Francesca Rudkin: I hoped we'd grown out of trolling

It's been a week after the Paris Olympics wrapped up, and still the global interest in Aussie break-dancer Raygun continues.

A huge amount of energy is going into trolling, bullying, abusing, mocking – call it what you want – the 36 year old Breaker Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn.

I don’t understand why people are wasting time and energy on an embarrassing performance by a break dancer at the Olympics. Australia has had one of its best Olympics and there is much to celebrate, but one errant performance is getting disproportionate attention.

I would have thought failing to score a point and being judged 0 would have been tough to deal with – but no, the keyboard warriors felt obliged to really rub it in.

Raygun showed us that you might be able to fulfil your Olympic dreams in unlikely ways, and gave us a laugh. She became a meme, but her story should have not lasted longer than 48 hours in the news cycle.

Raygun is not the only one to put themselves out there and be responded to with hate and abuse.

New Zealand singer Marla Kavanaugh has also faced abuse after singing the anthem at the All Blacks match against Fiji in San Diego. The death threats and hate mail she received online lasted weeks after the performance. People attacked her and her cleft affected child – which is so not appropriate – and she’s afraid to return to New Zealand.

And yesterday, the brother of Blues and All Blacks rugby player Harry Plummer spoke out about the endless amount of hate professional players receive. Benjamin Plummer talked about how his brother has put up with years of abuse, death threats and personal attacks since missing a kick in 2019.

I think most of us have respect for those who dedicate themselves and reach the pinnacle of their sport. But as fans, we seem to think we have the right to get personal, rather than have a constructive and rational chat about a game of footie.

No one should be at the end of the death threat for singing an anthem, dancing like a kangaroo or playing a game of sport.

The tall poppy syndrome has been part of life in New Zealand forever, but as we’ve watched more and more Kiwis achieve amazing things both locally and globally, I’d hoped that we’d grown out of this silliness.

But thanks to social media we’ve been empowered to anonymously throw in our nasty 2 cents worth. It’s time to simply calm the farm. We should put our energy into celebrating the good rather than piling on the hate. These people are only human, and no one is perfect. What do we achieve by tearing each other down? I can tell you. Nothing.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudkin
from News Talk SEDB.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
A week after the Paris Olympics has wrapped up, and
still the global interest in Ossie breakdance of Raygun continues.
A huge amount of energy is going into trolling, bullying, abusing, mocking.
Call it what you want. The thirty six year old breaker,
Rachel ray Gun Gun. Ah, I don't understand why people
are wasting time and energy on an embarrassing performance by

(00:34):
a breaker at the Olympics. Australia has had one of
its best Olympics and there is much to celebrate, but
one errant performance is getting disproportionate attention. I would have
thought failing to score a point in being Judge zero
would have been tough enough to deal with, but no,
the keyboard warriors felt obliged to really rub it in,
and ray Gun showed us that she might be able
to fulfill your Olympic dreams in unlikely ways and gave

(00:58):
us a laugh. She became a meme, but her story
should not have lasted longer than forty eight hours in
the news cycle. Reagan is not the only one to
put themselves out there and to be responded with hate
and abuse. Recently, New Zealand singer Marla Kavanagh has also
faced abuse after singing the anthem at the All Blacks

(01:19):
match against Fiji and San Diego. The death threats and
hate mail she received online it lasted weeks after the performance.
People attacked her and her cleft affected child, which is
just beyond appropriate and she's afraid to return to New
Zealand and. Yesterday, the brother of Blues and All Blacks

(01:41):
rugby player Harry Plummer spoke out about the endless amount
of hate professional players received. Benjamin Plumber talks about how
his brother has put up with years of abuse, death
threats again and personal attacks since missing a kick in
twenty nineteen. I think most of us have respect for
those who dedicate themselves and reached the pinnacle of their sport,

(02:04):
but as fans, we seem to think we have the
right to get personal rather than have a constructive and
rational chat about a game of footy. No one should
be at the end of a death threat for singing
an anthem, dancing like a kangaroo, or playing a game
of sport. The tall poppy syndrome has been part of
life in New Zealand forever. But as we've watched more

(02:26):
and more Kei, we's achieve amazing things, both locally and globally.
I can't hope that we've grown out of the silliness,
but thanks to social media, we've been empowered to anonymously
throw our nasty two cents worthen it is time to
simply calm the farm. We should put our energy into
celebrating the good rather than piling on the hate. These

(02:47):
people are only human and no one is perfect. What
do we achieve by tearing each other down? I can
tell you nothing.

Speaker 1 (02:56):
For more from the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin, listen
live to news Talks it'd be from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.