations.
“And there were so many fantastic memes that were clever and funny and creative; I have a whole folder of them on my phone. So, not being able to take a joke is not what the issue is here.”
Speaking to her almost 200,000 Instagram followers, Raygun said it was not about the money.
“I have been contacted to go on just about every reality TV show out there and I’ve declined big money because I’m not about that,” she added.
The breaking academic then took the opportunity to straighten out some facts.
“I also want to take a moment to correct some of the misinformation,” she went on.
“Yes, I’ve trademarked my name and my now-famous kangaroo silhouette pose, which has been used in just about every piece of Raygun merch out there — which I’m not profiting from, by the way.
“And the reason we did that was because we were notified that there were applications from other parties trying to trademark my name and image for commercial purposes. I mean, totally wild.
“In terms of the kangaroo dance; I did not trademark it or claim any trademark ownership of the kangaroo dance, and it in no way mimics Aboriginal dance.
“It was instead inspired by the Australian Olympic mascot, ‘BK’, the boxing kangaroo, and I wanted to represent and celebrate that spirit.
“I know this misinformation about the kangaroo dance has upset many members of the Indigenous community, and I’m sorry for that, and I’m really sorry that this hasn’t been corrected sooner.
“I have the utmost respect for Indigenous Australians, who are part of the oldest continuous living culture on the planet.”
After the furore, Broadbridge issued an apology to Raygun over the unintended fallout.
“If you’re watching I just want to say I’m really sorry for any negativity that you might have received as a result of this,” Broadbridge said on The Project.
“I can promise you that was not my intention. This was supposed to be me trying to make you feel like the icon that I believe you can be in Australia.
“I just wanted to support you through it. If there’s been any negativity, I’m really sorry.”
