      _____               ______                               ._
     `\`/>`\            /`/` /`__________,.'>___      _____   )~\
       /<`\ `\        /`/` /``\ \./------> /|\./\     |\./|  / | \
      /< `\`\ `\    /`/` /`   | | |----\ /  | |\ \    | | |././^\ \
 |\__{o}\--`\`\ `\/`/` /`-----| | |-----`------\`\`\--| | |----^ \ \----.
[\\\\\\\{*}==`>      <`=======| | ==============`\`\`\| | |=====\ \ \==-->
 |/~~{o}/-- /`/  /\ \ `\------| | |---------------`\`\\ | |------\ \ \--'
      \<  /`/` /`  `\`\ `\    | | |_____,.'>| | |   `\`\| | /'    \ \ \
       \< /` /`      `\`\ `\  ,/ /^\------> / |/^\|   \ | |/       \/^\\.
      /`/\>/`           `\`\ `\`~~~~~~~~~~~\ / ~~~~~   )^\,\,      '~~~~~
     `~~~~~`             '~~~~~`            `          ~~~~~~

==========================
XENA: THE MEDIA REVIEW #27
==========================
A Labor of Love Publication
http://xenafan.com/xmr
P.O. Box 81181, Bakersfield, CA 93308

Xena Media Review (XMR) is a periodic 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. For a free e-mail subscription send
"subscribe XMR" to ktaborn@lightspeed.net either in the
subject or body of the e-mail. Copyright, legal, and
editorial notices are found at the end of this
newsletter.

Issue No. 27
Release date: September 23, 1997
1253 subscribers
Covering 08/16/96 - 08/31/96
Annotations 437 to 460

FROM THE EDITOR: What Did We Do Before XWP?
FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Some Quick Notices
"Is Renee O CONNOR in the Catbird's Seat?"
"What's up with XWP in the Netherlands?"
ANNOTATIONS
   [437] 08-16-96. ROSIE O'DONNELL SHOW. 
   [438] 08-18-96. SUNDAY MAIL. Major article
   [439] 08-18-96. DALLAS MORNING NEWS.
   [440] 08-19-96. FLORIDA TIMES-UNION.
   [441] 08-19-96 to 09-17-96. Major article:  Slewinski 
   [442] 08-19-96. ALTARED STATES. Ep. #19. 1st rel.
   [443] 08-20-96. THE ADVOCATE. Major article
   [444] 08-22-96. DAILY VARIETY. Rat'g DOCTOR 1st rel
   [445] 08-23-96. ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE. 
   [446] 08-23-96. WWW.TVGUIDE.COM. 
   [447] 08-25-96. HOUSTON CHRONICLE. 
   [448] 08-26-96. THE DAILY NEWS (Taranaki). 
   [449] 08-26-96 to 09-14-96. THE CAPE
   [450] 08-26-96. ROAR
   [451] 08-26-96. CAVE OF ECHOES. HTLJ ep #37 2nd rel 
   [452] 08-26-96. DEATH MASK. Ep #23. 2nd release.
   [453] 08-27-96. EVENING POST (Wellington). 
   [454] 08-27-96. ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. 
   [455] 08-28-96 to 09-02-96. Major article
   [456] 08-28-96. HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.
   [457]  08-28-96 to 09-02-96. Rat's HOOVES #10 3rd 
   [458] 08-30-96. AMERICAN JOURNAL. 
   [459] 08-30-96 to 09-01-96. 
   [460] 08-31-96. COMIC SHOP NEWS. HTLJ comic book
THE BACK PAGE
   Coming Attractions
   Xena Media Review Staff
   Back Issues
   This Week in Xena News
   Reprint Policy
   Solicitations for Future Newsletters
   Disclaimer


===============
FROM THE EDITOR
===============

What Did We Do Before XWP?
--------------------------

Sometimes I wonder how any woman managed to survive
girlhood without XENA! Just thinking about the puffball
femmes that were passed off as superheroes before XWP
makes me wonder why there isn't a wasteland of vacant,
jello women out there (though it does explain the
incredible popularity of the Warrior Princess). 
Revisit with me, if you can take it, what TV life was
like before XENA hit the scene.   

THE BIONIC WOMAN 

As a rabid fan of Steve Austin, the Bionic Man, I 
don't really remember being too excited about the
prospect of Lindsay Wagner's Woman of Steel Parts. But
when Jamie Sommers finally hit the screen, major
disappointment was the only response. Here was yet
another woman trying to be like a man and falling so
D*MN short that the embarrassment carried well into my
teen years. Jamie was just like Girl Scouts, softball,
Playgirl magazine, and everything else that passed
itself off as on par with guy stuff, but was really a
cheap inferior copy that any 10-year-old female could
spot. 

Steve Austin could run really fast and practically see
through walls like Superman, not to mention arm wrestle
anyone under the table. But Jamie, well, that bionic
ear of hers was mighty useful catching all the gossip
from faraway tables at any restaurant she might find
herself escorted to.

THE MESSAGE FROM THE SHOW 

Girls are still physically inferior to boys, but at
least they're not totally pathetic wimps.
   

WONDER WOMAN -

Oh my, yet another embarrassing attempt to convince
young girls that they can battle the forces of evil in
life without breaking a nail or messing up their
hair!!! How comforting! While I have thankfully
repressed most of my memories from this show, Linda
Carter's star-spangled costume (which looks way too
much like that thing Lucy Lawless popped out of at the
Detroit Redwing's game last spring) and her insistence
on running (and bouncing) towards something in every
scene will probably haunt me forever. 

THE MESSAGE FROM THE SHOW 

Nice girls don't need a utility belt like Batman's.


ISIS

She had long, dark hair, didn't she? And she chanted
"Isis, mighty Isis" or something, right? Wasn't she
sort of a cross between Pocahontas and Jane Jetson?  

THE MESSAGE FROM THE SHOW 

Without a flashy costume or a snazzy theme song, no one
will remember anything about your show.


THAT BLONDE CHICK In THE FANTASTIC FOUR

The Thing was the coolest member of this futuristic
flying combo. Didn't that blonde girl have an invisible
shield or something? Could she do anything else?

THE MESSAGE FROM THE SHOW 

If you don't have super speed, or super strength or
can't turn yourself into a pile of rocks and then
reassemble yourself, you MIGHT AS WELL HAVE AN
INVISIBLE SHIELD!


XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS 

FINALLY, a show that doesn't give females the lesser
bill of goods! Xena is not only as strong as a man,
she's as strong as TEN men, and she wins EVERY time. 
Sure, she's sexy and that leather outfit doesn't hurt
the show's ratings, but at least we don't have to watch
Xena try to keep all the sequins on her costume intact
or primp her hair back into place after decking a bunch
of thugs.

It's hard to believe someone didn't figure out a lot
sooner that all women really wanted to see was a grrl
who could hold her own. In the same vein as Ripley in
"Alien", Sarah Connor in "The Terminator" and other
chicks who aren't afraid to drag through the mud and
grime and gore to fight for what they believe in, XENA
is that weekly  DIY  peptalk we've all been waiting for.  


Maria B. Erb
Somewhere in New Hampshire
August 23, 1997
http://www.mv.com/ipusers/erb/xena/



========================
FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
========================

Just a few quick notices and to prove that I am still
alive!

