- Raygun’s demand for $10,000 caused a backlash online
- Her lawyers asked a comedy club to pay $10,000
- Comedian announces new breakdance musical
Australian breakdancer Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn is facing fierce criticism after her lawyers demanded $10,000 from the owner of a comedy club who was promoting a musical about the Olympian.
The performance, titled Raygun the musicalwas written by comedian Stephanie Broadbridge and was due to take place at Kinselas in Darlinghurst on December 7.
The show was canceled at the last minute after Raygun’s lawyers asked organizers to stop the performance due to an intellectual property dispute.
The musical would depict the break dancer’s infamous Olympic journey over a 90-minute show and featured original songs including ‘You May Be A B-Girl But You’ll Always Be An A Girl To Me’ and ‘I Would Have Won’ . “But I pulled a muscle.”
It was initially understood that Raygun’s lawyers were halting the performance in an effort to protect their client’s “intellectual property” and ensure “her brand remains strong and respected.”
The Sydney Morning Herald on Wednesday revealed the contents of the letter sent to Anthony Skinner, owner of Darlinghurst’s iD Comedy Club, who had been asked to pay their legal costs.
Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn has sparked fierce reactions on social media with her latest move
Gunn’s lawyers reportedly asked a comedy club to reimburse them $10,000
Skinner, who was outraged by the letter, planned to send the show’s proceeds to a women’s shelter after making a $500 profit from the sale of 70 tickets.
Skinner had offered to pay Raygun $500 in damages, which the attorneys rejected in the letter.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Gunn’s intellectual property includes her “story, personal history, Olympic videos and choreography.”
The letter contained several “absolute commitments” that Skinner had to keep. One of those clauses included a request that read: “You will reimburse our client for legal costs to date, which we estimate to be $10,000.”
Skinner was stunned by the letter, telling The Age: “When they sent that $10,000 letter, I thought, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’
‘I’m thinking about studying law myself now!’
News of Raygun’s legal action has caused a social media storm, with many taking to social media to criticize the Olympian.
One X user posted on X: “Raygun is probably the worst person to accidentally become famous. Everything she has said or done since the Olympics has made me hate her.”
Raygun’s legal team had halted the show, which had already sold 70 tickets and was based on her Olympic journey
The comedian behind the Raygun musical is launching a new breakdance-inspired show
Another described her on X as “the world’s greatest Karen.”
A third posted: ‘She screwed up so much. Had a golden opportunity to take advantage of this – earn money for her likeness from the play. Cycle through I’m A Celebrity/Amazing Race/Dancing With The Stars and probably end up hosting breakfast radio. Instead, she turned the public against her.”
Reporter Jordan Baker of SMH wrote: “If her reputation has been further tarnished since she came home, it’s her own fault. Her attempt to control her image is not only unsportsmanlike; it goes against everything Gunn’s own breaking culture should be about.”
Meanwhile, comedian Stephanie Broadbridge, who was set to perform the show, has announced she will be doing a new breakdancing show: Breaking The Musical.
Breaking The Musical – A Completely Legal Parody Musical will play in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney in 2025.
The comedian announced the news on social media with a poster for the show, which no longer uses Raygun’s name.
Instead, the poster now shows the shadow of a kangaroo apparently performing the Australian dancer’s signature jumping move.