XENA MEDIA REVIEW #30 (04-15-97) Borg 11 of 11 ================= CUT HERE =================== Mary -- Now, where did you find this Lucy Lawless? She's fabulous. I mean she's towering, she's 6 feet, she's got those fabulous blue eyes, which I gather are not contacts. Liz -- No, they are not. Lucy is 100 percent the real thing. She is an actress, a New Zealand actress. Originally, we only intended for her part to be 3 episodes on Hercules. We had cast another actress. It was about a week before that other actress was scheduled to go to New Zealand. She called us and said, 'I have the flu.' I can't travel. We called and offered the part to about 3 or 4 other actresses and we had just used Lucy in a Hercules and we said, OK, change her hair color and make her Xena. It was the luckiest accident that ever happened. Mary -- She's great. Liz -- She is Xena. Mary -- Completely. Now, what about some of the stunts. The acrobatics are incredible. How does that happen? Do we have stunt people and the whole thing? Liz -- Absolutely. I mean Lucy does do some of her own stuff and certainly, whenever you have a lead actor who is really good with movement like both Lucy and Kevin, who plays Hercules, are, it makes it so much easier. We also have a great, great stunt coordinator, a guy named Peter Bell (spelling?) who does both Hercules and Xena, and there's a lot of stunts and a lot of fights. Our production apparatus in New Zealand just does a great job with all that stuff. Keith -- Our phone number here in the studio is 595-1017. Please join us if you're a fan or newly introduced to Xena. Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi have a pretty long history in this kind of genre of production. Why don't you bring our listeners up to date on some of the projects they've also been involved in? Liz -- They did a cult horror movie called "The Evil Dead." Keith -- Which is one of my absolute favorite movies of all time. Liz -- Yes Keith -- And it went for three full episodes as well. Liz -- They made Evil Dead and then Evil Dead 2, An Army of Darkness. Evil Dead 2 is kind of my favorite. Those are really just terrific horror films with a real twist, particularly Evil Dead 2, of really sick, black comedy. From there, Sam went and made Darkman. They also started producing features. They did Hard Target, sort of introduced John Woo to America and we've done a couple of Darkman straight-to-video sequels and Sam has directed, since then he did The Quick and the Dead with Sharon Stone and now he's gearing up on some other feature projects. And then we started doing Hercules and that rolled into Xena. Mary -- Now you actually started this whole movie thing on doing your thesis in college on gender roles in slasher movies. Liz -- Yes. Mary -- Go figure. There at Wesley in peaceful little Connecticut you could call your folks at home (and say) It's OK I got this thesis worked out; it's this great thing around women and slashers Liz -- (laughing) Yes. It was a little odd. It took me about a year to find somebody who was even willing to be my advisor on the thesis. Mary -- I bet. Liz -- You know the film people didn't necessarily want to do the theory so I really had to find someone. And they kept saying, 'I don't know anything about horror films.' I'd say, 'You don't need to know anything; I know about that.' I had never been able to watch horror films. They had always scared me too much, then I read this article that said there's actually an interesting feminist message in them. I got totally fascinated by that and then spent about two and a half years watching things like Cheerleader Camp in preparation for my thesis. Mary -- Your parents must have been thrilled. Liz -- (laughing) You go, well, 'The good news is that I won a prize; the bad news is it's for this big paper on horror films.' Mary -- Right. Liz -- I think they're glad I'm just walking the streets and not in prison. Mary -- Absolutely, as they should be. And that led you out to Hollywood? Liz -- I decided well, I really like movies, so I'll guess I'll go do this and I really didn't know anybody out here and I had no connections and spent about 6 months sort of floating around unemployed. I had sent my thesis to a bunch of people, including Sam Raimi because I just absolutely loved Evil Dead 2. At first they didn't have a job. They said, 'Oh, we like you, but we can't hire you.' I'd taken another job at an agency and they called me and said, 'Sam Raimi needs an assistant tomorrow.' I said, 'OK, gotta go. The man calls.' So that's how I ended up there. Keith -- Were Hercules and Xena both created for American TV first or were they international productions? Liz -- They were created for American TV. Keith -- But they have ben now franchised internationally. Liz -- Yes. I've seen the French dubs for Hercules and it's a very bizarre thing. They've been franchised internationally and they're doing very well. Keith -- And the show is shot in New Zealand? Liz -- Yes. Mary -- That's extra hard duty for you, Liz. It's only one of the most beautiful places in the world. Liz -- Yes, it's really tough. It is absolutely beautiful and the crews there are great. And we have an unbelievable set up down there, doing both of these shows. (Actually) It is a little tough. I was just