Guest Post by Miriam Judith
Rachael Gunn, who goes by “RayGun,” has become an instant internet meme after her Olympic breakdancing performance went viral for all the wrong reasons.
Representing Australia, Gunn holds a PhD in dance culture and earned her spot in the Olympics by winning the QMS Oceania Championship.
Breakdancing made its cringe-worthy Olympic debut at the Paris 2024 Games, and as a new addition to the roster, expectations were high. Hip-hop icon Snoop Dogg even introduced the event, fueling the hype.
However, Gunn’s performance fell embarrassingly short of the other competition as well as the expectations of viewers. The dancer’s routine consisted mostly of her awkwardly contorting herself while flailing around the stage in a seizure-like manner.
In one clip, Rachael Gunn appears to tribute a dance move to her home country by showing off her ‘kangaroo hop’. She should have left this one ‘outback.’
Two Celsius no breakfast pic.twitter.com/rMm3vao8q8
— David Ruff (@dcarterruff) August 9, 2024
Another clip shows Gunn rolling around the floor in an animalistic manner – a perfect encapsulation of this year’s disastrous Wokelympics…
Mistakes were definitely made folks, but the biggest one was communication by RayGunn’s Family & Friends, it’s rare, but not telling someone they can’t dance can have Global implications.#breakdance #Olympics #breakdancing pic.twitter.com/PwdPus9GIN
— Mr Hyde (@RefusalToComply) August 9, 2024
And then there’s whatever you call this. Remember, this woman holds a PhD in dance…
AUSTRALIA’S OLYMPIC CONTENDER HAS PhD IN BREAKDANCE … LITERALLY
Raygun, the 36-year-old lecturer, known more for her expertise in “the cultural politics of breakdancing” than for actual breakdancing, managed to showcase a routine that resembled a toddler’s but with a PhD… pic.twitter.com/pL2AuHfKHF
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) August 10, 2024
I speak for everyone when I say breakdancing should not be in the Olympics pic.twitter.com/WAc2Nj09P9
— greg (@greg16676935420) August 10, 2024
Gunn failed to score a single point during the competition, and the performance was such a ridiculous spectacle that many users on social media couldn’t help but make a viral meme out of it. Not only did users brutally make fun of the dancing, they also criticized the green jogger that Gunn opted to wear, causing her to fire back in an Instagram post.
Despite some online speculation that the Olympian was trolling, or making a big joke out of the Olympics with the outlandish performance, it instead seems like Gunn was genuinely serious about the entire thing, adding even more awkwardness to the entire situation.
Her performance didn’t just miss the mark; it missed it by miles, and the idea that this was an earnest attempt only makes it sting a little more.
However, Rachael demonstrated that she was at least self-aware of her shortcomings in a response to Yahoo Sports, following the event. “Look, I came into the event kind of expecting that I wouldn’t get a vote,” she told reporters.
Gunn’s routine has sparked endless memes and online banter, proving that while her Olympic debut didn’t go exactly as she might have hoped, it certainly made an impression. Her effort, though it didn’t get the applause she might have wanted, will be remembered for its unique place in Olympic history.
Watch the full video:
For those who only saw a short part of Australia’s Breakdance, here’s the whole match for context pic.twitter.com/6vSeRbc4oX
— Aus Integrity (@QBCCIntegrity) August 10, 2024
The post CRINGE: Australian Breakdancer Goes Viral For All the WRONG Reasons in HILARIOUS Olympic Debut – (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.