Controversial Olympic star Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn has spoken out about her disastrous Games performance in a shocking television interview – a world first.
The 36-year-old breakdancer became an overnight sensation for her comedy routine at the 2024 Paris Olympics, which became the most talked-about moment of the event.
Her unique moves, which included kangaroo hops and floor slides, did not serve her well in the competition and she faced an onslaught of ridicule as she became a global meme.
Now, the internet sensation has given the world’s first television interview about the viral moment, appearing on The Project on Wednesday to discuss the ordeal with host Waleed Aly.
During the tell-all interview, Raygun admitted that he hadn’t rewatched his now-famous performance while addressing the “harsh” reaction.
“I haven’t watched it again, no. It’s not unusual for me though. I’m not very good at rewatching my battles,” she shared.
“It’s still going to take some time. I think I’ve seen little bits and pieces, but yeah, I’ll see it one day.”
Raygun went on to reveal that she sought mental health support and completely stepped away from social media in the wake of the online storm.
“Luckily, I received mental health support fairly quickly and also got off social media and the internet,” she candidly shared.
“But it’s pretty irregular, but it’s also hard to process it all, honestly. It’s pretty hard to process.”
Controversial Olympic star Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn has spoken out about her disastrous Games performance in a shocking world-first television interview on The Project on Wednesday.
“It’s been a pretty wild ride, I’m not going to lie, I’ve definitely had my ups and downs, my good days and my bad days.”
Raygun also publicly apologized to the breakdancing community for the backlash he received following his unique Olympic performance.
“It’s very sad to hear such criticism,” he said. “I’m very sorry for the backlash the community has experienced, but I can’t control how people react.”
Waleed also alluded to the criticism she received for being one of the few selected athletes sent to the Olympics, asking Raygun: “Do you really think you’re the best female breakdancer in Australia?”
To which Raygun replied: “Well, I think my track record speaks for itself.”
“I never thought I’d be able to connect with so many people in such a positive way, so it’s been amazing. But yeah, it’s definitely been difficult at times.”
Raygun also described her rise to global fame as “wild” when referring to her new status, which has seen her pursued by the cameras and reportedly up for multiple television offers.
“It was really wild,” he admitted. “If people are chasing me, what do I do? But that really put me in a state of panic.”
The Macquarie University researcher could be thinking about a big career move, as a TV source claimed she could soon appear on some top-rated reality shows.
“The future of one of the world’s most talked-about Australians, Raygun, is currently in talks with multiple television deals,” a source told Yahoo Lifestyle.
It has also been claimed that networks are competing to get him exclusive appearances on Australia’s most popular channels.
“They are seeking exclusivity deals with networks that could last between 12 and 24 months, blocking other competitive programming opportunities,” they explained.
Calling her one of the “most sought-after names” in Australia, another source said competing networks could pick Raygun up for a “celebrity” show like SAS Australia or Dancing with the Stars.
“Several talent agents have been following the viral superstar since her memorable dance performance at the Paris Olympics went viral,” they added.
‘The exact direction he takes will be revealed any day now and any chain he signs with will be quite revealing.’
Reports have already circulated that Dancing with the Stars bosses are desperate to sign Raygun for next season.
Speaking to DailyMail.com, a source revealed that the show is keen to offer Raygun the chance to cash in on his Olympics disaster and overhaul his image from being a “ridiculous stuntman”.
‘Dancing with the Stars has had its share of amazing dancers, horrible dancers, and just plain pop culture over the years and Raygun is now one of their targets for the upcoming season,’ they shared.
‘People extend their fifteen minutes on Dancing with the Stars, and when it comes to Raygun, the producers would love to talk to her and see if she would be a good fit for next season.
‘Dancing with the Stars loves to be the show where people redeem themselves and this could be the perfect way for Rachael to stop being a laughing stock.’
Raygun became a worldwide meme at the Olympics due to his very unexpected routine, which included jumping like a kangaroo and rolling on the ground like a snake.
Raygun became a worldwide meme at the Olympics due to his very unexpected routine, which included kangaroo jumps and rolling on the ground like a snake.
Although he faced an onslaught of online ridicule, one marketing expert predicted that Raygun could cash in on his fame and make millions of dollars.
However, they also cautioned that she has already taken too long to maximize her earning potential since her moment in the spotlight.
“Some of the biggest stars in the world have talked about Raygun and done impersonations of her,” the expert said.
“If he was serious about it, he should have already appeared on five international talk shows.”
She has already signed with influencer marketing agency Born Bred Talent, which represents some of Australia and New Zealand’s biggest social media stars.
In a quiet professional move, contact information for the agency’s general manager, Stephanie Scicchitano, suddenly appeared in Raygun’s Instagram bio last month.
Raygun also made a surprise appearance during the TV Week Logies broadcast last month, encouraging the winning nominees to try out their “signature moves”.
“I just want to congratulate all the Logies nominees,” he said in the pre-recorded video message.
“Feel free to do any of my signature moves to celebrate. Have fun and take care of each other.”
At the beginning of his opening monologue, host Sam Pang mocked Raygun and made fun of his disastrous Olympic routine.
“Meanwhile, Raygun’s parents have promised to give her breakdancing lessons,” Pang joked, referring to the parents of Arisa Trew, Australia’s youngest Olympic gold medal winner, who promised her a pet duck as a reward.
Amid the storm of criticism, Raygun was also forced to dismiss wild allegations and “misinformation” about how she secured her place in Paris, including an online petition that was denounced by the Australian Olympic Committee.
Despite facing an onslaught of online ridicule, one expert predicted Raygun could cash in on her fame and earn millions of dollars amid claims that TV networks are struggling to hire her.
“I didn’t realize that would also open the door to so much hate, which, frankly, has been pretty devastating,” she previously shared.
‘I went out and had fun, but I took it very seriously. I worked really hard preparing for the Olympics and I gave it my all. I really did.
“Regarding the accusations and misinformation circulating, I would like to ask everyone to please refer to the recent statement made by AOC, as well as the posts on Ausbreaking’s Instagram page, as well as the WDSF breaking for gold page,” she added.
Responding to claims that he got no points for his comedy routine, he added: ‘Fun fact: there are actually no points for breaking.
“If you want to see how the judges thought compared to my opponents, you can see the comparison percentages between the five criteria on Olympics.com; all the results are there.”
While Raygun faced huge criticism for his Olympic routine, he also attracted the attention of big stars like Adele, Fatboy Slim and American talk show host Jimmy Fallon.
Raygun has yet to return to Australia following the Olympics and is currently on a pre-planned European holiday with her husband, breaking coach Samuel Free.