doing a movie down there in the New Zealand winter, which means it rains all the time. Mary -- Prozac helps, though. Liz -- (laughing) But, it's great. It is tough doing something on the other side of the planet. It's a day ahead of us there. It does make some logistical things difficult, but it's worth it for the scenery. Keith -- One of the things I noticed too is that there is I think a fair amount of computer animation and 3d animation used in each show. Is that done here in the United States or is it all post production in New Zealand? Liz -- No, all the post is done here in the states. We have a great group of guys called Flat Earth that do our effects here. They do a great job for us. Mary -- Is what ended up happening with Xena really is that these guys got kind of caught up in other projects and Hercules and they kind of said (to Liz), Hey, take Xena. Liz -- Yes.=7F Mary -- Didn't they just say, Don't "f" it up. Liz -- Yes, Don't "f" it up, which is how I've learned all breaks are given, I think in Hollywood and probably everywhere else. No one ever says, 'Well, it's your time. We're really proud of you and you're ready.' No, it's: 'Hey, you're the only one left standing. Try not to mess it up!' And I had done, I had been working on Hercules, but I had been working in a more junior capacity and hadn't had full responsibility on my shoulders. Then the person who was in my position had to go off and do another show, so then I was tossed right into the middle of Xena. It's been great. Because I personally am just so into the show. You know, Wonder Woman was one of my favorite shows when I was a kid and now I get to make Wonder Woman. Mary -- Yes and better. Liz -- That's right. No sissy bracelets and lassos for Xena. She'll just knock your block off. Mary -- Absolutely. (audio clip from Callisto where Xena asks Gabrielle if she notices "that look of fear and hatred" and notes how she used to want to see that look. "It meant I was doing my job," Xena said.) Keith -- A little clip from Xena there. We're going to take a quick break. We're talking to Liz Friedman. She's one of the producers of Xena: Warrior Princess. It airs locally on channel 56, Saturday evenings at 9 pm. Stick around. Don't touch that dial. This is One in Ten, fnx (Can't tell what this is), 1017, linn (can't tell what this is) Boston, Radio Anarchy Boston. (After the break) Mary -- We're talking to Liz Friedman, who's the open lesbian producer of the show, and Xena , which airs on 56 on Saturdays at 9 o'clock. That's in the evening and Sundays at 1 in the afternoon. When did you guys begin to get the sense, Liz, that this was going to be a cult happening thing? That there was a little bit of extra buzz happening around Xena? Liz -- That's a good question. I think probably about the middle of last season where it sort of started to become clear through buzz on the Internet and stuff: Oh OK, people are reading it this way; that's interesting. We always thought it was great because it means that there are people who have a real passionate interest in your show. I know certainly that as a representationaly starved queer, as I think we all are, when you see somebody who you feel is paying some attention to you and is even willing to leave something open to that kind of interpretation, you have a more positive response to it. You're more inclined to follow that show. The idea of having that kind of loyal and supportive audience, I think, always appealed to all of us. Mary -- There's even been an Olivia cruise. (Transcribers Note: Olivia is a company that serves the lesbian community, including setting up all-lesbian cruises) Liz -- I know. Mary -- I love that, the Xena cruise. I can't decide whether that would be my worst nightmare or my greatest fantasy. You know what I'm saying, Liz? Liz -- (laughing) I think that's exactly how I feel. All these people talking about the show? Weird. Keith -- It reminds me of some of the excitement that surrounded the Simpsons for awhile. There are so many in-jokes, like even the little disclaimers that run at the end of the show. Liz -- Oh, do you like those? Keith -- Yes, those are great. Liz -- I write those. Keith -- Do you? Liz -- With some help from people in post. We all of sort throw all our ideas in and then we insult each other's ideas and then we come up with what's good. Keith -- It's something to track. It's something to be aware of above and beyond, it makes you part of the in crowd. Liz -- Right. I was just amazed when people actually started reading those. We started doing them mainly as jokes for ourselves and sure enough it came back that people were actually starting to read the microscopic letters at the end of each episode. Keith -- Monty Python and the Holy Grail with the whole llama thing. Liz -- Right. Mary -- The humor in the show too ,Liz, is part of what gives it it's camp quality. Wouldn't you say? Liz -- Yes, I think so, but you know what's weird about both Hercules and Xena is that we've often been described as campy, but it's pretty much unintentional. Certainly there's humor in the shows. We always said there are no thees and thous, the dialogue is totally contemporary, which I'm certain some people would see as campy. But we take a very straight-on approach to the stories. I think