THIS WEEK IN XENA NEWS... TWXN 95 08/04/97 Monday The advance sheet of XENA MEDIA REVIEW (XMR): http://xenafan.com/xmr Excerpts from the following cites will appear in future issues of XMR. From the editor: 1. I am busy today so no smart-alecky comments (I'll let Maria do it when it pops up in XMR). Enjoy it while you can! And here's the stories: [ ] 03-19-97 ST. PETERSBURG TIMES. Wednesday. Pg. 15A. 2382 words. "Editorial. Letters. Use caution in limiting Internet access at libraries" EXCERPT: ...There's more to Xena's appeal Re: Xena, one tough princess, March 13. My name is Elizabeth . . . and I am a Xenite. (For those of you who aren't in the know, a Xenite is a fan of the TV show Xena: Warrior Princess.) I believe that Susan Estrich's portrait of Xena is much too simplistic. There is much more to the Warrior Princess than meets the eye. If Estrich would watch the show a little bit more closely, she would see that. Xena is a warrior who is capable of both diplomacy and brutality. In one episode, she steps aside to let a young king David fulfill his destiny and defeat the giant Goliath; she reasoned that the Israelites needed a champion who could stay with them over the long haul. Slowly, painfully, but surely, the Warrior Princess is learning the importance of human relations management. The appeal Xena holds for me is her humanity - she is a flawed human being who is trying to improve herself...just like me. She is someone who has to live with the sins of her past. In short, Xena is someone a great many people can relate to; who among us hasn't made (sometimes serious) mistakes in our lives? To dismiss Xena as simply a blood-lusting brute is to do a great injustice to one of the most beautifully drawn characters on television today. Elizabeth Hoff, St. Petersburg... [ ] 03-20-97 THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. 973 words. "Uni action heats up worldwide 'Xena,' 'Hercules' int'l sales account for big chunk of revenue" By Steve Brennan REPRINT: Universal Television's "Xena: Warrior Princess" and "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys," which have become the top action hours in the domestic market, look set to repeat their success in the global arena. With sales closed in 53 markets for "Hercules" and 50 for "Xena," Armando Nunez, president of international, said: "They are sold practically everywhere. The only territory still not licensed for the series is Japan, but that will be completed soon. "The fact that the shows have been such a huge success in the United States has certainly been helpful. But hit status in the domestic market does not always translate automatically into strong overseas sales. However, in this case we are very happy with the way sales and early performances have gone." The shows have become top-rated weekend performers on Britain's BSkyB, where they play Saturday afternoon. The actioners also are listed among the top 10 American shows on Germany's RTL, with which Universal has a large output deal. On France's TF1, the series started airing Saturdays at the peak weekend hour of 5 p.m., with both shows winning their time periods. Other markets sold include the Nethelands, Italy, Switzerland, Scandinavia, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Israel, Kuwait and South Africa. "But it is one thing to just sell the show into as many territories as possible. It's quite another to sell it to the broadcaster who will best help you to meet your goals," Nunez said. The international revenue from the shows will be a "substantial" part of the series revenue. The ratio will be much higher than what would have been the norm just a few years ago, when about 30% of the revenue would have come from foreign. In the case of "Xena" and "Hercules," about half of all revenue will come from overseas sales. "But it's really hard to quantify at this stage because we have enjoyed success on a variety of different levels certainly the domestic side in terms of ratings and clearances," Nunez said. "So it's hard to say whether the ratio will be 50/50 or 60/40 or whatever. But the international revenue will be very significant." [ ] 03-21-97 THE TORONTO SUN. Friday. Page 67. 422 Words. "Snow Buried in Avalanche of Silliness: by Bruce Kirkland (Toronto Sun) EXCERPT: If nothing else, Smilla's Sense Of Snow boasts the most evocative, if strangest, title of any new movie this year. It is also the only movie in history that features a femme fatale who is the offspring of a Greenland Inuk and an American Caucasian, an empowered heroine who understands the essence of snow's variable constitutions, who is a whiz in math, and who can do battle with Xena-like prowess. So why on earth did Danish filmmaker Bille August cast English cipher Julia Ormond? Her emotional range crawls from blank stare to angry frown and her physique suggests afternoon tea, not nighttime terror. Xena she ain't.... [ ] 03-21-97 THE TIMES UNION (Albany, NY). Friday. Page D7. 782 words. "ABC's decision not to air 'Murder One' miniseries earns it 'loser' status" By Rob Owen (rowen@timesunion.com) EXCERPT: ...Merchandise alert: Fans of the fantasy show ''Xena: Warrior Princess'' (11:30 p.m. Saturday on WRGB, Ch. 6) can order a catalog of ''Xena'' merchandise and information on the Xena Fan Club by calling (888) XENA-123... [x064] 03-21-97 THE COLUMBIAN. Friday. Page B4. 1976 words. "Vital Statistics" COMMENTARY: Okay, I couldn't pass up commenting on this one! Guess who this kid was named after! You get ONE chance. Sheesh. This is about as gauche as it will be wearing a Xena t-shirt to Grease and doing the Xena ululation. These people deserve some cards and letters, don't you think? EXCERPT: Births... ...SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON MEDICAL CENTER Michelle and Allen Dills, 2215 Y St., a girl, Xena Gabrielle, Feb. 28, 8 pounds 2 ounces... [ ] 03-23-97 MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL. Sunday. Page RE1. 899 words. "Handywomen. Ms. Fix-It holds the hammer more often in homes, businesses today" by Arlene Becker EXCERPT: ...During the workday, Jacky Schmitt, 33, manipulates computer keyboards, filing cabinets and telephones as a secretary at Astronautics Corp. of America. At night and on weekends, she's fixing the lawn mower, repairing siding on her ranch home or installing new ductwork inside.... ...Schmitt whose co-workers call her Xena the Warrior Princess "because I never let anyone help" said she came from a do-it-yourself family. "Our attitude was if you can do it, why spend the money for a professional."... Notices: All back issues of XMR and TWXN are available at (http://xenafan.com/xmr). We herein give praise and thanks to Tom Simpson for the space he has graciously donated from his spectacular, TOM'S XENA PAGE (http://xenafan.com). If you have never been there, you are **not** a xenafan! TWXN is the advance sheet for XMR, an annotated world press review of reports regarding the internationally syndicated television show XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS (1995 - 2000+?) and the castmembers, Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor. TWXN is not available for subscription, however it is posted Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on the XenaVerse, Hercules-Xena, and Chakram Mailing Lists (thank you Lucia! I am greatly indebt to you), the MCA NetForum, the Xenite Message Center, and alt.tv.xena. I also would like to thank sirvin@law.wfu.edu for assitance in collecting the newstories. For a free e-mail subscription to XMR subscribe by e-mail to ktaborn@lightspeed.net by stating somewhere in the subject or text "sub xmr".