BRISBANE, Australia — Rachael “Raygun” Gunn, the Australian breaker, has attempted to maintain a positive attitude amidst the outpouring of jokes and criticism following her contentious performance at the recent Paris Olympics.
Yet, the concept of “Raygun: the Musical” seemed to take things a step too far.
Comedian Stephanie Broadbridge canceled the show just hours before its debut in Sydney after Gunn’s legal team reached out to the venue, threatening legal consequences.
Broadbridge informed her followers on social media that Gunn’s legal representatives had trademarked the musical’s poster and claimed that she could not perform Gunn’s infamous kangaroo dance, which became widely known worldwide after the Olympic event.
The 37-year-old Sydney-based university lecturer expressed that the backlash from her energetic August performance at the Olympic breaking competition had left her “devastated,” ultimately pushing her to step back from competitions. Despite the turmoil, she acknowledged the shout-outs from prominent figures like late-night host Jimmy Fallon. “While I’m not ready to watch it just yet, I do plan to at some point,” she stated.
On Thursday, Broadbridge provided an important update on Instagram, announcing that the musical would now be called “Breaking: The Musical.” This new version came with the tagline: “A completely legal parody musical.” The reimagined promotional image cleverly features a kangaroo silhouette in Gunn’s iconic dance pose.
In a statement shared via Instagram, Gunn revealed that her legal team had successfully resolved the issues, enabling Broadbridge to continue with her rebranded production. “She’s still able to launch the musical under a new name and fresh branding, and I’m genuinely pleased for her. I wish her the utmost success with the show and future tour,” Gunn remarked.
Additionally, she refuted claims that she had requested a payment of 10,000 Australian dollars (approximately $6,230) for the use of her name. “We have not pursued any costs from these developments. The talk surrounding the $10,000 stems from very early discussions, initiated by my lawyers,” she clarified.
Previous media reports indicated that Gunn’s legal representatives had approached the promoter and the owner of Darlinghurst’s iD Comedy Club, Anthony Skinner, requesting at least that amount in legal fees.
Skinner had intended to donate the proceeds from the musical to a women’s shelter in Sydney and expressed to the media that he couldn’t have asked for better exposure for his new production, which is slated for performances across Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney in the early months of the upcoming year.
In her social media video, Gunn emphasized that her decision to ensure her name was removed from the musical was not rooted in an inability to enjoy a good joke. “I genuinely strive to foster creativity and have appreciated how my performance has inspired numerous artistic interpretations. There have been wonderfully clever and amusing memes that I found entertaining,” she noted.