when people try to do really campy, silly stuff on television it generally hasn't work. Like Naked Gun can sustain as movies, but can't really sustain as television. The thing is that we've always approached the actual stories as if there's real jeopardy. The characters take it very seriously and there's a valid emotional and adventure story in the middle of that. Certainly, there are lots of silly little bits of dressing, but we never treat the central adventure as a joke. That's part of why they work. Mary -- Part of it for me that makes it that way is just the sort of fierceness of Xena, the warrior, is just so fabulous and there's all this screaming and then she whips out, what's that little round thing? Liz -- Oh, her chakram. Mary -- I mean who ever heard of a chakram? Who even knows if it's a real name? Liz -- It does exist. Mary -- Does it? Like in the Bible or what? Liz -- Yes, well, we have this huge catalogue of weapons which you would imagine we do get to use occasionally. There's a chakram in it. Keith -- You have to describe a chakram. Liz -- A killer Frisbee is how I think of it. So if you had a Frisbee that is a boomerang. Keith -- So if you had a frisbee that was a cross like a frisbee, a boomerang and an IUD. Liz -- (laughing) You know I wonder if that's what Xena uses for birth control. I never thought about it that way. Mary -- It's part of her just coming out and you know, just pummeling any enemy that comes out, even Gabrielle. Liz -- Right, and the rules of gravity do not apply to Xena. Keith -- That split kick alone, which has to be her=7F trademarked move. Correct? Liz -- Ah, I think the flip is the little bit more of Xena. It's the flip in with the warrior yell that she does. Mary -- Semi orgasmic by the way. Keith -- Mary has been doing the warrior yell all evening, all around the studio, running around, very dramatic. Liz -- It's really hard, though, to get that. I don't know how Lucy does it. Mary -- It's hard not to be self conscious. I mean just trying to do a Xena imitation , makes one blush, actually. Liz -- It is tough. and a lot of that action stuff -- Everyone at Renaissance is big fans of Hong Kong action movies. And a lot of the Xena fighting stuff in particular is really inspired by that. It's a lot of fun to get to do favorite bits from the Hong Kong action movies we've seen. Mary -- Is the goal of Xena to get her off of these sort of secondary stations and get her off this Saturday night bit and move it onto network, or is part of the fun you're able to have because you're slightly out of the norm? Liz --- No, I don't think we'd every want to take Xena to a network. We're doing very well. It's been a good. The shows are doing very well for Universal and for the stations. I'm really glad we got upgraded in Boston. Last year we were on, I think, at 1130 at night. It was Hercules was 1130 and Xena was 1230 and so nobody was seeing it. I'm glad we've gotten upgraded to a more reasonable time period. Saturday nights, at least in some cities like New York and LA, we do very well. Keith -- Do you see it going the route where Paramount took Star Trek. Do you see a Xena/Hercules motion picture in the offering perhaps? Liz -- We've talked about it. We don't really have any plans right now. We're going to keep going with the series for a while and see where that takes us. I think there could be some merit in a feature, but I think we're much earlier into the cycle than the Next Generation was when they decided to go do the features. Mary -- What about the audience generally, I mean take away gay-straight, do you think Xena attracts more women and Hercules more men then women or vice versa or very mixed? How do the numbers look on that? Liz -- I think we're fairly mixed. I think Xena attracts slightly more women, also a slightly older audience than Hercules. Mary -- That's interesting. Liz -- What I discovered is that families really like Hercules. It's a really good program for kids and parents to sit down and watch together and particularly=7F that people in my age group , in their 20s and their 30s really respond to Xena. Keith -- Well, Liz we want to say thank you and congratulations on the success of the show. Continued success to you. Liz -- Thank you guys for your support. Mary -- We hope to talk to you soon. Have fun, Liz, take care. Liz -- Goodbye. [579] 10-15-96 UTV: The Ultimate Television Network. http://www.ultimatetv.com/home.html COMMENTARY: This is the longest and most complete media account of the accident. I'm not certain what to make of the fact that this appeared in an online publication and not a print one, except to note that both print and broadcast media are always pressed for space and time. This limits the detail they can provide and may be one of the biggest reasons that online media are becoming more important to a segment of the public. This story includes some expanded details about the accident and a comment from fandom's own Lucia Correa, who witnessed the accident and wrote to clarify that the horse did not throw Lawless, but instead fell out from under her. Although this was published online a week after the accident, it did not provide any new bits of information that were not supplied to online Xenadom by fans who were on the scene.