Happy Birthday to the well-beloved and infamous XWP fan
fiction writer Bat Morda (batmorda@aol.com). Today is
the very day of her birthday (September 23rd for you
counting impaired). Tell her happy birthday and that
XMR sent you! This phenomena of XWP fan fiction is
creating a fanbase just as "hardcore nutball" as the
actual show. As one of the more intriguing aspects of
XENA fandom, Bat Morda represents an interesting new
wave of media fandom fan fiction authors. Am I going to
say more or let you figure out what that new wave is?
Hey, I'll just let you suffer. 

On Sunday, September 21, Tom Simpson
(thomas@xenafan.com) and Betsy Book
(bsquared@interport.net) became officially engaged when
Ms. Book received a mug with a ring in it. One suspects
one had to have been there. Send them a cyber greeting
and tell them that XMR sent you! Tom is -- OF COURSE --
the webmaster of the most popular non-commercial fan
ran XENA site on this planet (http://xenafan.com). If
you don't know Tom, then tell the convent to get on the
internet, PRONTO! Betsy is the webmaster of the WHOOSH
site (http://www.thirdstory.com/whoosh), which I will
not bore you by explaining what that is. What happens
when two Xena mega-websites merge in real life? Stay
tuned to find out, but in REAL LIFE this time. 

And another Happy Birthday? To Mary Draganis? She lives
in Austraila (a BIG jump to New Xenaland) and it is
probably already the 24th there now, so what the hey --
happy birthday Mary (kira@zip.com.au)! Send her a
greeting and tell her that XMR did NOT send you
(variety IS the spice of life). Mary is also intimately
connected with the fan fiction world. She dabbles in it
herself but has made some fame for herself as the newly
re-tired editor for the fan fiction area on Tom's Xena
Page. She almost singlehandedly built up the site to
become one of the most significant fan fiction sites in
the known universe. 


Kym Masera Taborn
Bakersfield, CA
September 23, 1997



========================================
IS RENEE O'CONNOR IN THE CATBIRD'S SEAT?
========================================
By Beth Gaynor, who will be within the front rows at
Valley Forge to cheer on ROC's first convention
appearance
http://arcane.eng.ohio-state.edu/bgaynor/xenarate.htm

Editor's Note: This written by my e-chum Beth Gaynor. 
Beth just landed a role in a Columbus, OH community
theater production of Blithe Spirit where she'll be
piping out a song and dance number with a Cockney
accent! Beth is a hardcore computer wonk who designs,
run, and stars in computer games. She's also a major
Gab Fan (and I suspect there's more than a little
resemblance between Beth and Renee....hmmmmmmm, will
have to let you readers know after I meet Ms. Gaynor
face to face at the Valley Forge con in October.)


     "I wanna be Xena!"
     "No, *I* wanna be Xena!"
     "You were Xena last time."
     "OK, I'll be the blonde."

This was a conversation my friend's two young daughters
had in the midst of a play session. To a
dyed-in-the-wool GabFan like me, things like this make
me want to jump up and yell "GABRIELLE! Her name is
GABRIELLE! Like cookie dough and chocolate chips, it's
Xena and GABRIELLE."

These days, it seems that nine out of ten folks on the
street recognize Xena on sight. Most of them would
probably even be able to give you her "Warrior
Princess" title. Over half might be able to connect
Lucy Lawless' name to the project. But ask about any
co-stars on the show, and maybe a couple would know
"Yeah, she hangs out with a short blonde chick, 
doesn't she?"

It gets me peeved, sometimes. I never get tired of
seeing Lucy Lawless on a talk show or a magazine
interview, but why must it be so rare for Renee
O CONNOR to be seen in print or, heaven forbid, the TV
screen? Ms. Connor can claim a fair share of credit for
the show's success; it would be nice to see her in the
limelight a little more often. But lately, I've been
thinking that over a bit, and I'm starting to wonder if
I might not be wishing for the wrong thing.

I've watched the latest round of interviews and stories
on Lucy Lawless with growing sympathy; the poor woman's
had her childhood bedroom put on national television.
She can't look at her car in the parking lot at work
without pictures being snapped. She gets mobbed almost
everywhere she goes, sometimes by some scary folks. In
her own words, the days of being able to run
undisturbed to the store for a loaf of bread are "all
over now, baby blue." They're even chatting up her
elementary school teachers. And God forbid she lose 
her shirt at a public event; it's been, what, over two
months now, and folks still won't let her forget it?

On the other hand, we have Renee O CONNOR. She has an
active fan club, lots of rabid Gabrielle fans, and
folks who will turn out in droves for those
all-too-rare public appearances. Demand for Gabrielle
has been high enough to merit her own American Library
Association READ poster (coming soon!), crank up
T-shirt sales, and keep hopes for a Gabrielle action
figure alive and well. But I'll bet she can, more often
than not, get through an airport unmolested. She wades
through tons of fan mail, but can actually disappear
from the public eye for a few weeks at a time and 
enjoy something resembling a normal life occasionally. 
So who really has the better deal, here? Both Lucy
Lawless and Renee O CONNOR deserve every moment of
accolades, attention, and appreciation for all their
hard work that they can get. If you ask most of us mad
Gabrielle followers, just as Xena has become a synonym
for power and strength, so Gabrielle should be a
household equivalent for idealism, perceptiveness, and
a d*mn good storyteller. We'd like to see Renee get
every minute of fame possible.

But right now, Renee can make a public appearance and
have a throng of happy fans show up. She gets wild
gifts like having a star named after her. (Not a
Hollywood star, but, you know, a heavenly body. Not HER
heavenly body, but an... oh, you get the idea.) She has
the Clan MacGabbers snowing under unsuspecting
companies with letter-writing campaigns for the
glorification of the Gabster. But she can also 
probably put on a baseball cap and manage to go to the 
movies in relative peace.

Sometimes it's good to be the sidekick. Nice work if
you can get it. Maybe Renee O CONNOR is sitting on the
best of both worlds right now. I guess it's OK if my
friend's girls just remember her as "the blonde." "The
blonde" might very well like that just fine. 


======================================
WHAT'S UP WITH XWP IN THE NETHERLANDS?
======================================
by Claudia Mulder
Vice-president DAHX (Dutch Association of Herculeans
and Xenites)
claudia.mulder@tip.nl
http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Set/2167/


Editor's Note: Ya gotta feel for those European XWP
fans. They always seem to be fighting to keep the show
on the air. Fortunately, there are some very dedicated
hardcore fans out there who are organizing and
mobilizing the troops and the Danish contingency has
scored a major victory recently by securing XWP for
another season. And remember, they're an entire season
behind us over there, so they haven't seen DAY IN THE
LIFE yet! The euro grrls also rely heavily on our Web
sites for news and info and plain old support, so keep
those pages up to date, ok? 


Xena in Europe

The first time I saw XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS on TV, I
thought, what kind of nonsense is this?! I watched the
show for about 5 minutes, and then I turned it off.
This was in December 1996 and I didn't see the show 
again until March 1997. Maybe it was because I had seen
five minutes of THE TITANS, or maybe I was meant to
watch the show much later. I really do not know but
after I had seen the show again in March, I was totally
hooked. I wanted to know more about that incredibly
beautiful and strong woman and her sidekick, so I began
my research.

Because I have never heard anybody talking nor read
about the show in my direct surroundings, the only
place where I was sure to find the information I was
looking for was the Internet. So my journey began...

