THIS WEEK IN XENA NEWS.... TWXN 51 12/12/96 Brought to you by Xena: Media Review (XMR): http://www.teleport.com/~gater/IAXS/IAXS.html XMR is a periodic annotated world press review of reports regarding the internationally syndicated television show XENA: Warrior Princess (1995 - ) and the castmembers, Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor. For a free e-mail subscription send "subscribe XMR" to ktaborn@lightspeed.net. Excerpts from the following cites will appear in future issues of XMR. Editor's note: It's just all about the toy controversy. Enjoy!!! [ a] 11-30-96 THE HARTFORD COURANT. Saturday. Page A1. 1069 words. "Annual List of 'Warped Toys' Targets Female Action Figures" By Garret Condon. COMMENTARY: The Xena action figure made it on the Rev. Rose's 10th annual 10 Most Warped Toys for 1996! EXCERPT: Imagine little Tommy waking on Christmas morning to find that Santa's left him a voluptuous female action figure that he can strip down to its oversized breasts (nipples included) or destroy with one of his male action figure heroes. Not exactly a Norman Rockwell moment. "What is it teaching little boys about women?" asked the Rev. Christopher L. Rose, rector of Grace Episcopal Church in Hartford and, for a decade, a nationally known critic of mean, violent, sexist and otherwise harmful toys. In his 10th annual roundup of the 10 most "warped" toys, Rose says he's found a new, unsavory trend: erotically dressed and styled female action figures -- some cast as villains -- ready to be ravished by children. "Remove Xena's Princess warrior outfit," announces the package on Xena II, part of the "Hercules, The Legendary Journeys" toy series. Tiffany the Amazon has the removable bra. "She's supposed to be a hero," says Rose of Xena. "But why is it you take her clothes off?" Rose traditionally releases his list just after Thanksgiving. Toy companies have protested Rose's judgments in the past. Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, no representatives of affected toy companies could be reached Friday.... ...Rose, 43, began criticizing toys when he began shopping for playthings for his son, Matthew, who is now 11. A decade and an attic full of research toys later, he says he still sees toys perpetuating cruel stereotypes and desensitizing children to violence. The toys of his own West Hartford youth -- even his toy soldiers -- were more benign and encouraged creativity, he says. Along with the half-naked bombshell action figure, there is Rose's No. 1 pick: "The Freak." This action figure is a deranged-looking character in torn clothing with a bag full of weapons who, according to the box, "escaped from an insane asylum and wanders around New York . . ." Rose says the figure looks like a homeless person. "About 40 percent of the homeless are mentally ill," he says, adding that members of Hartford's Homeless Commission were shocked when he showed them the toy recently. Rose is co-chairman of the commission.... ...Rev. Christopher L. Rose's Warped Toy List, 1996 1. The Freak -- McFarlane Toys, TMP International Inc.... ...Rose believes it ridicules the homeless, many of whom also suffer from mental illness. 2. Egyptian Batman & Egyptian Catwoman from Legends of Batman -- Kenner (Hasbro Inc.)... ...encourages violence against women, Rose says. 3. Lady Deathstrike from X-Men; Scream from Spiderman -- Toy Biz ...These are toys in which women join non-white males in the bad guy category, says Rose. 4. Spawn toys: Super Size Angela and Tiffany the Amazon -- McFarlane Toys, TMP International Inc.... ...Rose fears that young boys may develop their own ulterior motives. Remove Tiffany's bra to reveal large, naked breasts. The larger-scale Angela also is scantily clad. Rose finds these figures inappropriately erotic for kids and demeaning to women.... 5. Goosebumps Monster Head Maker -- Kenner (Hasbro Inc.)... Rose calls it "interactively violent."... 6. Utra Force Ghoul -- Galoob... A death-obsessed toy, says Rose, which he finds very disturbing. 7. Dr. Dreadful Creepy Clinic; Dr. Dreadful Monster Medical Center -- Tyco...Rose says the implied cannibalism is grim. 8. Creepy Crawlers Cryptic Skeletons -- Toymax...Rose says such toys help desensitize kids to pain and suffering. 9. Hercules, The Legendary Journeys: Xena II and Mole Man -- Toy Biz...Rose says package text seems to encourage kids to take Xena's clothes off. 10. Nerf: Brain Ball; Chain Blazer Blaster; Cyber Strike Gear, including Auto Grip Blaster, Strong Arm Blaster and Max Force Whiptail Scorpion -- Kenner (Hasbro Inc.)...Rose believes such toys perpetuate the idea that violence is fun and a good way to solve life's problems. [ c] 11-30-96 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. Saturday. Domestic News. 272 words. "Female Action Figures Hold Dubious Distinction" COMMENTARY: The Xena action figure leads off the main Associated Press Article even though the figure is listed at #9. If that ain't a sign of XWP's ever burgeoning popularity (not that it would make it on the list...but that the first four paragraphs are dedicated to the Warrior Princess in a nine paragraph article!) EXCERPT: Buxom Xena can be stripped down to her voluptuous plastic skin, while the violent Freak, with his tattered clothes and bagful of weapons, may encourage kids to fear homeless people. Christmas toys have taken a decidedly unsavory bent, says the Rev. Christopher L. Rose, compiling his 10th annual list of warped playthings. In his latest list, published Saturday in The Hartford Courant, he criticizes erotically dressed female action figures. "What is it teaching little boys about women?" asked Rose, rector of Grace Episcopal Church. He notes that the package for Xena II, part of the "Hercules, The Legendary Journeys" toy series, suggests: "Remove Xena's Princess warrior outfit." And Tiffany the Amazon has a removable bra.... "She's supposed to be a hero," says Rose. "But why is it you take her clothes off?" [ j] 12-01-96 AP ONLINE. Sunday. Domestic, non-Washington, general news item. 1414 words. "AP Top News At 3 a.m. EST Sunday, Dec. 1, 1996" By Benita Green COMMENTARY: EXCERPT: ...DIFFERENT TOYS HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) The Reverend Christopher Rose has published his latest list of Christmas toy no-no's in Sunday's edition of The Hartford Courant. Among them are Tiffany the Amazon, which has a removable bra; and Xena, which can be stripped down to her voluptuous plastic body. He says the dolls promote sexism and violence, and send all the wrong messages to kids. His number one target this year is called ''The Freak.'' It's a deranged-looking action figure in tattered clothes with a bag full of weapons. And according to the box, ''The Freak escaped from an insane asylum and wanders around New York.''... [ l] 12-02-96 DAILY NEWS (New York). Monday. Page 17. 229 words. "Sexy Female Dolls for Boys 'Warped,' Minister Charges. By Helen Kennedy COMMENTARY: EXCERPT: Several female action figures some with removable bras being peddled to little boys this year are encouraging a little too much unwrapping under the Christmas tree, says a minister campaigning against "warped toys." Besides the sexy dolls, the Rev. Christopher Rose's main target this year is a plastic character called "The Freak," a deranged homeless man, complete with tattered clothes and bagful of weapons.... ...Most of the toys on Rose's annual list, published Saturday in the Hartford Courant, are busty female figures targeted at little boys. Rose noted that packaging on the voluptuous plastic Xena II, part of the "Hercules, The Legendary Journeys" toy series, suggests: "Remove Xena's Princess warrior outfit." "She's supposed to be a hero," said Rose. "But why is it you take her clothes off? What is it teaching little boys about women?" "Tiffany the Amazon" comes with a removable bra. Scantily clad "Super Size Angela" is described on the package as "an angel with ulterior motives."...