He now makes religious-themed MMA merch with the slogan “Jesus Didn’t Tap”, which is … amazing.
The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers have been around since 1993, a major cornerstone in the upbringing of an entire generation of now-totally-grown folk.
Initially, it was just the five rangers, and their five Zords (don’t pretend you don’t know what we’re talking about!), before the at-first-he-was-evil Green Ranger arrived to kick all of their butts. But then he turned good, and joined the team, and he then went on to become the White Ranger, and a few other rangers after that, too.
All in all, the Green Ranger, AKA the White Ranger, AKA Tommy Oliver – played by Jason David Frank – has appeared in around 200 episodes in all of the different iterations of the show, having last appeared in an episode in 2018.
The popularity of the show at its height is difficult to quantify – imagine Peppa Pig x Pokemon x Baby Shark x The Beatles and you’re about a tenth of the way there – while the property itself continues to go from strength to strength, having released a rebooted movie in 2017, with a new TV series expected to land in 2019.
In the lead-up to his visit to Ireland as part of the Dublin Comic Con: Spring Edition, taking place on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 March, JOE was given the opportunity to ask Jason David Frank a few questions about his time on the show, and what he’s been up to since.
View this post on Instagram
JOE: Can you tell us a bit about the initial casting process of your role in the Power Rangers show?
Jason David Frank: When I first auditioned for the Green Ranger, I thought it was for the role of a Forest Ranger or something of the sort. I remember that I was called back a second time and I was the only guy and there were a lot of girls. I thought, was this role for a guy or a girl, but in reality I was helping the girls auditioning for the yellow ranger.
JOE: At its height, PR was one of the most popular TV series of its time. How did you deal with that success at the time, and how do you feel about it now looking back?
JDF: I definitely tried to remain humble. My mom and dad always thought me to respect everyone, treat everyone how I wanted to be treated, so it kept me very level-headed. I’m so grateful for the opportunity of being part of the Power Rangers because it changed my life.
JOE: When you first arrived as the Green Ranger, younger viewers must have HATED you. Was that weird to deal with in real life?
JDF: I never experienced any hate, in fact, the Green Ranger was so loved that they extended his appearance, which then made him into the longest running Power Ranger.
JOE: Was there a particular stunt or set piece that you remember sticking out as being particularly difficult or problematic?
JDF: The most difficult stunt was during the Turbo Movie, I had to jump into a raging river and act and make certain marks, and then grab this rope so that I could be pulled out of the river. I really didn’t know what I was doing, but at the end the director was like, ‘that was perfect’. I didn’t even know I did it.
JOE: Do you have a favourite episode or villain?
JDF: My favorite episode is Fighting Spirit from Dino Thunder, I think it was a great story that demonstrated who Tommy Oliver is. Lord Zedd and Tommy had a great rivalry so he, of course, is a favourite of mine. Ivan Ooze is also one of my favourites.
Clip via Legendary Power Rangers
JOE: Did you interact with Bryan Cranston at all during his two episodes on the show?
JDF: Bryan Cranston was the voice of various monsters on the show so we didn’t really interact, but I think he did a great job as Zordon in the movie.
JOE: How do you feel about the recent updated movie, and what do you think it is about the PR legacy that continues to make it so popular?
JDF: I think the movie was good, different, but I think they definitely tried to pay homage to the original series. I think the Power Rangers brand is is popular because it has so many great aspects, like the comic books and the series, this keeps the brand new and refreshing to all audiences.
JOE: Do you remain in contact with many or any of your fellow ranger cast?
JDF: Yes, I talk to a lot of the cast all the time, especially with David Yost (the Blue Ranger), JYB (Johnny Yong Bosh, the Black Ranger), Jason Faunt (the Red Ranger) and a lot of the others.
JOE: How is the “Jesus Didn’t Tap” MMA merchandise going?
JDF: Right now, we’re going through a revamp and we’re hoping to have some great new merchandise soon.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