I was amazed by the number of websites I found! I lost
myself in the story behind XWP - I didn't see the first
ten episodes of the first season - and also the
relationship between Xena and Gabrielle came to my
attention. I was really taken by the show and within a
few weeks I realized I was a 'nutball' Xenite. I
noticed that almost all of the XENA and HERCULES
websites were American, Australian or Canadian. I
wondered whether I was the only Dutch fan out there,
because it really seemed so! By that time, I wanted to
communicate with other Dutch fans and finally I 'bumped
into' a German fan (Hi Ronny!), who was kind enough to
lead me to the president of the Dutch Fanclub. I was
happy that there was one and I finally managed to find
it! A group of enthusiastic XENA and HERCULES fans
joined forces and started up the Dutch fanclub "DAHX"
(Dutch Association of Herculeans and Xenites). From
there on the development of my XENA activities took on
a snowball effect: now I have my own Xena site on the
web and I am the vice-president of DAHX.

Still, when I look at Europe, there are not many signs
of Xenatism yet. It is known that there are now
Spanish, German and Dutch websites, but I haven't
located a British website yet. There should be one,
because we've 'tracked down' a few British fans out
there! DAHX is now developing ideas to organize a
European XenaFest, in collaboration with the German
fanclub. Being the European branch of the worldwide
XENA fandom, we really want to get in touch with more
European fans or fanclubs, so in future we can organize
events together.

Having read about the effect the show has had on women
in the United States, I looked at Europe and found that
the impact wasn't that shocking. The fact that Xena is
portrayed as a physically and mentally strong woman,
who happens to have brains as well, is not regarded as
offending in any way. The fact that the relationship
between Xena and Gabrielle has a lot of subtext in it,
is not regarded as offending in any way. I have been
thinking about this and I cannot give a direct answer
to the question why. Maybe it's because Europe has had
her share of strong, intelligent women in the past 
(Joan of Arc, Marie Antoinette, Alette Jacobs, Madame
de Pompadour) and has a different view on
homosexuality, that it is not shocked by television
series like XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS.

The appeal of the show is also the mythical and
exciting location of 'a time long ago'. From an
European point of view, Ancient Greece isn't that long
ago and is at times vivid; it forms part of our history
and that makes it kind of 'close to home'.

I don't think Xena is a 'woman thing' either; I know a
lot of male viewers and they like the show as much as
the female viewers do. It is also striking that people
from so many different age groups watch the show. I
wouldn't know where to place the show when it comes to
target groups. That is one of things I like so much
about it! XWP is a show for everyone. In fact you can 
see what you want to see in it and make it a little bit
'your' show.

I have made XWP 'my' show too and I love to debate it
with my fellow Xenites all over the world. I hope we
can get the European XenaFest off the ground and that
Europe can worthily represent her XenaFandom in the
future.


-----------
ANNOTATIONS
-----------

[437] 08-16-96
   ROSIE O'DONNELL SHOW. Syndicated TV talk show. 1281
words. Guests: Tipper Gore, Lucy Lawless, and Marietta
Harley.
   COMMENTARY: This is the amazingly prophetic
interview where Lucy Lawless casually asks Rosie
O'Donnell what part she played in Grease. Now, one year
later, Lucy is playing that very same part herself on
Broadway just 'cause somebody connected with the stage
production was able to put two and two together! Can't
wait to see Lucy play the sentimental best friend in
"Insomnulent in New Zealand" whenever that comes out.
And can Ms. Lawless' own morning talk show be far
behind?  We think not! [MBE]
   Transcription by Tom Simpson (thomas@utah-inter.net)
   TRANSCRIPTION:
   Rosie: Our next guest is the baddest gal on TV. 
Take a look at her in action... roll it!  Please
welcome Lucy Lawless!  [applause]  Hi Lucy, how are
you? 
   Lucy: I'm fabulous.
   Rosie:  Can I tell you something, that we have
gotten the most requests to have you on the show.
   Lucy:  Really?
   Rosie:  THE most.  People have been faxing, they've
been calling they say, "We want Xena".  Here you are. 
   Lucy:  It's amazing.  When you're the object of that
kind of attention it's hard to believe and not some
abstract...
   Rosie:  Yeah it is sort of a weird... You're from
New Zealand I hear. 
   Lucy:  Yes I am.
   Rosie:  See that, I'm smart.  But on your show you
have an American accent, do you not?
   Lucy:  I do.  I do, and it's quite tricky for New
Zealanders to pick up a standard American accent.  It's
much easier to pick up a Southern or New York... 
   Rosie:  Yeah, can you do, can you give me a little
New York accent? 
   Lucy (In a New York accent):  A little New York? 
You know where I got this from, is from... [laughs] 
Listen to me I can tell I'm really excited.  A little
quaver in my voice.
   Rosie:  I don't think New Yorkers have accents,
personally. [audience laughs] 
   Lucy:  I can't believe you people really talk like
that.
   Rosie:  Really?
   Lucy:  No I come here and, oh my God, it's
unbelievable!
   Rosie:  When you walk down the streets of New York
City, people scream "Hey, it's Xena!  Awright!"  That's
just my family...
   Lucy:  Yeah-
   Rosie: There's so many Xena little trinkets out, the
doll... [holding the 10" Xena dollie] Have you seen
this little doll?
   Lucy:  I have never seen this one. [she takes it]
Got this sexy kind of dominatrix thing going.
   Rosie:  Kind of does.  In fact a lot of people asked
if you would show up wearing the costume.  I said "I'm
not going to ask the guest to show up wearing the
costume."
   Lucy:  That's very kind of you.
   Rosie:  But we thought about it.  [audience laughs] 
But we didn't. 
   Lucy:  [sliding her hand down her shirt]  You know
it's on under this... 
   Rosie:  Is it?  The whole... really?  Well maybe
later, you never know. Keep the people and viewers
staying for the rest of the hour.  Do you enjoy doing
the show?
   Lucy:  I love it, I love it.  It takes a lot out of
me, but... 
   Rosie:  It's seems very taxing, a lot of physical
stuff going on there. 
   Lucy:  Yeah.  I was an actress first and foremost. 
It was a big shock to me to be cast in an action role. 
So they sent me off to classes... I grew up in a pretty
rowdy kind of house.  I've got 5 brothers and one
sister and um, there's a lot of scrapping and...
   Rosie:  So you learned from the best right there.
   Lucy:  Oh yeah.  But, uh, they sent me off to
kung-fu training... [Lucy spies the Xenite membership
certificate on Rosie's desk and picks it up]. What? 
Where did you get this from?
   Rosie:  Well, just so you know I am a certified
member of the Xenite Club [she holds the certificate up
to the camera] and I have the Xenite Newsletter [holds
it up] and somebody sent me in all the Xena trading
cards [holds them up].
   Lucy:  That's amazing.  Was it Jetthead?
   Rosie:  Yes
   Lucy:  [waves to camera] Hi Brenda!
   Rosie:  So you're finally, finally on in New
Zealand?  You weren't on there until recently?
   Lucy:  That's right.  I enjoyed complete anonymity
and it's all over now, Baby Blue.
   Rosie:  Yeah, is it a big hit over there like it is
over here? 
   Lucy:  Yes it is.  But I find a real advantage to
playing an intimidating character is that people just
leave you alone.
   Rosie:  Yeah, yeah you see..
   Lucy:  People are so indiscreet.  I go into a
restaurant and they all turn around-- [she wipes her
arm across her nose] they all look.  They think you
can't see them...
   Rosie:  The funniest thing to me is when people go
"Hey, that's Rosie O'Donnell right there, right in
front of us that's Rosie O'Donnell!"  Like I don't hear
them.
   Lucy:  They're very subtle in New York.
   Rosie:  Yeah you know, and you're right there... I
hear you wanted to be an opera singer, you used to sing
when you were little?
   Lucy:  Uh, when I was a teenager I studied opera for
about four years and one day I woke up and went, "I
don't really go for this crap".  That the life of an
opera singer is so dull, you can't go out late at
night, you can't laugh your head off, you can't eat
certain things... 
   Rosie:  No, that's why I gave it up, too.
   Lucy:  No, forget it.  No fun.
   Rosie:  Can you sing a little for us?  Cause you
know how I love people... 
   Lucy:  Oh I would love to!
   Rosie:  Would you?  Go ahead.
   Lucy:  Do you mind if I don't do that?
   Rosie:  I don't mind, you do what you want, you're
Xena, Warrior Princess... 
   Lucy:  A girl with the name of Lucy Lawless should
sing a cowboy song. 
   Rosie:  Alrighty you go ahead and do it.
   Lucy:  [sings - the song is available at
http://www.xenafan.com/rosie/lucysong.wav]
   Rosie:  Wow that's nice!
   Lucy:  [keeps singing  very very well]  Yippie ai o
 kai  ay! 
   Rosie:  Wow, Lucy Lawless!  [applause]  That's
unbelievable! 
   Lucy:  You sing, you sing great I heard you!
   Rosie:  I don't really sing well, but I like to
sing.  It was a big hit here in the 70's it said "Don't
matter if you're not good enough for anyone else to
hear, just sing, sing a song."  And that's what I think
is my motto, Lucy. 
   Lucy:  Do you not do cabaret?
   Rosie:  I did a Broadway show.
   Lucy:  What did you do?
   Rosie:  I did Grease, remember with Olivia Newton
John?
   Lucy:  Did you really?  Who did you play?
   Rosie:  I played Sandy [laughter].  Rizzo, I played
Rizzo. 
   Lucy:  That's a great part.
   Rosie:  I always cracked up when people said "who do
you play?"  Like I'm going to be the blonde bombshell! 
I mean I either had to play Rizzo or Zuko, either one.  
   Lucy:  Because Rizzo is the coolest part in the
whole thing. 
   Rosie:  It is, it's the best part.  You could do
Broadway, you've got a beautiful voice.  You do. 
[applause].  You know, one of our staff members, Lisa,
she works in research.  You are the goddess to her. 
Can she come out and meet you?  Cause she'll be really
mad at me if, and she works late hours... 
   Lucy:  Of course [smiles]
   Rosie:  Lisa!  Lisa!  Lucy!
   Lucy:  [stands up, shakes Lisa's hand and pecks her
on the cheek]  Thanks for researching...
   Rosie:  Here I have a little thing, sit down Lisa, a
have a little picture for you to sign this for her
[hands Lucy an 8x10 photo].  And we're going to go to
break here and I'm going to show everyone my little
Hercules toy that I got here [walks out with her
Hercules Action Sword and starts chopping in front of
Lucy].  Watch I can... see that I can totally get her.. 
   Lucy:  Come on the show, come on the show.
   Rosie:  [thinking about the sword]  You have one? 
Cause we could get in a fight?
   Lucy:  A show?  Well [laughs]...
   Rosie:  No, a little sword fight, we could, just
sign that for Lisa, is that exciting for you, is it
thrilling?
   Lisa:  I'm very excited.
   Rosie:  No vacation for you.  Coming up next George
Jones.  Lucy Lawless!! 


