Heather du Plessis-Allan: Don't feel too sorry for Raygun

Having watched Raygun the Aussie breakdancer’s first big interview, which aired on The Project in Australia last night - I think it's pretty clear that you should not waste your emotions feeling sorry for her because she is making the most out of this.

The natural inclination, obviously, is to feel sorry for her, because she completely embarrassed herself jumping around like a kangaroo on the Olympic stage and she's since been the subject of a global pile-on, countless jokes at her expense and even some accusations about her rigging her entry into the Olympics, which seem to be unfounded.

But Raygun does not appear to be particularly ground down by this situation at all. On the contrary - in that interview, she seems to be kind of enjoying the ride.

She says there have been some tough times, but on the other hand - she's quite enjoying getting messages from Richard Branson telling her her performance was 'plucky' and that he'd like to have her on some cruises with Boy George sometime. As she says - what is life?

And that, by the way, is the least of what’s going on for Raygun. She's already signed with a talent management agency, she is apparently the subject of a fierce bidding war between TV networks who want to sign her - including Dancing with the Stars, who are desperate to have her on.

She's been the subject of a skit on Jimmy Fallon's show, Adele mentioned her on stage, she's been in so many international newspapers, I completely lost count.

She is now one of the most famous athletes to emerge from the Paris Olympics, if not the most famous.

I actually admire her, if I'm honest with you.

She is delivering a masterclass in how to handle online abuse and attention. Take the lemons, make some lemonade.

All too often, people read the trolls and let it grind them down and then they go to the media and whinge about it. Raygun's not doing that, she's milking this for all it's worth. Good on her.

So don’t feel sorry for her - Raygun might've lost at the Olympics but she is winning at life after the Olympics.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let's talk about Raygun. I watched the project's big interview
with Raygun. This is her first big interview, and having
watched that, this is Raygun the Breakdowns from Australia. By
the way, having watched that, I think it's pretty clear
you should not waste any of your emotions feeling sorry
for Raygun, because Raygun is not feeling sorry for herself yet.
She is making the most out of this situation big time.

(00:22):
I mean, the natural inclination, obviously is to feel sorry
for her because she completely embarrassed herself jumping around like
a kangaroo on the Olympic stage, and she's since been
the subject of quite a massive global pile on on
social media and countless jokes at her expense, and even
some accusations that she'd rigged her entry into the Olympics,
which do seem to be unfounded. But she does not

(00:42):
seem particularly ground down by the situation at all. On
the contrary, in that interview last night, she seems to
be kind of enjoying the ride. She said, yep, absolutely
there will have there have been some tough times, and
I'm sure there will have been. But on the other hand,
she's quite enjoying getting messages from the likes of Richard
Branson telling her that he thought her performance was plucky
and that he would like to go her to go

(01:03):
on some cruises with boy George. Of all people, as
she says, what is life and that, by the way,
is the least of what is going right for Raygun
At the moment, She's already signed up with a talent
management agency. She is apparently the subject of a fierce
bidding war between TV networks who want to sign her,
and apparently Dancing with the Stars for obvious reasons, are
desperate to get her on the show. She's been the

(01:25):
subject of a skit on Jimmy Fallon's show. A Dale
has mentioned her on stage. She has been in so
many international newspapers now that I have actually completely lost count.
She would, I reckon if she would be one of
the most famous athletes to have emerged from the Paris Olympics,
if not currently the most famous athlete. I actually admire her,

(01:46):
if I have to be completely honest with you, because
she is delivering to us right now a masterclass in
how to handle online abuse and attention. Take the lemons,
make some lemonade, all too often people sit at home
in a dark room, they go on to the Twitter,
read the trolls, they let it grind them down, and
they go in the media and they whine about how
sad life is. Raygun's not doing that. Raygun is milking

(02:07):
this for all it is worth. She understands the value
of what's happening to her right now, and good on
her for that. So do not feel sorry for Raygan.
Raygun may have lost at the Olympics, but I'll tell
you what she is winning at life after the Olympics,
isn't she? For more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive, listen
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