THIS WEEK IN XENA NEWS....
TWXN 43
11/04/96

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.

From the editor:
  Don't hold your breath waiting for XMR #19. I am
about ten pages into it, though. Be patient!


Some ancient ones:

[050.6] 10-01-95
   DAYTIME EDITION. Date unknown. Interview television
show.
   COMMENTARY: Date unknown. Interview television show.
   This televised interview was made probably in
October 1995 (Ms. Lawless referred to an November
episode as coming up, so the interview was definitely
before 11/95). It was an early interview and therefore
was very formal. Ms. Lawless wore conservative clothing
(something she stated later that she rarely did) and
she didn't make any overt jokes with the interviewer,
as she did with later interviews. 
   In the interview Ms. Lawless related her first HTLJ
experience (HERCULES AND THE AMAZON WOMEN) and told the
famous story of how she got the Xena part due to
the illness of an American actress (still as yet
unnamed in print or in fandom). 
  The interview continued with Ms. Lawless' take on the
Xena character: (1) "Oh, she was thoroughly wicked. 
Thoroughly ruthless.  But you know, when I look back on
them, when the crew and I sat down and watched some of
the old tapes, we were just aghast.  She was absolutely
irredeemable.  Who would have thought?" (2) "She [Xena]
just realizes there's just something more to life and
perhaps she ought to join the social order a little bit
and stop maiming people for no apparent reason."
   When asked what it was like playing a part like
Xena, Ms. Lawless stated, "I can't imagine a better
role.  I can't think of a better role for a woman. 
Certainly not in episodic television, ever."
   When asked about Xena's relationship with Hercules,
Ms. Lawless stated, "he comes and goes....He does come
through in sweeps month.  This month in November you
can look forward to a crossover episode, and yes, it's
very, very exciting." [She was referring to the episode
PROMETHEUS].
   Quirky moments: When Ms. Lawless was apparently told
to sit up straight by someone off camera and off sound
what consequently appeared on camera was Ms. Lawless
saying completely out of context, "Sit up straight? 
Sorry."
   Best line: REPORTER: Sorry.  I'm having a hard time
hearing you because you're in New Zealand.
   The interview was plagued by a bad satellite feed
(creating such moments as: REPORTER: How does that
happen? LUCY:  Pardon me? *And* REPORTER:  What's it
like to play somebody like that? LUCY:  Because --
pardon me?


[068.5] 10-28-95
   WGN. Televised interview.
   COMMENTARY: In another satellite feed interview
(REPORTER: Is it Saturday morning where you are? LUCY:
Good morning. Pardon me?), Ms. Lawless promoted the
HTLJ double feature of THE GAUNTLET and UNCHAINED HEART
which aired on WGN 10/29/95. 
   When asked about the character Xena, Ms. Lawless
stated, "I think Xena's just battling her own animal
instincts the whole time, you know, she left an ordered
society when she was fairly young, still a child, and
went severely off the rails and is now just sort of
fighting to get back on them.  And she doesn't want to
be a hero; she doesn't want anybody revering her as a
role model or the like, but she just gets caught up in
other people's sticky situations and knows that the
only thing to do is the right thing and help out."
   Also discussed was Ms. Lawless' impression on
working with Kevin Sorbo and the demands of her role.
   When asked what was the fun in doing the character,
Ms. Lawless stated, "It is unfettered.  And I like the
way that it is all sort of very straightfaced and makes
it even campier, you know, because if you don't play it
straightfaced, the audience can't go on the journey,
can't be engaged in the fantasy, and that's what we all
want, you know, just to drop out for an hour."


Some up to date ones:

[   ] 11-01-96
   THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT (Norfolk, VA). Friday. SPORTS.
Page C6. 629 words. "Bulls Fans in Hampton Roads Will
See less of the Team on TV Thanks to Court; Ruling" By
Larry Bonko
   COMMENTARY: I love it when XWP is mentioned in
Sports Sections! In an article about how because of a
recent court ruling, WGN will show an extra two hours
of HTLJ and XWP to cable subscribers of WGN instead of
the Chicago Bulls game on Saturday 11/02/96.

   Of all the shows they could re-broadcast, they
picked XWP!