[438] 08-18-96
   SUNDAY MAIL. Sunday. Page 14. 1347 words. "She;
Devil; She's lovely, she's a mum ...and she's out to
rule the world;  Xena Warrior Princess comes to
Britain" By Ellen Grehan
   COMMENTARY: This was the first substantive article
about XWP in the British Press. "'No one,' they said,
'wants to see a woman beat the hell out of a man.' Boy,
were they wrong."
   The article also included such gems as: "Its rabid
fans fall into definite categories...Little girls aged
eight to 15, young men 18 to 25 and women in prison. In
fact, when the show was screened in Los Angeles during
visiting hours at the women's County Jail, prisoners
were peeved at having to choose between meeting their
loved ones or rooting for Xena. A potential riot was
only side-stepped when the local TV station ran repeats
of the show later in the evening."
   The article continued with the usual quotes from Ms.
Lawless about her various jobs before starring in XWP.
Robert Tapert was quoted as well about Xena being "one
tough cookie." 
   The article used dated material because it further
stated that  "Lucy, 30, a former Mrs New Zealand, is
married to school sweetheart Garth Lawless and they
have a daughter, Daisy." Ms. Lawless is now divorced
and she was 29 at the date of this article. That she
was a former Mrs. New Zealand had been only previously
reported in The Globe article in April 1996 (tentative
XMR219) and was for a long time considered unreliable.
However, it turns out it was promotional contest ran by
a New Zealand's Woman's magazine (Women's Day? Women's
Weekly?) which Ms. Lawless won and apparently received
an all expense paid trip to Las Vegas. [KT]
   REPRINT:
   The roughest and toughest woman ever is making life
hell for men - and she's also making for Britain.
   And we're not talking about some bimbo who plays
dodgems with a supermarket trolley. Xena, the 6ft
Amazon warrior princess, beats males at their own game
of world domination.
   Quite often, she just BEATS MALES.  
   After conquering America and taking Down Under by
storm, she is set to make it BIG here on satellite TV. 
   When Hollywood moguls were offered a new series
called Xena - Warrior Princess, they almost turned it
down.
   She was described as a mixture of Greek myth and Mad
Max and the reason for their reluctance was simple... 
   "No one," they said, "wants to see a woman beat the
hell out of a man." 
   Boy, were they wrong.
   There is apparently nothing that the viewing hordes
relish more than seeing a woman kick butt and sneer at
snivelling males.
   "You like shoving women around so much?" she asks,
"Try me." 
   In the year it has been showing, the programme has
beaten Baywatch and Star Trek: Deep Space 9 for top
viewing honours around the world. 
   Its rabid fans fall into definite categories...
   Little girls aged eight to 15, young men 18 to 25
and women in prison. 
   In fact, when the show was screened in Los Angeles
during visiting hours at the women's County Jail,
prisoners were peeved at having to choose between
meeting their loved ones or rooting for Xena.
   A potential riot was only side-stepped when the
local TV station ran repeats of the show later in the
evening.
   Striding through her world, in which she has vowed
to protect powerless women, children and the poor, is
New Zealand actress Lucy Lawless. 
    With her leather breast-plated jump-suit and 11
stone of solid muscle and shapely flesh, she makes
so-called super-models look as substantial as
washed-out paper dolls.
   Lucy, daughter of a senior local government officer,
grew up a confirmed tomboy.
   She says "I have four older brothers and when I was
a kid in Auckland I thought anything they could do, I
could do, if not better, then just as well. 
    "I could ride, shoot a bow and arrow, run like hell
when I had to, and swim like a fish.
   "And I've led an adventurous life. When I was about
20 I took off for Germany to work as a grape-picker.
Bloody hard work."
   Before striking gold in Hollywood, the muscle-bound
six-footer even worked as a gold miner for several
years deep in the Australian outback. 
   "That was a killer," she says. "I dug, worked
earth-moving equipment, and generally bust my butt."
   Later came a stint studying acting in Canada, then
work on a TV show in New Zealand.
   That's where she was spotted by Robert Tapert,
producer of another hit, Hercules: The Legendary
Journeys, which is also filmed on location in New
Zealand.
   Tapert says: "Xena was a character in a Hercules
episode and pretty evil. But audiences responded. So
when we decided to do a spin-off series based on her
character, we had to make her more sympathetic.
   "But she's still one tough cookie and the viewers
love it." 
    Lucy, 30, a former Mrs New Zealand, is married to
school sweetheart Garth Lawless and they have a
daughter, Daisy.
   "I was pretty fit when I signed up for the show,"
Lucy says. 
   "But the producers brought me to Los Angeles to do a
crash course in martial art.
   "It was fine pouncing around the studio in LA and
have people telling you you're fab.
   "But when it comes to doing all that Kung Fu stuff
on location in my bloody breast- plate in the bitter
cold, it's another story.
   "Sometimes I actually cry, it gets that bad."
    Xena, Warrior Princess, cry? Say it ain't so.
    That could really start a riot in the downtown
County Jail. 


