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....

