An Australian comedian has cancelled a musical about breakdancer Rachael “Raygun” Gunn, citing a threat from the Olympian’s legal team who feared it would hurt her reputation.
Raygun: The Musical had been set to open in Sydney on Saturday (Dec 7), featuring dance moves from the 37-year-old’s Paris Olympic performance, which became something of a global laughingstock.
The Australian’s unorthodox routine, which included kangaroo hops and imitating a sprinkler, failed to impress the judges at the Games.
The moves, and her unfashionable green tracksuit, were lampooned online and mocked on late-night talk shows.
“Raygun’s lawyers got in touch with the venue and threatened legal action,” comedian Steph Broadbridge said in a weekend message on social media.
The dancer’s lawyers were “worried I was damaging her brand which I would never do – she doesn’t need me to do that”.
Broadbridge said the lawyers had asserted that she was not allowed to perform the dance moves because Gunn “owns the kangaroo dance”.
“That one did puzzle me. I mean, that is an Olympic level dance. How would I possibly do that without any formal breakdancing training?” she said.
Broadbridge said she would perform at a later date and change the spelling of Raygun to include the letter “i” in an attempt to alleviate legal concerns.
The comedian gave her response while wearing a green tracksuit and cap, describing it as her “casual daywear”.
Gunn announced her retirement from competition earlier this year, citing a “really upsetting” backlash following her Olympics performance.
Her management agency Born Bred Talent said it wanted to ensure the breakdancer’s image remained “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,” the agency told Australian broadcaster ABC.
“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.”
While many ridiculed Raygun’s Olympic performance, she won support from others, including fellow Australian Olympians and Australia’s prime minister.