[439] 08-18-96
   THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS. Sunday. Page 1C. 1939
words. "Surrender! They've taken over our culture" By
Jerome Weeks. 
   COMMENTARY: In an article about the ascendency of
comic books, Mr. Weeks added that not only were comic
books generating movies and TV shows, but that some TV
shows "clearly have a comic-book mentality."  XWP was
listed as having such a mentality. [KT]
   EXCERPT:
   ...This year alone, 25 film projects based on comics
are in the works or have been released, including The
Phantom, Barb Wire and Bordello of Blood, the Tales
>From the Crypt movie that opened Friday.  Later this
month brings the sequel to The Crow, while the fourth
Batman blockbuster, Batman and Robin, is now shooting.
   And you can't escape them at home.  On TV, Speed
Racer just became the spokes-cartoon for Volkswagen and
ESPN, and there's Lois & Clark plus the whole Cartoon
Network.  All of this doesn't even count the movies and
tube shows that, although they may not have a direct
comic-book origin, clearly have a comic-book mentality. 
   Consider Independence Day, The Simpsons, Star Trek,
The X-Files, Ace Ventura, anything from Walt Disney,
Escape From L.A., Xena: Warrior Queen and just about
the entire network schedules of Nickelodeon, Comedy
Central and The Weather Channel...


[440] 08-19-96
   THE FLORIDA TIMES-UNION (Jacksonville, FL). Page
A-1. 663 words. "ABCs of affiliation: More news; TV-21
reports to add Jacksonville flavor" By Terry Dickson.
   COMMENTARY: Jacksonville's Channel 21 will take over
an ABC affiliation next year and replace XWP with Home
Improvement and Coach, which the new general manager of
TV-21 said would be better programming.
   As an example of meaningless coincidence,
Renaissance Pictures, producers of XWP, earlier this
year moved into the offices left vacant by COACH when
that show was retired this past season.  [KT]
   EXCERPT:
   ...That presence has faded since and may wane even
more when TV-21's new owner, Perpetual Corp., builds a
new station in Jacksonville to take over the ABC
affiliation from WJKS TV-17 next year...
   ...Leonard Firestone, TV-21's new general manager,
said the station will still be a presence in Southeast
Georgia but perhaps not at the same level....
   ...Many Georgia viewers will have a better signal on
ABC shows -- and better programming, he said. When the
affiliation changes, TV-21's 9-10 p.m. Tuesday slot
will switch from Xena: Warrior Princess to Home
Improvement and Coach....


[441]  08-19-96 to 09-17-96
   NOTE: In a short interview with Ms. Lawless,
Ms. Sleinski covered the following: the popularity of
XWP ("a complete surprise"); the grueling requirements
of  the job ("I'm constantly stretched, because the
writers go, 'Wow, if she can do this, then let's try
this.' We all let our imaginations run wild."); her
rise as a role model ("I used to be terrified, just
terrified ... Up until I came here this week, and I met
so many women and young girls who feel, to use their
word and I'm a bit embarrassed, but it's a good word,
empowered, by watching. I realized this isn't a burden,
this is an honor."); and her daughter Daisy ("She's not
entirely sure that she likes Mommy being the focus of
everybody's attention...She doesn't like to share me
too much."). [KT]


[441a] 08-19-96
   DAILY NEWS (New York). Monday. Page 62. 440 words.
"A Star on the Strength of 'Xena'" By Christy
Slewinski.
   COMMENTARY: Slewinski article. 
   REPRINT:
   'XENA' star Lucy Lawless walks through the door, and
you can't help but look behind her to see if the
Warrior Princess has, by some mistake, been left behind
in the lobby.
   Yes, Lawless is nearly 6 feet tall. But having
exchanged her trademark leather-and-metal armor for an
ultra-feminine lavender lace shirt and black miniskirt,
the TV action hero puts even the most popular catwalk
striders to shame with her graceful presence.  
   Just goes to show that Lawless, star of the hit
syndicated series "Xena: Warrior Princess," didn't
always make a living single-handedly battling Cyclopes,
centaurs and armies of grimy-looking marauders.
   Slim and soft-spoken, the New Zealand native has
settled into her one-in-a-million role. Xena was
successfully spun off into her own series last year
after audiences took note of the fearsome female
character in a three-episode story arc of "Hercules:
The Legendary Journeys." 
   Now, "Xena" trades off and on with "Hercules" and
"Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" for the top spot in the
weekly syndie drama ratings. "Xena," which follows
"Hercules," airs locally Saturday nights at 9 on
WPIX/Ch. 11, and repeats Sunday afternoons at 2. 
   The show, and its runaway success, "was a complete
surprise," says Lawless, 28, who swung by New York as
part of a whirlwind American press tour. "I never in my
wildest dreams thought I would be an action star."
   And the work, Lawless adds, is fun but grueling.
   "I'm constantly stretched, because the writers go,
'Wow, if she can do this, then let's try this.' We all
let our imaginations run wild." 
   Even the knowledge that she's become a popular role
model doesn't bother her nearly as much as it used to.
   "I used to be terrified, just terrified," she
admits. "Up until I came here this week, and I met so
many women and young girls who feel, to use their word
and I'm a bit embarrassed, but it's a good word,
empowered, by watching. I realized this isn't a burden,
this is an honor."
   Of course, the one little girl whom Lawless wants to
inspire the most is her 8-year-old daughter, Daisy,
who's still adjusting to having a TV-star mom. 
   "She's not entirely sure that she likes Mommy being
the focus of everybody's attention," says Lawless, who
divorced shortly before she landed the Xena role. "She
doesn't like to share me too much."
   After all, Daisy not only has to answer questions
like "Is your mom Xena?" but, Lawless explains with a
laugh, she's forced to respond to other, more
ridiculous queries, like: "Is your dad Hercules?"
   "She pretends that she doesn't like it," says
Lawless. "But I think in her heart she does."
   GRAPHIC: Lucy Lawless of "Xena".     


[441b] 09-09-96
   THE DES MOINES REGISTER. Monday. Page 4. 627 words.
"Lucy Lawless is a star on the strength of 'Xena'" By
Christy Slewinski. New York Daily News
   COMMENTARY: Another appearance of The Daily News
article from 08-19-96.


[441c] 09-15-96
   THE TAMPA TRIBUNE. Sunday. Page 48. 338 words.
"Actor finds "Xena' role grueling but fun" By Christy
Slewinski of the New York Daily News.
   COMMENTARY: Another appearance of The Daily News
article from 08-19-96.


[441d] 09-17-96
   PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE. Tuesday. Page D-3. 385
words. "'Xena' Wins Fans' Admiration" by Christy
Slewinski, New York Daily News.
   COMMENTARY:  Another appearance of The Daily
News article from 08-19-96.


