Raygun under fire over $10,000 legal demand
Breakdancer Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn has come under fire again after a legal letter demanding $10,000 from a Sydney comedy club became public – but the organiser says she’ll launch a new show at Adelaide Fringe.
Breakdancer Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn has come under fire again after a legal letter demanding $10,000 from a Sydney comedy club became public.
The Olympian’s team earlier this month shut down Raygun the Musical ahead of its first night at the iD Comedy Club, in Darlinghurst.
On Thursday, it emerged that Gunn’s lawyers were also demanding $10,000 from the club to cover legal costs.
News Corp reports that the letter stated: “You will reimburse our client with legal costs to date which we estimate to be $10,000.”
There were “absolute undertakings” ordered, including cancelling the show and removing all references to Gunn from promotions.
The venue was also ordered not to use Gunn’s “intellectual property”, including her name, pose, Olympic recordings, story or history, states News Corp.
Public backlash in reaction to Gunn’s latest move expressed disgust.
“Turns out breakdancing is not the lamest thing Raygun does,” said one post on X.
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Another noted that Raygun “went from ‘this is not about the money’ to ‘give me 10 grand’ within the space of a few days”.
The musical had been due to launch its trial night when it was shut down on December 6.
Ticketholders were refunded their $10 and its creator Stephanie Broadbridge vowed the show would be revived in the future.
On Thursday it seemed she had found a loophole and was going ahead with plans to relaunch the show under a new name and artwork at the Adelaide Fringe.
Broadbridge sent a press release to announce her show, Breaking The Musical: A Completely Legal Parody Musical, would premier at The Garage International at Adelaide Town Hall on February 28.
The comedian’s poster had no references to Raygun’s name or image and used an image of a kangaroo performing the viral dance pose.
The press release stated “the question on everyone’s lips is how did it happen?” Before clarifying that Breaking: the Musical is a “parody and unauthorised (but completely legal) telling of an Australian olympian’s journey to the 2024 Paris Olympics”.
Broadbridge said in the release that the musical is “based on the true story as it unfolded across the internet, it tells the inspiring story of a groundbreaking breakdancer and new Australian icon who defied the odds to represent Australia in a male-dominated sport”.
“Through a fusion of dance, music, and humour, the show would capture the highs and lows of a rise to Olympic competition,” the release states.
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Gunn has previously defended her team’s actions, saying the Raygun musical had been damaging to her.
“People assumed that we had developed it, that we had approved it and it damaged many relationships, both personal and professional,” she said in a video on Instagram five days ago.
“This is why my management and legal team had to work so quickly to shut the musical down.”
Gunn said the timing right before the trial night launch was “unfortunate”, but it was the first time she had heard of it.
“I know the artist would have put a lot of work into it and that really sucks,” she said.
“But had we known about it sooner, there could have been a different outcome.”
Gunn insisted she was not thin-skinned or motivated by money.
“I really do strive to support creativity and have loved the ways that my performance has sparked so many different artistic interpretations,” she said.
“There were so many fantastic memes that were clever and funny and creative — I have a whole folder of them on my phone.
“Not being able to take a joke is not the issue here.
“This has also never been about the money.
“I have been contacted to go on just about every reality TV show out there and I declined big money because I’m not about that.”
Raygun said she trademarked her name and kangaroo silhouette pose because had been alerted that others were attempting to do so for commercial gain.
She said she was not profiting from any of the merchandise that others were selling, nor had she trademarked the actual kangaroo dance move.
