THIS WEEK IN XENA NEWS.... TWXN 46 11/19/96 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. [ ] 11-13-96 EVENING STANDARD. Page 4. 254 words. "TV Heroine Muscles In" By Jane Flanagan COMMENTARY: In a short but sweet notice in a British paper, Lucy Lawless is presented as a rival to Pamela Anderson of BAYWATCH. The price of popularity can be gauged by how many urban legends float around you. The most popular about Ms. Lawless are: (1) what her natural hair color is (not blond, but possibly ashe blonde or more likely a very fair brown); (2) her appearance in a pornographic film (that one is not even close! Ms. Lawless appeared in a 16 minute film short which was directed by a Lesbian, so it was released as a part of a Lesbian film video and has toured the country at Gay and Lesbian film festivals); and my favorite, (3) that Ms. Lawless was a former Ms. New Zealand. To the best of my knowledge and research I have found nothing supporting this allegation. The Miss New Zealand information first appeared in THE GLOBE, a tabloid, in April 1996 ("Princess Xena Dumped Hubby For Show Exec - Pals Reveal", XMR219). The article was most-likely not trustworthy. The next time the information popped up was in the UK (they must read THE GLOBE), THE SUNDAY MAIL ("She. Devil. She's lovely, she's a mum ...and she's out to rule the world; Xena Warrior Princess comes to Britain", 08/18/96, no XMR number assigned). Now this information has appeared yet again in another British paper. EXCERPT: The heiress apparent to the Robo Babe title, should Pamela Anderson decide to step aside, is six-foot, muscle-bound Lucy Lawless, perhaps better known as Xena: Warrior Princess. The former Miss New Zealand has been stealing hearts from under Anderson's nose since Xena arrived on British satellite TV two months ago. As Xena, she beats men at their own game of world domination. Often, she just beats men. In the US and Australia the show has topped the audience ratings. ITV has reassured fans who feared Baywatch was to be dropped after this Saturday's show that it will return next year. GRAPHIC: Lucy Lawless: TV Heroine to Rival Pamela Anderson [ ] 11-13-96 THE BALTIMORE SUN. Wednesday. Page 1E. 1741 words. "A Changing Voice; Newspaper: The Village Voice, granddaddy of the alternative press, is remaking itself. And, surprise, it's taking on the trappings of the mainstream press." By M. Dion Thompson COMMENTARY: In a fascinating history of the Village Voice, the article concentrated on the alternative paper's hiring of Donald H. Forst, "64, a veteran New York City newsman praised and reviled for his work at New York Newsday". The XWP mention was "He [Forst] called Schneiderman [publisher of The Village Voice] and by Oct. 7 had the editor's office. He says he arrived 'curious, concerned and nervous' and says the staff felt the same. He was the established press coming to a newsroom where no one blinks at a flier advertising the Big Mama Freak's 'Xena Warrior Princess' night." THE VILLAGE VOICE contributed in December 1995, one of the few seminal articles about the sociological impact of XWP, "Xenaphilia", by Stacey D'Erasmo, 12/26/95, XMR115. [ ] 11-14-96 DAILY VARIETY. Thursday. 6411 words. "TV and Cable Production Chart" COMMENTARY: XWP resumes production with Variety reporting the production information. EXCERPT: ...MCA TELEVISION (818) 777-1242 HERCULES: THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS (synd) (in assn w/Renaissance Pictures) EXP, Robert Tapert, Sam Raimi; CO-EXP, John Schulian; SUPR PROD, Robert Bielak; PROD, Eric Gruendemann; CO-PROD, David Eick; CASTING, Beth Hymson-Ayer. XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS (synd) (in assn w/Renassiance Pictures) EXP, Robert Tapert, Sam Raimi; CO-EXP, R.J. Stewart; SUPR PROD, Steven Sears; PROD, Eric Gruendemann; CO-PROD, Liz Friedman; CASTING, Beth Hymson-Ayer.... [ ] 11-14-96 AP Online. Thursday. 06:02 Eastern Time. Entertainment, television and culture. 1160 words. "New CBS Sports Boss Faces NFL" By John Nelson COMMENTARY: In an article about the wacky world of professional sports broadcasting rights, the author observed that Saturday night was "a television wasteland, usually reserved for bad movies and syndicated action melodramas like "Xena: Warrior Princess." [ ] 11-16-96 THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. Saturday. Page E-1. 1490 words. "Heads up Parasite Loves Kids, Is Hard to Get Rid of and Makes Life Lousy" By John Wilkens COMMENTARY: XWP is mentioned in an article about head lice of all things!!! Reading is believing! EXCERPT: This is a story about head lice. Still reading? Maybe it would help if we used the Latin name. Pediculus humanus capitis. Sounds less noxious, important even, like something Xena might shout as she raises her sword overhead. "Onward into battle, everyone! Pediculus humanus capitis!" Actually, anyone who's ever tried to get rid of the tiny parasites probably wished for a helper like Xena. The Pediculi are a tenacious bunch.... [ ] 11-19-96 THE VILLAGE VOICE. Page 63. 1190 words. "She's Got the Funk" By Carol Cooper COMMENTARY: In a review of Sandra St. Victor's debut album 'MAck Diva Saves the World', the reviewer described St. Victor as "Situated iconographically somewhere between Xena, warrior princess, and Cleopatra Jones..." This quote is used as the caption for the picture of Ms. Victor. [ ] 11-22-96 ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY. Page 35. 1155 words. "Lost in Space? No Longer the Center of the Sci-fi Universe, the 'Trek' Franchise Aims to Win Back an Alienated Audience with its Eighth Film, First Contact" COMMENTARY: It's the writing on the wall! STAR TREK, meet your new competition: HTLJ and XWP. EXCERPT: ...Even Trek TV isn't prospering the way it once did. This fall's premiere episode of the syndicated Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was down 34 percent in the ratings compared with last year's season opener; and that, in turn, follows a shrinkage in DS9's audience by an average of roughly a million viewers per episode last spring compared with the previous season. UPN's Star Trek: Voyager, now in its third season, seems to have gotten sucked down a ratings black hole, with viewership slipping from 11.1 million per episode last season to 7.5 million this year. And both shows get beaten up regularly by the fantasy muscle-fests Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: The Warrior Princess....