No Pink Spandex » Blast from the Power Past – Amy Jo Johnson on “The Sharon Osbourne Show”

Blast from the Power Past – Amy Jo Johnson on “The Sharon Osbourne Show”

About a month ago after a regular recording of the NPS podcast, the guys and myself usually shoot the breeze about random things, and more often than not our “breeze” rolls right back to Power Rangers. Amy Jo Johnson came up in conversation, and we talked about how fans online usually exaggerate how Amy Jo hates Power Rangers now and wants nothing to do with the show. Then Spy brought up that the fans may not be far off because of a March 2004 appearance on The Sharon Osbourne Show.

In the interview with Sharon, Amy is first asked about her experience on Power Rangers, and literally Amy’s response is “Well, um, it was – it was ok.” I really hate to be the one to mention this, but pay attention to what Amy first talks about: the negative. She ends up saying that it was “a good experience”, but not before mentioning the difficulties filming the show.

[flv:http://awwman.com/video/ajj_sharon_show_032110.flv 320 240]

All in all, I still think that fans do exaggerate how Amy Jo “hates” Power Rangers, because people’s opinions and reactions to situations change over time. At one point, Steve Cardenas didn’t want to talk about Power Rangers at all, and now he’s going to conventions and is the nicest person you can meet. Things do change. Just because Amy Jo wanted to leave Power Rangers to pursue other things and become more than just the “Pink Ranger” doesn’t mean she abhors the show.

Just saying.


(Video Courtesy: Spy)


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Comments ( 12 )

You can tell she doesn’t like/enjoy talking about the show, she mostly mentioned bad things about the stunts and stuff.

Hunter added these pithy words on Mar 22 10 at 1:05 am

I’m with you, Lisa. I don’t think she truly hated doing the show. I just think she didn’t like the fact that she (along with the others) essentially got taken advantage of (hugely successful, but with long hours, put in dangerous situations, and underpaid.) I think if she truly hated the show, she wouldn’t have stayed so long, and now she would try to avoid mentioning at all. I just don’t think she liked getting cheated, and maybe wants to move on (20 years later she’s still the Pink Ranger).
But maybe I’m just being too optimistic.

Brandon added these pithy words on Mar 22 10 at 9:09 pm

She didn’t wax on nostalgically but I didn’t feel like she was bashing the show or hates it, I think she may look back and be disappointed with how they were treated but she did stick around for 2 and a half years and unlike other actors honored her contract fully. Her former co-stars seem to speak very warmly about her. I think the “ZOMG she hates power rangers” definitely gets blown out of proportion.

Becky added these pithy words on Mar 22 10 at 10:05 pm

I think it’s pretty simple. AJJ was pretty well known in the mid 90s for Power Rangers and only Power Rangers. She wanted to move on and do some more serious acting along with becoming a musical artist. The problem was that she was still known only as the Pink Ranger. So the quickest way to distance yourself from that label is to not talk about Power Rangers and when forced to talk about it to only say less than flattering things.

It was less an issue of AJJ hating Power Rangers and more an issue of her hating the pigeonhole that being a Power Ranger put her in.

Nowadays she’s fairly successful having been on a few shows including that “Flashpoint” recently so she’s probably more willing to talk about PR because it won’t hinder her future career.

It might not be everyone’s favorite attitude but it’s perfectly understandable.

Jer added these pithy words on Mar 23 10 at 12:22 am

I hope she attending Power Morphicon this year.

Reginald Pouncy added these pithy words on Mar 23 10 at 4:25 pm

Which Video Site Can I Find This?

Ben added these pithy words on Mar 23 10 at 5:45 pm

But the REAL question is, could Amy Jo figure out which of the hunky men were gay and which one of the hunky men were not on Fox’s newest reality hit “Playing it Straight”?!

Spy added these pithy words on Mar 23 10 at 8:51 pm

I’m a bit late in the game to this one, but I couldn’t help but concur with what’s already been said. I can only add that sci-fi and fantasy fans in general are pretty well-known for their sensitivity and devotion to their favorite shows. I guess that is laudable to a point but I have seen some people, including, interestingly, some avowed MMPR Fascists, go much too far and say things about Amy Jo Johnson that are not simply unjust (and in my opinion they are unjust) but flat-out hateful and mean-spirited. But I look at it from the standpoint of… aren’t kids’ TV and cool robot toys supposed to be FUN?? Me, if I want to get so uptight and waste time on people who peeve me off so badly, I go into the office and put in overtime. Seriously.

Regarding her feeling pigeonholed because of Power Rangers, I think she probably does. Back in 1999, she mentioned on Regis and Kelly that Power Rangers was “not known for its acting” and so she had had to struggle a bit after quitting to get any other roles. That was perhaps a bit harsh, but I don’t think it was totally unjust. Look at any episode from the first season and a half; look at the original cast audition tapes and compare them with the runners-up: they really had a team chemistry that was just wiped out overnight in the middle of Season 2. And David Yost, who speaks highly of Amy Jo, has suggested as much in interviews, also saying that Saban did not lack to mention repeatedly to the cast that “You can be replaced!”

Isn’t that kind of interesting when all the merchandise for the first two seasons had the Rangers’ first names and civilian facial likenesses plastered all over them? I really think that the original cast had a lot to do with the fast success of the show, and I would imagine the brusque removal of St. John, Jones and Trang had a devastating effect on the morale of the others. Heck, just look at the acting abilities of Johnson and Yost over the first three seasons: the quality took a precipitous decline, and I think it was because they weren’t given much to work with. I think that if Saban, seeing the success of the show and wanting to make something a bit greater out of it, had shared a bit of the wealth and given the creative talent a fair deal, they would all have risen up together and Power Rangers might not today carry quite the same stigma that it does. But he just wanted a quick buck, and sooner or later it would show. Suddenly in the middle of season 2 it just became a matter of different faces in the same colored costumes. Any chance that Johnson, Yost or the others could gain more than occultic iconic status was wiped out. In those circumstances, I think she made the wisest move she could for herself to slip out quietly the minute she had the legal option. You’ve got to take care of yourself!

rustypolymath added these pithy words on Sep 03 11 at 9:56 am

will she ever go a power ranger morhacon

robertbratcher added these pithy words on Nov 02 11 at 2:01 am

no matter what i will always love her

robertbratcher added these pithy words on Nov 02 11 at 2:03 am

Awesome video, great to say Amy in any video! I think Amy still likes PR, just not all the scary stunts, and such. Now where can find this clip to save for personal archiving proposes? ^_^

TimeFireX added these pithy words on Jul 07 12 at 8:15 pm

I don’t think she’ll turn to power rangers until she has nothing else going on with her life.

tecpaocelotl added these pithy words on Aug 19 12 at 10:32 am