[442] 08-19-96
   ALTARED STATES. Episode no. 19. First release. Guest
stars: David Ackroyd (Anteus), David de Latour (Icus),
and Karl Urban Mael). Cast: Teresa Woodham (Zora); Sean
Ashton-Peach (Zealot #1); Graham Smith (Senior Zealot);
Jack Dacey (Brawny Zealot); and Peter Ford (Zealot
Guard). Written by Chris Mannheim. Directed by Michael
Levine. Ratings round up: 1st release (04-22- 96)
ranked 2nd with 5.0 (1st ST:DS9 at 6.5; 2nd XWP at 5.0;
and HTLJ at 4.9); 2nd release (08/19/96) ranked 2nd
with 4.4 (1st HTLJ at 5.2; 2nd XWP at 4.4; and ST:DS9
at 4.2). To date ALTARED STATES has been released only
two times, while TITANS has been, well, let's just not
go there! [KT]
   COMMENTARY: See XMR253 for synopsis and commentary.


[443] 08-20-96
   THE ADVOCATE. Pages 81-83. 1160 words. "Flirting
with Xena." Producer Liz Friedman hits Hollywood's big
time with the series Xena: Warrior Princess. by Anne
Stockwell. 
   COMMENTARY: Tough, smart, funny, and good with a
sword; now that's what I like in a woman. Or at least,
that's what Liz Friedman claims to like. In this
interview with producer Friedman, we get a much-needed
look at the dynamo who makes XWP go each week. And
calling XWP a mix between "Go Fish" and "RoboCop" shows
us just where Friedman's sensibilities lie, on a very
hip, quirky, smart line. But we knew that already. 
Because THE ADVOCATE is a gay/lesbian/bi paper,
Friedman's interview is very a candid, refreshing read
that doesn't reek of the canned copy that so many
publications have churned out on XWP. Let's see more
press on Ms. Friedman.
   REPRINT:
   "Would I date Xena? Yeah, in a heartbeat, says 
coproducer Liz Friedman, speaking of the main character
in  Xena: Warrior Princess, the hit syndicated TV show
she  helped to create. "Xena's perfect! She's tough,
smart,  funny, and good with a sword. I'd just worry
that I wouldn't  be able to keep her around." 
   Few TV executives would care to discuss their 
homosexual attraction to the heroes of their own
programs.  But the peppery 27-year-old Friedman is
ready and willing.   Openly lesbian herself--"I never
had a man phase," she says  flatly-- Friedman is
unabashedly thrilled to be calling the  shots on a hit
series that also seems destined to become a  lesbian
cult classic.  "We never wrote Xena to be a lesbian, 
she admits. "But it's not our show, its the audience's
show.  If the fans want to read Xena that way, great."
   For anyone not yet initiated, Xena is the hugely 
popular offspring of the hit series Hercules: The
Legendary  Journeys. Filmed in New Zealand for
Renaissance Pictures,  the company run by
horrormeisters Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert,  both programs
showcase Raimi's trademark mix of  spine-tingling
action and deadpan humor.  
   Xena, played by Lucy Lawless, is a downright-surly 
female warlord with a short temper and a shorter toga
who  first appeared on Hercules as a bloodthirsty
villain. Now,  as star of her own series, Xena roams
her mythical land  determined to atone for her sins.
She defends the powerless,  chastens the wicked, and
pulverizes armies of bad guys. And  at the end of each
episode, Xena rides off into the sunset  not with a man
but with her female sidekick, Gabrielle,  played by
Renee O Connor.  
   The pair's bantering affection immediately pricked
up  lesbian ears on the Internet, notes Friedman.
What's more,  adds Judy Dlugacz, founder of Olivia
Cruises & Resorts, Xena  mania has spread to the high
seas. "The first Xena group  came aboard for a cruise
in June," she reports. "They  brought costumes,
jackets, everything they needed for a  weekend of
crazed warrior-princess behavior. I think its the 
beginning of a new and expanding cult." 
   For Friedman, all this adulation reflects a sad
vacuum  on traditional television. "The reaction to
Xena shows how  few substantive portrayals of women's
friendships we see on  TV," she observes. "In terms of
what's explicitly presented,  Xena and Gabrielle are
very close friends who, I do believe,  love each other,
whether or not there's a degree of sexual  intimacy." 
   But despite these disclaimers--and despite hints
of a  future male love interest for the warrior
princess--Friedman  and company have welcomed Xena's
lesbian fans, even writing  sapphic double entendres
into scripts. "One episode starts  with the camera
looking at some bushes," Friedman explains.  "We hear
Gabrielle asking, 'How was that?' Xena answers,  'Very
nice!' Gabrielle says, 'Really? I wasn't sure," and 
Xena replies, 'No, no, you're doing great.' The we see
them,  And they're fishing--naked!"
   "They're such a perfect little butch-femme
couple,"  Friedman concludes, laughing.  "What they do
between  episodes, I don't know." [around this point
there is a picture of Xena and Gabrielle.  Xena has
sword in hand, glaring toward unseen attackers, and  is
motioning "stay back" to Gabrielle, beside and behind
her.] 
[Caption reads: "Galloping gal pals: Lawless,
O'Conner"]
   Actually, it seems doubtful there's anything about
the  warrior princess that Friedman doesn't know. Just
five years  after she migrated west from Boston and
nabbed her first  Hollywood job as Raimi's assistant,
Friedman oversees every  phase of Xena's production.
She hires directors, casts  actors, cooks up stories,
and supervises editing. She's  young for the job, and
in rising to the challenge, Friedman  has won vocal
admirers among her colleagues. 
   "Liz Friedman is _gay_?" cries Xena star Lawless.
The  glamorous six-foot tall New Zealander, so
unshockable as  Xena, lapses into stunned silence.
Finally--after a  nerve-racking pause, --Lawless hoots
with laughter. "If I'd  only known! She's the first
woman I've worshipped! I'd crawl  40 miles through
broken glass just to wank off in her  shadow!" 
   Turning serious, Lawless offers definite ideas
about  why Xena turns women on. "Xena doesn't
apologize," she says.  "She doesn't accept that being a
woman is a disadvantage in  this world. Neither do I--
and neither does Liz. She doesn't  knuckle under to any
b*llsh*t. She's a star on the rise." 
   Friedman's ascent began at Wesleyan University,
where  she wrote a controversial sociology thesis on
gender roles  in the horror genre known as slasher
films. "I had read an  article that stated, 'Feminists
can say these movies are  about mutilating women, but
they have some of the strongest  female characters
around,'" says Friedman. "I started  watching horror
films, and it was like, that's absolutely  right!"  Her
thesis won an award and clinched Friedman's  interest
in a film career.  
   After moving to Los Angeles at 21, Friedman found 
herself working for Raimi and Tapert just as their
company  was branching out into TV.  Under Tapert's
watchful eye, she  learned the trade as an assistant
and then associate  producer on Hercules.  When Xena
became a reality, however,  Tapert was tied up in other
projects. Friedman had to make  the leap and take
control.  "They said, 'Here. Do this. Try  not to f*ck
it up,'" Friedman recalls. "I took to it, and  here I
am."
   Friedman emphasizes the fact that she's never
hidden  her sexuality on the job "Rob tells this story
about when I  first started working here," she says.  I
was wearing my  leather jacket, and I turned around,
and there was my big  Queer Nation sticker on the back
that said, QUEERS BASH  BACK. Rob was like, 'OK, that
answers that question.'"
   Coming out to her family wasn't quite as easy. "My 
parents are both psychiatrists, and they both remarried 
other psychiatrists," says Friedman.  "So I guess I
thought  I wasn't going to have all those coming-out
problems. But my  father didn't deal with it so well at
first, and my mother  was pretty shaken up. Later they
both came around." 
   Nowadays Friedman has few problems to report. In
her  personal life she's happily settled into a three
year  relationship with partner Yvette Abatte. "She's
the  greatest," crows Friedman. 
   On the work front Friedman promises that Xena's
lesbian  fans can look forward to lots of gal-pal
action in stories  to come. "We've already shot one
episode," she offers,  "where Gabrielle almost dies and
Xena gives her mouth-to-  mouth resuscitation. Lucy did
an unbelievably great job with  the scene."
   Asked about her plans for life after Xena,
Friedman  guardedly admits she'd like to bring stories
to the big  screen.  "TV has been the world's greatest
education," she  stresses.  "But I still hear that
siren song of the big  feature movie, and I'd like to
try it eventually."
   "Still, it's tricky," adds Friedman.  "I have such
odd,  diverse tastes. I loved Go Fish. Then on the
other hand, I  loved Robocop."  Friedman grins, hit by
a sudden insight.  "in this weird way, Xena's the
perfect mix of the two."


