Remember Raygun? Well, she's back, and she's litigious. After a summer of people making fun of her and the unique breakdancing skills she displayed during the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, Rachael "Raygun" Gunn's lawyers have put the kibosh on a musical inspired by the Olympian. Steph Broadbridge, creator of Raygun: The Musical, announced yesterday that the test performance of the show had been canceled after Raygun's lawyers threatened the venue with legal action.
Raygun The Musical is a "parody exploration" of Raygun's journey to the Paris Olympics. "By infusing comedic elements, satirical exaggerations, musical comedy tropes, and playful commentary on the entertainment industry, it pokes fun at celebrity worshipping, sport, and popular culture," the show's description reads. Alas, Raygun zapped this one out of the theater.
"We will be refunding everyone their $10 or a comp ticket," Broadbridge said in an Instagram video. The comedian claims that lawyers trademarked her poster for the show, which she hopes they "do something fun with." Lawyers also accused Broadbridge of damaging Raygun's brand, something the comedian would "never do" because "[Raygun] doesn't need me to do that."
"They were very concerned that people would think that Rachael Gunn was affiliated with the musical. I want to assure everyone that she will not be part of the show. She's very welcome to come. I would love for her to see it."
Most curiously, the lawyers also banned Broadbridge from doing "the dance." No, not where Raygun lies on her side and holds her hand up to her chin as if to say, "Step up 2 Raygun," but rather "the kangaroo," which Raygun reportedly owns. The joke's on Raygun, though. "That's an Olympic-level dance," Broadbridge said. "How would I possibly be able to do that without any formal training?"
Perhaps predicting that people would begin dunking on Raygun again, Gunn's lawyers released a reasonable statement to The Guardian. "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 statement reads. "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."
"The use of the 'Raygun' name by a comedian without approval has caused confusion among the public, potentially leading them to believe that Raygun The Musical had Rachael's endorsement or approval. This misuse of intellectual property is not only misleading but also jeopardizes Rachael's other commercial ventures, which rely on the integrity of her brand."
Perhaps we've been burying the lead: Raygun has "other commercial ventures" on the way? Yeesh, how many meme coins does one human race need?