[DS] REPRINT: UTV - Xena Will Ride Again. By N.F. Mendoza, managing editor, UTV "UTV: Xena Update From Lucy Lawless' fall at `The Tonight Show' " Xena Will Ride Again Worry not, because "Xena: Warrior Princess" will be back on the warpath. Lucy Lawless, who plays Xena, had taken a fall from a horse during a comedy skit for NBC's "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno. Lawless, an experienced horsewoman who often does many of her own stunts in the action-filled mythical adventure series, fractured her pelvis in five places. She's currently recovering in Burbank, Calif. "You've got this animal that weighs, what? 1200 lbs. with a brain the size of a golf ball, you just don't know what they're going to do," a show spokesperson tells UTV. "If they don't want a rider on them, they'll throw them, no matter how experienced the rider is." Two versions of the skit had already been shot, when the director called for a third that would have Lawless riding up to "The Tonight Show" stage door. It was during the last shot that the horse threw the 6" ft. tall Lawless. UTV received this e-mail message from Lucia Correa, who says she was at the scene of the injury: "Lawless was not thrown from the horse. The horse slipped on the asphalt/concrete and fell on it's side, taking Lawless with it [... and] landed on her hip. The spokesperson made it sound like the horse misbehaved and threw Lawless. This was not the case. I know because I was there and saw what happened." Lawless was in the United States on a promotional tour while her show was on hiatus during the New Zealand winter (which coincides with the United States' summer). "Xena" shoots in Lawless' native New Zealand. Production on the hit show -- a spin-off of another syndicated hit, "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" -- will continue. The spokesperson noted that 10 episodes of the new season have been shot, taking the series to the end of the year. The episodes affected by Lawless' injury will be shows that were designated to be shot after January 1997. It's expected that the injury will be rewritten into the script, but there's no confirmation on what that will entail. Lawless had been expected back so production could resume some time in the last two weeks of October. "We're moving along, and she will heal and will return, and production won't be shutting down," concludes the spokesperson. "Xena: Warrior Princess" is syndicated. Check your local listings. You can send Lucy Lawless an online get-well card. [580] 10-15-96 THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC. Section: LIFE. Page C2. 502 words. "For Mrs. JFK Jr. It Pays to Stay. COMMENTARY: This piece of work gets the prize as the most disgusting story published about Lawless' accident. After first insulting fans of XWP, the writer trivializes the accident, comparing the real-life event with the way such a fall would be filmed for a TV series. The article also confuses a fractured pelvis with a broken hip. This is truly an example of the Let's-Be-Cute School of Journalism. [DS] EXCERPT: SHE SHOULD'VE USED SPELL OF INVINCIBILITY Fans of Xena, Warrior Princess - at least those with an attention span of more than five minutes, leaving at least six in the Valley alone - may think a woman in a leather bustier is darn near indestructible. That certainly is true as long as you have a good stunt double willing to take the risks. That wasn't the case when Lucy Lawless, who plays Xena but has such a great name the series should be called "Lucy Lawless, Warrior Princess," was taping a comedy skit for The Tonight Show. There were three problems. Firstly, it was in a parking lot. Secondly, it involved a not-so-sure-footed horse. Thirdly, a stunt double was not used. Third-and-a-halfly, Lawless was taking this Xena thing a little too seriously. The horse stumbled. In reel life, the director would have screamed "Cut!" and Lawless would be replaced by a woman with no talent other than knowing how to avoid serious injury. But this was real life, and Lawless fell off the horse and fractured her pelvis. Anyone who has ever wielded a sword of justice knows how difficult it is to defend the innocent with a broken hip. It's even harder to defend the not-so-innocent, as Johnnie Cochran Jr. knows. Lawless was taken to an LA hospital for treatment, as if a warrior princess needed medical help to get better. Hopefully, she had her mystical healing stone, but maybe she kept that in her other bustier. ======= LETTERS ======= Lesbians And More Lesbians! --------------------------- Date: Sat, 11 Oct 1997 Subject: XENA MEDIA REVIEW #28 Hi Kim. I just finished reading the MEDIA/LESBIAN piece [XMR #28] and I have a 3rd theory: for some reason the word LESBIAN (actually *anything* about lesbians) seems to be a real *buzz* word right now, and I think the critics want to seem to be IN and HIP by including it in their reviews. It's a teaser eye-candy to lure in the readers. The results sure can make it uncomfortable at school sometimes! Kitchen Warrior a-STARO@webtv.net Commentary on Mystery Man (XMR #28, XMR499) ------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 Subject: XENA MEDIA REVIEW #28 Mystery man sounds so sick too me. Why would someone do something like that to a lot of great actors and the special Xena show? If we aren't, careful we could all lose the shows because of some sicko, who would try to make a buck off anything they can. Everyone knows all it takes is something said about a show not being good and has people doing crazy things, and then they want to take it off the air. Thank you for the hard work you guys do there for all of us out here who love Ms.Lawless aka Xena. L.G Jardog5@aol.com Blunders, Blunders, and More Blunders ------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 03 Nov 1997 Subject: XMR #28 Borg 1 of 5 Yo, Kym! Honeychild, what's the deal with every date after the Grease review being 1988!!!!????? 