[444] 08-22-96                       
   DAILY VARIETY. NEWS. Page 6. 459 words. "Syndie
Punch: Shows Rally After Atlanta." By Jenny Hontz. 
   COMMENTARY: Ratings for IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE
HOUSE (#24), 1st release, 07/29/96. Ranked as the 2nd
action hour with a 3.9 rating. [HTLJ took 1st place for
the sixth straight week with a 4.6 and ST:DS9 took 3rd
with a 3.7]. On it's repeat 7 weeks later, DOCTOR would
rank 13th, sharing the no. 2 spot with BAYWATCH and
HERCULES with a 4.3 rating. It is times like these I
wish they had a good falafel stand in Bakersfield. [KT]
   EXCERPT:
   Syndication ratings recovered from nearly a month of
Olympic doldrums during the week ending Aug. 11,
according to Nielsen...
   ...In weekly action, MCA TV's "Hercules" and "Xena"
ran first and second for the third straight week.
"Hercules" was up 2% to a 4.6, but down 16%
year-to-year. "Xena" was second, despite falling 3% for
the week to a 3.9, its lowest ever. 
  Also hitting a new low was Par's "Star Trek: Deep
Space Nine," which tumbled 5% to a 3.7, off 30% from
last year at this time.


[445] 08-23-96
   ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE. Friday. Page 2W. 720
words. "Sweet Smell of Success Wafts from Rosie's Show"
By Ellis Widner
   COMMENTARY: Critic Widner complained of the time the
Rosie O'Donnell show appeared in Little Rock
(midnight), but when he found out Lucy Lawless was
going to be a guest, he finally watched it. The article
was essentially a review of the Lawless show.
   Widner concluded, "Gore helped stage a contest with
a member of the audience and Lawless sang the cowboy
classic 'I'm an Old Cowhand (From the Rio Grande).'
Yes, Lawless sings quite well, thank you. Jones was in
good voice and O'Donnell clearly appreciated this
legendary performer." 
   Widner is also near and dear to my heart for taking
an early stand on the BAYWATCH vs. XENA debate that
XENA is no BAYWATCH. [KT]
   EXCERPT:
   There's a lot of good talk about Rosie O'Donnell's
new talk show. 
   I've had more than a passing curiosity about it, but
since "The Rosie O'Donnell Show" doesn't come on here
until midnight on weekdays on KATV-TV, Channel 7, I
haven't exactly gone out of my way to see it. 
   But my curiosity finally got the better of me. I
checked the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's TV Week the
other day and, lo and behold, Lucy Lawless was one of
the guests.  
   That did it.
   Being a big "Xena: Warrior Princess" fan, I set up
the ol' VCR, taped Rosie and watched it over the
weekend.
   I've always kinda liked O'Donnell. She's pretty
darned funny and was a real standout as the host of
VH-1's stand-up comedy show. O'Donnell's also been in
several movies, including "A League of Their Own" and
the current "Harriet the Spy." She also won acclaim
playing Rizzo in Tommy Tune's revival of "Grease" on
Broadway.
   There were reasons to be hopeful that O'Donnell's
brassy, smart-mouthed, likable style would translate
well to the talk show format. But then, I reminded
myself, The Mommies were funny stand-up comics, too,
and look what happened to them. They were stuck with a
really rotten sitcom.
   Then there was Ricki Lake. I liked her work in the
John Waters films "Hairspray" and "Cry-Baby" and
enjoyed her when she'd pop up on late-night talkers.
   But Lake's own talk show turned out to be another
sleazy slimefest that wasn't any different from
"Geraldo" or the rest of the rotten pack. Lake is
younger and gives sleaze a younger appeal. Big whoop.
   Still, I was hopeful for O'Donnell, even if she was
in that dreadful "Exit to Eden" movie with Dan Ackroyd. 
   And guess what? My hopes were not in vain. Rosie
really is in bloom on TV. 
   "The Rosie O'Donnell Show" is a lot of fun. It's hip
and funny, without the sometimes acerbic, mean edge of
Letterman and none of the make-fun-of-the-guest shtick
of Leno. And there's none of the sleaze that typifies
much of daytime talk (O'Donnell's show is broadcast in
many markets in the afternoons). 
   The episode I watched featured Tipper Gore ("first
vice lady," as O'Donnell called her) hawking a book of
her photographs, Lawless hawking her popular syndicated
series "Xena: Warrior Princess," country singer George
Jones hawking a new album and book and actress Marietta
Harley hawking a theater tour. 
   Hawking, of course, is what these shows are all
about. If these folks didn't have something to sell,
it's not likely many of them would drop by for the fun
of it. Although, they just might, where O'Donnell is
concerned. It's a loose-limbed, casual show that's
friendly and frank and more than a little goofy.
   Gore helped stage a contest with a member of the
audience and Lawless sang the cowboy classic "I'm an
Old Cowhand (From the Rio Grande)." Yes, Lawless sings
quite well, thank you. Jones was in good voice and
O'Donnell clearly appreciated this legendary performer.
   The fast-paced hour was over before I knew it.
Channel 7 moves the show to 10 a.m. weekdays on Sept.
10, so you can bet O'Donnell will stay on my must-tape
list. It sure beats the heck outta that daytime talk
bunch. Maybe even Jay and Dave. Check it out....


[446] 08-23-96
   WWW.TVGUIDE.COM. "Short Circuits" By John Walsh.
   COMMENTARY: Lesbian fans are singled out and
appreciated.
   EXCERPT:
   ...THE GRRRL CAN'T HELP IT
   Lucy Lawless is tickled pink over the loyal legions
of lesbian fans who have made Xena: Warrior Princess a
cult hit. The sinewy action star, whose varied resume
includes stints as a grape picker in Germany's wine
country and a gold miner in Australia's rugged outback, 
is a popular pinup gal in women's prisons, according to
series producer Rob Tapert. Fans on Usenet's
alt.tv.xena newsgroup post enthusiastically about the
seeming sexual chemistry between Xena and the willowy
blonde Gabrielle, played by Renee O CONNOR. "Everything
about the show is sexy," Lawless says. "We want to take
people out of the humdrum."...



