Fact Check: Is The Raygun claps back at the critics video real? Viral Cass Wilson video leaves internet in splits 

Rumors about Australian breakdancer Rachael Gull, also known as Raygun, responding to critics of her 2024 Paris Olympics performance have gone viral on social media. Many, including celebrities such as Jimmy Fallon and Adele, mocked her performance, but claims that Raygun has responded to the criticism are not true.

Reddit user u/tmcfll took to the r/TikTokCringe subreddit on August 12, 2024, to claim that Raygun responded to critics in a video statement. The platform user also attached a video where a woman dressed in green addressed netizens. The video read, “Raygun claps back at the critics.” The woman was heard saying:

“I think what people don’t understand about breaking is that it’s not just a dance, it’s not just a sport, it’s a lifestyle. When you’re a B-girl like me there are no days off. One minute I might be making a sandwich and the next time I’m hitting the sprinkler or I’m rolling around on the floor, you know it just comes over me.”

The lady in the video who resembled Raygun also stated that she had a PhD in dance culture, which makes her “good at it [dancing].” She also stated:

“Breaking represents life so for example when I hit my signature kangaroo move, kangaroo, Australia, Raygun, a lot of people missed that.”

Despite the video circulating across the internet and garnering millions of views online, it is worth noting that it was not Raygun but Cassie Willson in the video who was simply mimicking the B-girl. Nonetheless, many took to social media to react to the clip with some saying.

Netizens react to the viral clapback video (Image via Instagram)

Rachael Gunn is a 36-year-old breakdancer-professor who represented Australia at the Olympics' first ever breakdancing competition. She amassed zero points in all three rounds of the competition and lost to Japan's Ami Yuasa. Meanwhile, other reactions to the viral video read:

Netizens react to the viral clapback video (Image via Instagram)

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Raygun did not clap back at haters in a video

If one goes to Rachael Gunn’s official Instagram account, raygun_aus, they will be unable to find the aforementioned video on her feed. Furthermore, no proof of her releasing the video through other media channels was available online either.

If one observes, one can also note that the woman in the video does not look like the Macquarie University professor in reality. The video, posted by Cassie Willson on Instagram, features Willson, a New York-based writer, comedian, director, and content creator with over 101,000 followers. On August 14, 2024, Willson shared another video where she humorously mimicked Gunn, showing herself teaching breakdancing to students.

Willson was not the only one to mock Gunn. Late-night show host Jimmy Fallon also did an entire segment about the B-girl’s performance, where he stated, “She actually received zero points for that.”

Pop singer Adele also spoke of Raygun’s performance at one of her recent Munich concerts. She stated that her percussionist was “pissing himself” after viewing Gunn’s dance moves.

“I can’t work out if it was a joke but either way it has made me very happy," Adele said.

As Gunn continued to get relentlessly trolled online, the breakdancing federation and the Olympics organization extended support.