THIS WEEK IN XENA NEWS....
TWXN 49
12/04/96

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:
   Thanks again to everyone who sent me get well
wishes. They were greatly appreciated. I am on the mend
and trying to "play" catch up. Thank you for your
patience.
   I went to San Diego for Thanksgiving and erased
about 5 days worth of XMR work! The funny thing is that
I had four back-ups, but I screwed them up as well. I
am still aiming for a Friday release for XMR #19. When
you come to the five-day gap, just think about your
favorite XWP episode.
   If your life's goal is to be published in WHOOSH!,
then please submit away. We still have room for YOUR
ARTICLE in issue #4.
   Speaking of WHOOSH!, the homepage has changed. It is
now:  http://www.thirdstory.com/whoosh.
   


[   ] 11-21-96
   THE WASHINGTON POST. Thursday. Page C08. 1428 words.
"The TV Column" By John Carmody
   COMMENTARY: Local Washington DC Ratings. The XWP
episode TEN LITTLE WARLORDS received a 1.1/2. RETURN OF
CALLISTO did a 2.5/4. GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN had a
3.0/4. 


[   ] 11-22-96
   STAR TRIBUNE. Page 1E. 966 words. "Starfleet We Have
a Problem; Has 'Star Trek' Lost its Power to Engage?"
By Colin Covert
   COMMENTARY: In an article about the supposed decline
of the Star Trek franchise, the article stated that
many TV viewers are turning to HTLJ and XWP for their
action and humor fixes. The author stated that XWP have
"the qualities that distinguished "classic Trek" during
its run in the 1960s".


[    ] 11-23-96
   THE EVENING POST (Wellington). Page 19. 409 words.
"Film industry wants more local funding" By Christine
Cessford
   COMMENTARY: Kiwi film/tv producers are worried that
too much of the activity domestically is not local
enough. 
   REPRINT:
   Film and television are big export earners but
there's a need for more local funding to sustain growth
and keep it Kiwi, an industry group warns. 
   Foreign funding made up just on half of the $ 237
million spent on film and TV production last year, said
industry export group Project Blue Sky. 
   A Colmar-Brunton survey on the 1995-96 year showed
foreign exchange earnings rocketed to $ 119 million, a
28 percent hike on the previous year.   
   Wellington is the second most popular place for
shoot locations behind Auckland, the research shows.
The Capital was the base for major film project The
Frighteners and a long-running production of series
based on Enid Blyton books. It's not just production
houses that benefit. Tourism industries also win from
locally-made film and TV.
   Production has a value added multiplier effect
calculated at 1.83 so production spending of $ 237
million meant an additional $ 434 million spent on
other industries. This gave a total benefit of $ 670
million to the New Zealand economy.
   "Our films and television dramas are seen by
millions of people. The fact that close to half of
production spending came from overseas confirms the
high level of global interest in what we are doing
here," said Blue Sky executive director Jo Tyndall.    
She was concerned the industry growth was still shaky
as it depended largely on overseas investment while
domestic funding had stayed about the same. 
   "While nobody can deny the economic benefits of
high-value productions such as Hercules, Xena, The
Frighteners, Swiss Family Robinson or Riding High,
taking them out of the equation would leave a big gap,"
Ms Tyndall said. 
   "I'm therefore concerned about whether industry
growth on this basis is sustainable in the long term."
   Ms Tyndall welcomed the foreign interest but was
concerned what would happen "if we stop being flavour
of the month". 
   The Kiwi industry was also in danger of losing its
local touch if foreign money called the shots: "They
can have a heavy input on what's being seen on the
screen."
   Project Blue Sky was developing alternative film and
TV funding options to provide long-term, sustainable
growth to capitalise on our recent international
successes, "and to retain our creative talent that is
being lured away by Hollywood", Ms Tyndall said.
   

[   ] 11-25-96
   UNIVERSAL NEWS SERVICES. General and City News. 720
words. "MCA Acquires Talk Show Assets of Multimedia
Entertainment"
   COMMENTARY: In news of MCA's purchase of the SALLY
JESSY RAPHAEL and JERRY SPRINGER talk shows, Jim
McNamara, president of MCA Worldwide Television
Distribution, stated, "We intend to...become a strong
contender in the strip arena, as we already have on the
weekly side with the hour hits 'Hercules: The Legendary
Journeys' and 'Xena: Warrior Princess'."


[   ] 11-25-96
   THE EVENING POST (Wellington). Page 3. 244 words.
"Xena role model appeals"
   COMMENTARY: After having everyone and their sister
mention XWP on U.S. TV, now it is New Zealand's turn!
This is a short article about a Xena clone appearing on
TV3 the night of 11-25-96. Turns out that the clone
also appeared at a wedding as Xena; she was quoted as
saying, "When I went to leave after the ceremony, two
Canadian women thought I was the real Xena and wanted
autographs. As if Lucy Lawless walks around in her Xena
costume all day!" 
   REPRINT:
   IN SHORT
   What: Telly Laughs.
   Where: TV3.
   When: 9.30pm, Wednesday.
   BOISTEROUS Kerryn Palmer, who strides around in
Telly Laughs as Xena, Warrior Princess, may audition
for a role in the show.       
   The 178cm, 25-year-old says her height, (and
cleavage) have helped with her impersonation of New
Zealand actress Lucy
Lawless, who plays the real Xena. 
   Palmer originally tried out for a part in the
Hercules show, but says it would be "really neat" to
get into Xena.
   "I really enjoyed the strength of Xena as opposed to
a lot of other role models we have for women on
television," says Palmer.     
   "The character's physical and mental strength is
something I admire." 
   One of four women in her family, Palmer's tomboy
instincts come out during shooting as Xena.
   As well as sword fighting and swinging around on
camera for scenes, Palmer has stepped out in her Xena
costume in real life.     
   Turning up at a close friend's wedding reception in
full Xena regalia, Palmer lightened the atmosphere by
making the nervous bride and groom a little more
relaxed.
   "I was in the middle of filming and really wanted to
go to the wedding so I just stayed in costume.
   "When I went to leave after the ceremony, two
Canadian women thought I was the real Xena and wanted
autographs," she says.     
   "As if Lucy Lawless walks around in her Xena costume
all day!"        
   GRAPHIC: PHOTO: STAUNCH - Kerryn Palmer with
colleague Robbie Magasiva in Telly Laughs. 


