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

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

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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