88???? Huh????? Laine R Lawless rlawless@sj.bigger.net KYM'S COMMENT: Oops. Commentary on Glanton (XMR #29, XMR506) --------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 08 Nov 1997 Subject: XMR #29 2 0f 5 XMR506. Glanton states that Lawless is "muscular". Where? Have those who write about Xena suddenly taken leave of their senses and become blind? Or is it the Xena mystique that leads them all to think that LL is actually taller, bigger, more muscled, and bustyer than she really is? Has the legend grown larger than the woman? Lucy Lawless is a very trim, tall, good-looking young woman, but she does not appear to be muscular. ROC looks more muscular to me. I'm sure after all the working out LL has done for XWP, she's much stronger than before. But does she appear muscular? No, I don't think so! Laine R Lawless rlawless@sj.bigger.net Looks Like Gabrielle's Out of Luck! ----------------------------------- Date: Fri, 12 Dec 1997 Subject: Xena media review #28 To let Xena do her sidekick would take the show off track. The reason she can't do her [Gabrielle] is the same reason she can't do any of the men. Once she [Xena] finds true love her mission is over. NF69cancer@aol.com ============= THE BACK PAGE ============= XENA MEDIA REVIEW STAFF: Living to serve Xena fandom since March 1996! Kym Masera Taborn (KT), editor-in-chief ktaborn@lightspeed.net Diane Silver (DS), editor (even issues) dswriter@idir.net Maria Erb (MBE), editor (odd issues) maria@erb.mv.com Barbara Johnson, circulation xenatwo@aol.com Lydia M. Woods (LM), assist. to the editor-in-chief woodsl@erol.com Lucia Correa, TWXN circulation (mailing lists) Tim Smith, TWXN circulation (news groups) Angela Atkins, TWXN circulation (forums) Thomas Simpson, mascot thomas@xenafan.com BACK ISSUES: Back issues of XMR are available at the XMR Archive on the XMR web page: http://xenafan.com/xmr THIS WEEK IN XENA NEWS: TWXN is the currently hibernating advance sheet for XMR, looking to be resurrected soon. Since XMR offers indepth analysis of media coverage, the issues are distanced in order to gain perspective and insight into how the media report affected the future or was affected by its peers. TWXN is a commentary-lite review of excerpts to be used in future XMRs as they are processed for the XMR database. TWXN is not available for subscription, however it is posted regularly on the XenaVerse, Hercules-Xena, and Chakram Mailing Lists (thank you Lucia!), the MCA NetForum (when they are accepting posts!), the Xenite Message Center (whenever I can find them!), and alt.tv.xena. REPRINT POLICY: Permission to use, copy and distribute Xena Media Review (XMR), or parts thereof, by electronic means for any non-profit purpose is hereby granted, provided that both the below copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all copies of the newsletter itself, and that proper credit is given for any excerpts. Any other format or purpose for distribution requires permission of the author. Reproducing XMR or parts thereof by any means implies full agreement to the below non-profit use clause. SOLICITATIONS FOR FUTURE NEWSLETTERS: Send cites, references, articles, annotations, and/or submissions to ktaborn@lightspeed.net and I will love you for it. XMR is a non-profit fan publication. The editors retain editorial control and reprint privileges over the submitted materials and reserve the right to use the material in whatever way they deem appropriate. Submitted materials will not be returned to the sender. DISCLAIMER: XMR (Xena Media Review) is a free non-profit informational release. XMR in no way intends to challenge, disregard or profit from any of the original copyright holders of the material excerpted, reprinted, or referred to (including but not limited to MCA, Universal, Renaissance Pictures, and any other rightful and legal copyright holder). This newsletter is an academic and educational pursuit to archive, annotate, and study the media response to Xena: Warrior Princess (a television production from MCA/Universal/ Renaissance) and the actresses Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor, especially in the light of popular culture and the influence of mass media. XMR exercises its right to quote, excerpt or reprint as allowed under the law in order to review and discuss the media reports cited and annotated herein. XMR is distributed free of charge via electronic media. Banner graphic by Colleen Stephan. This is WHOOSH Publication. Copyright 1996, 1997,1998 by Kym Masera Taborn. ================= CUT HERE =================== XENA MEDIA REVIEW #30 (04-15-97) Borg 11 of 11 FINIS!!! You may stop reading now!