editors
JERRY BECK (LA)
AMID AMIDI (NY)
Mighty Morphin’ Power Peddler
by jerry
April 22, 2009 11:00 am


In case you haven’t been following news developments in the “real world”: Gawker is reporting that the “suspected Israeli operative” whose phone was being tapped by the NSA in conversations with representative Jane Harman (D-Calif.) — was none other than our ol’ friend Haim Saban (the animation schlockmeister who became a zillionaire after dubbing Mighty Morphin Power Rangers). That’s him, pictured above, on the far left (in more ways than one). The Gawker piece has a nice profile of Saban’s illustrious career.

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DanO says:
04/22/09  11:25am

That story about Saban and Gene Simmons is the best thing I have read in ages.

 
OtherDan says:
04/22/09  11:48am

As the world turns-on ones. Thanks, that is an interesting revelation.

 
Kelly Tindall says:
04/22/09  11:59am

That Simmons bit is classic.

 
Isaac says:
04/22/09  5:47pm
He deserves to rot in jail for the rest of his life.

For Power Rangers, obviously.

 
Kyle Maloney says:
04/22/09  6:08pm

Were you guys aware that a Power Rangers cartoon was in the works a couple years ago? Not sure if it’ll ever see the light of day though.

 
Chris Sobieniak says:
04/22/09  6:53pm

Funny how some people can’t stay out of the news for long. ^_^

Apart from the aforementioned Power Rangers cartoon thing that’s probably in the toilet now, a lot of us are glad this never happened…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B4_VCeHfjo

 
Steve says:
04/22/09  9:43pm

Bwahahaha! In addition to the totally random Power Rangers/Israeli espionage angle (which is just hilarious), Harman and Saban are also fierce proponents of the same illegal warrantless wiretapping program that busted them. Oh, the irony.

Go, go, Power Rangers, indeed.

 
John Paul Cassidy says:
04/22/09  10:12pm
Isaac,

Oh, you have no idea. Before POWER RANGERS happened along, I was already familiar with the Super Sentai Series (the first show I saw in that series was DYNAMAN, which I’m still a big fan of!). Remember, I happen to be a lifelong fan of Japanese sci-fi. POWER RANGERS was an embarrassment and insult to not only Super Sentai, but the J-Hero genre in general. All Japanese superheroes, from Ultraman to Masked Rider, have been identified with this series (and even costumed American superheroes, to a point).

The rumored POWER RANGERS animated series fell through. Toei/Bandai owns the format. I doubt even Disney would be able to do something wholly exclusive to the US market. It has to come from Japan, and, unfortunately, be localized here. (Heard about the recent lawsuit between Toei and World Events over VOLTRON?)

I deeply hated Saban for ruining Japanese sci-fi in the US, but to find from this news that he was even shadier than I thought really turns my stomach. He’s basically the Ozymandias of the tokusatsu (SPFX) world.

Anonymous says:
10/21/10  7:05pm
I really hope that lawsuits would be filed against both Saban and Disney for their exploitation of the Super Sentai series to create their adaptation series, the Power Rangers, which is really an absolute rubbish!! Besides, what they have done has been fraudulent and they should be held liable for it! TV viewers, both young and old, deserve alot better than this nonsense!
 
 
Anthrocoon says:
04/22/09  11:24pm

Nick Jr’s “The Littl’ Bits”…ALF The Animated Series…Inspector Gadget…

Opening and closing to Littl’ Bits; music credited to Haim Saban and Shuki Levy

 
John Paul Cassidy says:
04/22/09  11:42pm

Anthrocoon,

Yeah, he and Shuki Levy contributing music to cartoon shows was the best thing they’ve done, aside from bringing tokusatsu and anime shows to Europe (mostly Italy and France).

To be fair to Saban, though, Margaret Loesch is another one responsible for how POWER RANGERS turned out.

 
Dan Caylor says:
04/23/09  8:07am

Haim Saban
Suki Levi

Burned into my brain from watching that show….

 
Chris Sobieniak says:
04/23/09  1:32pm

Saban and Levy’s music, while leaving a lasting impression upon many an 80’s generation’s mind, it’s quite fascinating finding out the dirty dealings that went into the music itself. After finding out the reasons behind the music credits alone, I was never the same again!

Course Levy had more talent in the end, he was a 70’s Euro-Superstar!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_JZURBkZ1I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq87KXPEXjY

 
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