[   ] 11-01-96
   TELEGRAM & GAZETTE (Worcester, Ma.) Friday. Page C1.
772 words. "TV's Tarzan: A classic, romantic do-gooder;
Leominster author gets to core of action hero's world"
By George Snell
   COMMENTARY: In a review of R. A. Salvatore's
"Tarzan: The Epic Adventures" which is a novelization
based upon the syndicated television show "Tarzan: The
Epic Adventures,", the reviewer reminded the reader
that "The series is the latest trend in syndicated
action adventure shows, which include Xena: Warrior
Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys."


[   b] 11-01-96
   CHICAGO TRIBUNE. Friday. SPORTS. Page 1. 346 Words.
"Good Morning; Chicago Bulls" By Joe Knowles
   COMMENTARY: In an whimsical article, the writer
stated, "As we anxiously await the opener, here's a
basketful of banter and best wishes for the Bulls,
served alphabet soup-style, from Z to A:...X is for
"Xena, Warrior Princess." Read the next item, and
you'll understand. W is for WGN, which will be showing
"Xena" and its ilk to viewers in the boonies this year,
thanks to the NBA blackout rule that prohibits the
superstation from airing Bulls games outside the
Chicago area."


[   ] 11-02-96
   ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. Saturday. Page 49. 241
words. "Q&A. Hanks Will Be Back on TV next Spring" By
Norma Cavazos. The Dallas Morning News
   COMMENTARY:
   EXCERPT:
   ...Q. I've heard reports of Lucy Lawless being
injured in some kind of accident. What's the story?
   A. The star of "Xena: Warrior Princess" (syndicated)
was thrown from a horse last month while waiting to
enter "The Tonight Show" sound stage for a comedy
stunt. She is working with a physical therapist and her
trainer so that she can return to work on her action
series....


[   ] 11-03-96
   REUTERS WORLD SERVICE. Sunday. 699 words. "Spielberg
joins influx of filmmakers to NZ" By Victoria
Batchelor. Wellington, NZ.
   COMMENTARY: In an article regarding the filming of
Jurassic Park 2 in New Zealand, the Film New Zealand
executive director Di Oliver (who handles filming in
NZ), stated, "There are some productions, such as
'Hercules' and 'Xena: Princess Warrior', that have been
here for over two years. They are now using more of our
key creatives, because they've gotten to know our
capabilities. They are even using some of our
directors. Xena and Hercules have done wonders in
training New Zealand film crews."  


[   ] 11-03-96
   THE NEW YORK TIMES. Sunday. Page 4:6. 828 words.
"Ideas & Trends; Pow! Thwack! Bam! No Dubbing Needed."
By Bill Carter
   COMMENTARY: In an article about how action outsells
sex in the overseas television market, Mr. Carter
stated, "If you turn on a television set in France,
Italy, Germany, Brazil, Israel or a number of other
countries, the odds are excellent that you will run
into an episode of 'Highlander,' 'Hercules,' 'Xena,'
'Kung Fu' or any one of more than a dozen other
hour-long action shows. They are aired on American
television too, but abroad the shows that bash are a
smash."
   After mentioned Highlander, Mr. Carter stated,
"'Hercules' and 'Xena,' which chronicle the adventures
of two mythic pre-Hellenic superheroes in high-camp
style, accompanied by plenty of flying bodies, are
newer, but they have grown into international hits,
sold in 20 and 15 countries, respectively."
   The article also explained how international TV
deals were made using Highlander as an example.
   In conclusion, Mr. Carter wrote, "Action shows turn
up mainly on independent television stations which have
hours to fill, usually on weekend nights. "Xena" and
"Hercules" are simply rushing into the international
void left when broadcast networks, worried about the
Federal mandate that limits the amount of violence they
show, stopped making heavy action series."


[   ] 11-04-96
   THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. 598 words. "Bugliosi makes
case for 'People's Court' redux"
   COMMENTARY: An action hour based upon the comic book
character Barbarella is in development and the
HOLLYWOOD REPORTER wrote, "Xena better look out...[i]f
it comes out as a weekly adventure, it would join a
host of actioners set to enter the syndication fray
next season. All will be doing battle with hits such as
Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary
Journeys from MCA."
