![Rachel Dratch as Raygun (left) Raygun at Paris Olympics (right)](https://theblast.prod.media.wordpress.mattersmedia.io/brand-img/123/0x0/2024/08/13103747/raygun-spoof-jimmy-fallon.jpg?)
Jimmy Fallon And Rachel Dratch Face Backlash For 'Cruel' Raygun Spoof
By Kelly Coffey-Behrens on August 13, 2024 at 11:45 AM EDT
Rachel Dratch, the "Saturday Night Live" alum, took to "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" on Monday night as she crashed Fallon’s monologue with a dance parody of Raygun's breakdancing performance.
While Raygun, born Rachael Gunn, received a zero-point score at the Paris Olympics, she became meme gold for her moves, including the iconic kangaroo jump.
However, some are saying that the mockery has gone too far, especially with Jimmy Fallon's latest skit featuring Rachel Dratch.
Rachel Dratch Spoofs Olympic Breakdancer Raygun
This will never not be funny. 🤣 #Raygun pic.twitter.com/6hOKMyOue9
— Nara Hodge (@Nara_Hodge) August 12, 2024
It was only a matter of time before someone took a jab at Australian breakdancer Raygun. Enter Rachel Dratch.
“Breakdancing made its Olympic debut, and everyone’s still buzzing about the Aussie competitor named Raygun,” Fallon said on his Monday night show, before rolling a clip of Raygun’s performance from the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“You have to wonder where Raygun is right now,” Fallon continued, just as the music from Raygun’s performance started playing. That’s when Rachel Dratch burst onto the stage, decked out in an identical outfit and mimicking the Australian breakdancer’s now-infamous moves.
While the skit was supposed to be harmless fun, many think the mockery has gone too far.
Social Media Users Slam Jimmy Fallon And Rachel Dratch
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After seeing the clip, social media users were not impressed. Many Instagrammers are calling out the late-night talk show host and "SNL" alum for the "tasteless" and "cruel" skit.
"This is really mean - I feel bad for her," one user said.
"Listen, the memes were funny for a second, but this is just too far," another expressed. "This is a human being, after all, being mocked and bullied at this point."
A third simply wrote, "This is not ok."
The Raygun Skit Is Being Deemed As 'Tasteless'
Obsessed with Raygun because I identify with the level of dorkiness she projects https://t.co/M2Y5MA2gL5 pic.twitter.com/xS4YVJMXRN
— 🕶sara🕶 (@minnesara) August 9, 2024
The comments from social media users continued to pour in, calling the skit "Absolutely tasteless behavior & mockery."
"This is rude and mean," one individual said.
"I think this is too far," another commented. "They have just publicly humiliated her and Australia. I don't even find this funny. Imagine being her right now, and you wake up to this every day..."
"Raygun's routine was a little unorthodox, but it was definitely original and she was having a great time," a third pointed out. "Just because someone’s approach to something doesn’t fit into what the majority thinks is ‘normal’ doesn’t mean that it can’t be done that way."
Raygun Stands By Her Performance
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After her performance went viral, Raygun seemingly brushed off the criticism as she stood by her authenticity.
"All of my moves are original," she told reporters, per ESPN. "Creativity is really important to me. I go out there, and I show my artistry. Sometimes it speaks to the judges, and sometimes it doesn't. I do my thing, and it represents art. That is what it is about."
Australia's Chef de Mission Anna Meares spoke out as well, coming to Raygun's defense. "In 2008, she was locked in a room crying being involved in a male-dominated sport as the only woman, and it took great courage for her to continue on and fight for her opportunity to participate in a sport that she loved," Meares, a former Olympic champion cyclist, said.
"That got her to winning the Olympic qualifying event to be here in Paris," she added. "She is the best breakdancer female that we have for Australia."
Olympics Judge Praises Raygun
![Raygun takes a mirror selfie](https://theblast.prod.media.wordpress.mattersmedia.io/brand-img/123/0x0/2024/08/13105545/raygun-selfie.jpg?)
An Olympic judge has come to Raygun’s defense, praising her for her bravery and impressive performance on the dance floor, despite the criticism.
“It’s all about originality and it’s all about bringing something new to the table and representing your country or region. This is exactly what Raygun was doing," chief breaking judge at the Olympics Martin Gilian said, per CNN. "She got inspired by her surroundings, which in this case, for example, was a kangaroo."
"She created some original moves which could be maybe funny or entertaining for others, but for us, she basically represented breaking and hip hop," he continued. "She was trying to be original and bring something new to the table," he added. "From our perspective, that was nothing really shocking.”
The competitive breakdancer ended up on the losing side of all three of her matches, scoring a 54-0.