đ° Comedian cancels âRaygunâ musical after legal threat
- Publish date
- Tuesday, 10 Dec 2024, 8:00AM
An Australian comedian has cancelled a musical about breakdancer Rachael âRaygunâ Gunn, citing a threat from the Olympianâs legal team who feared it would hurt her reputation.
âRaygun: The Musicalâ had been set to open in Sydney on Saturday, featuring dance moves from the 37-year-oldâs Paris Olympic performance, which became something of a global laughing stock.
The Australianâs 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.
âRaygunâs lawyers got in touch with the venue and threatened legal action,â comedian Steph Broadbridge said in a weekend message on social media.
The dancerâs lawyers were âworried I was damaging her brand which I would never do -- she doesnât need me to do thatâ.
Broadbridge said the lawyers had asserted that she was not allowed to perform the dance moves because Gunn âowns the kangaroo danceâ.
âThat one did puzzle me. I mean, that is an Olympic level dance. How would I possibly do that without any formal breakdancing training?â she said.
Broadbridge said she would perform at a later date and change the spelling of Raygun to include the letter âiâ in an attempt to alleviate legal concerns.
The comedian gave her response while wearing a green tracksuit and cap, describing it as her âcasual daywearâ.
Gunn announced her retirement from competition earlier this year, citing a âreally upsettingâ backlash following her Olympics performance.
Her management agency Born Bred Talent said it wanted to ensure the breakdancerâs image remained âstrong and respectedâ.
âWhile 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 Rachaelâs creative rights and the integrity of her work,â the agency told Australian broadcaster ABC.
âThis 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.â
While many ridiculed Raygunâs Olympic performance, she won support from others, including fellow Australian Olympians and Australiaâs prime minister.
This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission