In an announcement that will shock many of you — TO YOUR CORE — 41-year-old actor David Yost, who played the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers‘ Billy Cranston (aka Blue Ranger), has come out.
But that’s not where the story ends. Yost says he quit the show because he was harassed over his sexuality. “Creators, producers, writers, directors” all threw the F-word around at him. Yost, whose character was written out in subsequent franchise incarnations, reveals in a lengthy interview that he “walked off set one day in the middle of lunch,” a move he had been thinking about for about a week. “Continuing to work in an environment like that is really difficult. I myself was struggling with who I was, or what I was, and to be made fun of on some level, or to be stereotyped, or put into a category … I was continually being told I’m not worthy of where I am because I’m quote-unquote a gay person and I’m not supposed to be an actor and can’t be a superhero.” His co-stars, Yost says, were beckoned into producers’ offices on multiple occasions to be quizzed about his sexuality.
And after leaving the show, everything was swell? No. He spent two years trying to “pray the gay away,” had a nervous break down, checked himself into a mental hospital for five weeks, and upon his release he moved to Mexico for a year. “It frustrated me that I hated myself on such a level that I couldn’t accept myself.”
Blake J
I really doubt that he was the only Power Ranger’s actor who is (was) gay.
I get, as much as possible anyway, the homophobia in terms of not letting the public know that the actors are gay for fear of profit loss
But homophobia on set makes no sense to me.
I suppose it is (was) a ‘low budget’ show with a largely straight crew, etcetera.
Meanwhile the ‘large budget’ shows are the ones with largely gay crews, etcetera.
Adam
Billy was my favorite when I was a kid!
Mikey
I watched Mighty Morphin Power Rangers when I was 5-6. It’s unfortunate that the environment was so hostile towards gays.I still have my pink ranger action figure! haha
“I was continually being told I’m not worthy of where I am because I’m quote-unquote a gay person and I’m not supposed to be an actor and can’t be a superhero.”
Not worthy? The show was poorly put together, completely ridiculous, and had cheesy special effects. It was watched mainly by 6 year olds. I still don’t understand why it was such a big hit or why I watched it at the time.
Nick
Didn’t one of the Power Rangers kill somebody recently?
T-in-Cali
I wonder if any of the other original ones will make any comments on this… Amy Jo Johnson (pink ranger)we’re waiting!!!
GaoGao
@Mikey: Nope. That would have been Skylar Deleon, who had a minor, one-off role in one episode of the series.
randy
Compare what DAvid went through to accept his sexuality and deal with the homophobia with Ken Mehlman, who is living in luxury based in part of the homophobic environment he fostered.
You can bet where my sympathies lie, and it’s certainly not with lying fuckers.
ChiGuy76
When I was a teenager and had to babysit my younger cousins in the ’90’s, I was forced to sit through some of these very painful episodes. (I kept thinking this is a poor rip off on Voltron). But, the minute I saw the Blue Ranger as Billy on screen, my gaydar pinged off the charts! I’m so glad this has been confirmed. Billy was my adorkable crush back then.
I’m glad to see that David has accepted himself for who he is. Congrats and welcome to the tribe!
On a side note – David really should check out http://www.beyondexgay.com or http://www.truthwinsout.org and share his story about surviving the ex-gay therapy. It’s important to let others know the damage and horrors these places cause.
Touchydpad
Hmmm….I knew it. Watching it as a kid, even when i was a six grader i had a suspicion he was just like me. So sad that a TV show about teens fighting evil space monsters with choreographed fighting (DANCING) would have such homophobia behind the scenes.
I totally remember the behind scenes footage where the black ranger guy explains that all the fighting is more like dancing moves than actual martial arts.
Ridiculous, of course gays can be superheroes. Even if i wasn’t a little gay kid back then, I’d call him a superhero is i met him. I loved the show as a kid.
Ty
Wow, that’s horrible sad and frustrating…
I used to LOVE Power Rangers when I was kid. The blue and red rangers were always my favorite. The blue one because that was my favorite color. And the red one because I was trying to be cool and like what all the other kids liked 😛
None of the kids on the playground ever wanted to be the nerdy ranger with glasses…
jimmy
Sad story. In other news, College Humor made a parody of a bigoted Zordon. Check it out.
http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1926078
B
Too bad he waited so long – he’d have made a bundle in a sexual-harassment lawsuit if current laws about that were in effect at the time!
Enron
Oh man, I was a huge Mighty Morphin Power Rangers fan from 1993 even to this day. I was enamored with each character, the costumes, the colors. The movie was also a favorite of mine especially with the sleeker costumes. I always liked Billy, never got a gay vibe from him, but he was the most attractive out of all the guys in the original series, always wondered though. It seems I was unconsciously hoping he would be Gay.
Its sad that he had to leave the series under those circumstances, but the show pretty much died when Trini, Zack and Jason (original Yellow, Black and Red rangers) left over a contract dispute. Trini I understand died in car accident back in 2001.
As for the those who were harassing David, I believe they were Christian idiots who envied him and his natural acrobat capabilities. He is actually a professional gymnast. Because its a kids show, they think its perverted having a gay man play a popular children character. Lets not forget, this is the 90’s.
As for the others, the only other one I hoped would be gay was Tommy (initially Green ranger who later became the White ranger), but I understand he is married with 3 kids.
Michael
Me thinks you are holding on a little to tight there, David. Surely nobody on the set needed to convince the gay and straight actors that none of you were really a superheroes, did they? The sole purpose of that show, stolen from the Japanese, was to merchandise toys. I somehow suspect you’ve known this for quite a while. Besides, all the superheroes I’ve known, don’t have Hollywood contracts, and none accept money for doing their jobs.
edgyguy1426
well he certainly doesn’t sound bitter….
FYI
It would be nice if Queerty actually put up the segment of the interview where he talks about his homophobic harassment on the set. Below is the link to it….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmlcuY8bOUk&feature=related
edgyguy1426
well it’s actually part 3 of the interview where he talks about all this. Queerty has the wrong part up. Good work (as usual, Queerty) I’d fire that intern you have working for you (he must give really great head.)
David Blyth
Power Rangers wasnt “stolen” from Japan you knob, don’t act like nobody has “borrowed” concepts before
Hilarious
First time I’ve ever been shocked by a celebrity coming out and the first time I’ve actually been moved by the story.
I honestly had no idea he was gay.
Who knew there was homophobia behind a seemingly innocent kids show. That’s just sad and terrible that he went through that. Especially a show I watched for years(up until the end of the ninja era). Can’t say I would’ve boycotted since I was a kid but it makes me sick to my stomach to know I supported this show now.
Michael
@David Blyth: “Borrowed concept?” Power Rangers took its initial premise and much of its footage from the Japanese tokusatsu Super Sentai franchise.
derek
I used to watch him on power rangers when I was in kidergarten,
Me and one of my frends downloaded and episode when we were in university, and were mortified when we realized how bad of a show it really was.
Syl
@derek: Yeah, it’s not really stood the test of time. Still, it had a rockin’ opening song. 😀
Also: the guy who played Skull, something Narvey, was a professor at my alma mater!
crimsondeity
@Michael: Oh please. A large number of shows have been taken from Japan or other countries. Likewise, a large number of pop culture and movie icons have been taken from the US by other countries. Quit acting like some national treasure was stolen, forever leaving their people disenfranchised. It’s not exactly the same as settlers buying land with shiny beads.
REVEMUPMAN
NOOOOOO
Power Rangers was my favorite TV show…!!!!
Kev C
How the hell can the writers of MMPR call anyone a faggot? Sounds to me like scapegoating. You’re never the bottom of the totem pole if you can dump on someone else.
Skyler
You put up the wrong part of the video, he talks about all of that on part 3 not part 2.
Michael
@crimsondeity: No need to get your tights in a knot. Merely an observation. I had no idea you were such a fan.
Sky Captain
@Syl: Jason Narvy was his name.
ANNIE THIEL
I ALWAYS LOVED DAVID YOST ON THE POWER RANGERS BLUE,RED,PINK, BLACK AND YELLOW ARE MY FAVORITE COLORS. I WAS NEVER A TOMMY FAN. MY HEART BROKE FOR HIM WHEN HE HAD HIS BREAK DOWN. I JUST WANT HIM TO KNOW HOW GREAT HE WAS ON THE POWER RANGERS. I STILL LOVE YOU DAVID. YOU DID A GREAT JOB PLAYIND BILLY. YOU WITH THE DOUBT AMAZING ACTOR.
LadyCranston1982
I Will Always Love You Forever !!!!Come What May!!!!! Blessings!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!
LadyCranston1982
I Will Always Love You Forever !!!!Come What May!!!!! Blessings!!!! I LOVE YOU!!! I LOVE THE BRAVES!!!
BlackRockRitual
What a shame.
I grew up on the power rangers, and it’s something that helped lead me into being quite the weeaboo later in life. Sentai just being one of the many things I follow now as an adult.
Maybe this is offensive, but I always got the feeling he was gay, even back as a kid. How bizarre.
Well, you were always awesome to me, Blue Ranger. Even if I… did mostly have crush on Tommy.
lauren.rangerfan4ever
i love david/billy im transgender iv just started gettin into mmpr im a 90s baby i was born in 94 i started watching power rangers spd right up to rpm just learned of the 2010 mmpr my fave has always been yellow id love to be a power ranger when i saw billy and trini i knew yellow was the best choice of power ranger i so love billy and seeing this interveiw on what had happend to him i just cried its just sad i mean just cause if someones gay you can still be a superhero its rediculis they think it would be perverted cause a gay person being a superhero in a kids show the ones who called him that are the perverted ones just think how trini feels to having to be the yellow ranger i know zyuranger yellow ranger was a boy so there having a girl voice a power ranger with male genitilia thats an insult and unfair to billy i feel for him you will always be my crush david to hell with them for putting you through that so unfair you deserve to be a ranger and a superhero may the power be with you always all my love lauren xxxxx