Australian breakdancer Raygun, whose actual identify is Rachael Gunn, gained world consideration for her unconventional dancing abilities. Nonetheless, she lately took authorized motion to halt a musical bearing her identify and likeness simply hours earlier than its scheduled premiere.
The present, “Raygun: The Musical,” led by comic Stephanie Broadbridge, was canceled after Gunn’s attorneys contacted the comedy membership internet hosting the occasion and threatened authorized motion if the efficiency proceeded, the outlet reported.
Broadbridge later revealed on social media that Raygun’s attorneys claimed the poster used for the musical had been trademarked, prohibiting its use.
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Raygun Musical Canceled After Authorized Dispute
In line with The Associated Press, the comic additionally revealed that Gunn’s attorneys warned she may face authorized penalties if she carried out the viral kangaroo dance, because the Paris Olympian holds the rights to the routine.
Anthony Skinner, the promoter and proprietor of Darlinghurst’s iD Comedy Membership, the place the musical was slated to debut, acknowledged that each one proceeds from the present have been supposed to learn a girls’s shelter.
On Thursday, December 19, Broadbridge shared an replace on Instagram, unveiling a revised poster for the manufacturing with the brand new title, “Breaking: The Musical,” and no reference to Gunn’s likeness. The up to date tagline learn, “A very authorized parody musical.”
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Who Is Raygun?
At this summer season’s Paris Olympics, Gunn became one of the most talked-about participants regardless of dropping all three of her competitions with a mixed rating of 54-0. The social media backlash and criticism have been swift, main the 37-year-old to talk out in opposition to the detrimental habits.
“It’s actually unhappy to listen to these criticisms and I’m very sorry for the backlash that the neighborhood has skilled,” Gunn beforehand advised Australia 10 News. “However I can’t management how individuals react.”
“It was actually unhappy how a lot hate that it did evoke,” Gunn added. “And a whole lot of the responses can also be simply resulting from individuals not being very acquainted with breaking and the range of approaches in breaking. The power and vitriol that folks had was fairly alarming.”
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Raygun Retires — And Then Unretires
“So I used to be speaking, you realize, on 2dayFM about how I’m not going to do sure competitions anymore, which didn’t look like such an enormous deal as a result of breaking will not be going to be within the Olympics [at the 2028 L.A. Games] anyway,” Gunn mentioned, per the New York Post.
“I’m not retiring. You attempt to cease me. I’m not ever going to cease dancing. So when you hear that once more, you realize that it’s not the reality. You’ll be able to’t retire from an artwork type. In order that’s why I’m by no means going to cease.”
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Controversy Surrounds Raygun’s Olympics Spot
Gunn endured an onslaught of hostile messages, with an nameless petition demanding her apology garnering 50,000 signatures. She was baselessly accused of manipulating her means onto the Olympic stage on the expense of different expert dancers within the Australian hip-hop neighborhood.
Among the many rumors have been claims that Gunn had established the governing physique overseeing the Oceania qualifiers to safe her spot. One other unfounded allegation urged her husband, a well-regarded breaker and licensed decide, had been a part of the panel answerable for her choice.
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How Did Raygun Make It To The Olympics?
The Sydney Morning Herald beforehand confirmed that Gunn and her husband, Samuel Free, are neither founders nor leaders of the Australian Breaking Affiliation. The group was really established by Lowe Napalan, a revered determine within the Australian breaking neighborhood.
“The choice course of for Australia’s Breaking crew heading to Paris was carried out over two days, and open to all contributors within the Oceanic area,” the Australian breaking group AUSBreak mentioned in a press release. “Adhering to World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) laws, which align with Worldwide Olympic Committee (IOC) requirements, the method aimed to make sure a good and clear final result.”
“Their choice was based mostly solely on their efficiency of their battles on that day,” AUSBreak added in its assertion.
Following the hypothesis, Raygun admitted, “I didn’t notice that that will open the door to a lot hate, which has frankly been fairly devastating. Whereas, I went on the market and I had enjoyable, I did take it very critically. I labored my butt off, getting ready for the Olympics and I gave my all really. I’m honored to have been part of the Australian Olympic Workforce and to be a part of breaking’s Olympic debut.”