[447] 08-25-96
   THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE. Sunday. Page 9. 1836 words.
"What's new with syndicated shows" By Mike McDaniel
   COMMENTARY: Brief mention twice of XWP appearing
this season on local channel 39. [KT]
   EXCERPT:
   ...SOMETHING old, something new, something
""borrowed" - such is the world of syndicated
television, those shows produced and marketed
independently from the networks.
   In Houston, Channel 39 rules with such campy
syndicated fare as "Hercules" and "Xena," and this
season is about to serve "Sinbad," as well.  Channel
11, meanwhile, will be offering an all-new "Tarzan.
"...
   ...Channel 39: "Baywatch," "Baywatch Nights,"
"Flipper," "Hercules," "Highlander," "Soul Train,"
"Xena. "...


[448] 08-26-96
   THE DAILY NEWS (Taranaki). Page 19. 1200 words.
"Taranaki schools will miss Allan Purdy" By Harry Brown
   COMMENTARY: In a section about Wolfgang Mozart, Mr.
Brown explains how Mozart went from a middle name of
Gottlieb to Amadeus. He also observed that "Amadeus"
was "nearly as catchy as Lucy Lawless". A
non-sequitor...or is it? [KT]
   EXCERPT:
   ...ALMOST every concert you attend includes at least
one item by Mozart. Singers like him, orchestras love
him, audiences adore him. It may be true that the
angels in Heaven play Bach, but en famille they
probably play Mozart. 
   Wolfgang Gottlieb Mozart. What a lovely name to get
your mouth round. It's nearly as good as saying Eine
Kleine Nachtmusik, (try it). 
   Off on a concert tour of Italy, the child prodigy
was all booked up and ready to play when his father
(now there was a mercenary for you) decided he'd better
Italianise that German mouthful so took Gottlieb (God,
lover) and swapped it around to Amadeus (Love God)
Easy, isn't it? Nearly as catchy as Lucy Lawless (try
it)....


[449] 08-26-96 to 09-14-96
  NOTE: The Cape, a new syndicated drama.


[449a] 08-26-96
   USA TODAY. Monday. Page 3D. 428 words. "'The Cape'
brings astronauts and rocket science to syndication" By
Jefferson Graham
   COMMENTARY: In an article about "The Cape", Mr.
Graham asked, "But will a series that tries to take the
high road with inspiring, patriotic stories survive in
syndication, where many of the popular dramas deal with
sexier fare? (Think Xena: Warrior Princess; Hercules --
The Legendary Journeys and Baywatch.)"
   EXCERPT:
   Once MTM decided to produce an ambitious drama about
the personal and professional lives of astronauts and
astronaut candidates, Sharon Hall and other executives
made a very important trip. 
   They flew to Washington, D.C., to meet with NASA,
where they explained that while "we weren't out to
destroy the institution, we also didn't want to do a
puff piece."
   NASA officials liked their script -- and the fact
that veteran astronauts such as Buzz Aldrin and Bruce
Melnick had signed on as technical consultants -- and
gave their blessing to the project. 
   And thus was born The Cape, which premieres in
syndication next week...
   ...But will a series that tries to take the high
road with inspiring, patriotic stories survive in
syndication, where many of the popular dramas deal with
sexier fare? (Think Xena: Warrior Princess; Hercules --
The Legendary Journeys and Baywatch.) And the most
successful first-run syndicated space show is the more
fantastic Star Trek: Deep Space Nine....


[449b]  09-11-96
   THE DAYTON DAILY NEWS. WEDNESDAY. Page  11B. 392
words. "PRIME TIME: SYNDICATED DRAMA BLASTS OFF TONIGHT
ON MVC" By R.D. Heldenfels
   COMMENTARY: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.....this piece is too
short to say much about except that the author says
that "serious attention" has been paid to XWP and then
retracts his statement in the next graph. Hey, pal,
that attention is pretty D*MN serious, believe it!
   EXCERPT:
   * 'The Cape,' a modern-day space series, debuts with
a two-hour episode. 
   Syndication has proven a rich field for television
drama in recent years, with serious attention paid to
shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation, Baywatch and
Xena: Warrior Princess. 
   Well, maybe not serious attention. But audiences and
news organizations have certainly taken note of those
shows, and new series The Cape hopes to ratchet things
up even more.  
   The Cape, which premieres with a two-hour episode
(9:30 p.m. tonight on MVC), clearly wants network-level
respectability....


[449c] 09-14-96
   THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS. Saturday. Page 15C. 1010
words. "The Cape' has earthbound moments, but it often
soars" By Ed Bark.
   COMMENTARY: In another review of "The Cape", Mr.
Bark mentioned XWP. He wrote: "Whatever the verdict,
The Cape clearly is classier than most of syndication's
competing action hours.  Hercules: The Legendary
Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess strive to be
nothing more than "knucklehead TV" in the words of
producer Sam Raimi.  Highlander, High Tide, Baywatch
and Kung Fu: The Legend Continues are merely more
junk-on-a-bunk."
   We should be grateful Mr. Bark did not include XWP
in "junk- on-a-bunk". While Mr. Bark was alluding to
his own interview with Mr. Raimi (The Dallas Morning
News, 03/25/96, "Knuckleheads, Raimi's your guy"), he
took liberty with Sam Raimi's 'knucklehead TV' quote. 
Raimi's original quote was embedded in Mr. Bark's
sentence, "Xena, an evil warrior introduced in a recent
Hercules episode, is likely to get her own
'knucklehead, fun adventure'". From this Mr. Bark
deduced 'knucklehead TV.' [KT]
   EXCERPT:
   Syndicated TV drama is best when it's out to launch.
   Three successors to the sainted Star Trek have
boarded the Good Ship Critical Acclaim, and even
Babylon 5 is starting to earn its space.  They're all
blasts from the future.  The Cape, lifting off
Saturday, is a here-and-now, NASA-approved saga of
Earth-dwelling astronauts hoping to get high....
   MTM Entertainment says the series marks a return to
a "hallmark of quality" it established with gems such
as The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Hill Street Blues.
   Whatever the verdict, The Cape clearly is classier
than most of syndication's competing action hours. 
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior
Princess strive to be nothing more than "knucklehead
TV" in the words of producer Sam Raimi.  Highlander,
High Tide, Baywatch and Kung Fu: The Legend Continues
are merely more junk-on-a-bunk....


[450]  08-26-96
   NOTE: In an article about Fox buying Universal's
show "Roar" ("a 'mythic action-adventure series based
on the last warrior tribes of Ireland.'"), Mr. Flint
conjectured that because "Roar" was a period piece it
may not do too well, even though Universal was the home
of the wildly successful XWP and HTLJ. [KT]


[450a] 08-26-96
   DAILY VARIETY. Monday. 392 words. "Fox, U plot Irish
series Fox, U plot Irish period strip" By Joe Flint
   COMMENTARY: ROAR.
   EXCERPT:
   Fox Broadcasting Co. is near a deal with Universal
Television for a new period-piece drama series from
writer-producers Shaun Cassidy and Ron Koslow for next
fall or possibly earlier, the studio confirmed.
   Although the 1996-97 season has hardly started (Fox
premiered two shows last week and the WB launched
Sunday), the web is already thinking about next year
and is expected to give Universal a firm 13-episode
commitment for "Roar," which execs at MCA's Universal
describe as a "mythic action-adventure series based on
the last warrior tribes of Ireland."...
   ...Period pieces are not exactly tickets to success
on TV. The last effort was ABC's "Covington Cross" in
1992, which ran about two months before being yanked. 
   But Universal has had great success in first-run
syndication with its action hours "Hercules: The
Legendary Journeys" and "Xena: Warrior Princess." Both
have become hits and profitable for the studio....


[450b] 08-26-96
   VARIETY. 391 words. "Fox, U plot Irish period strip"
By Joe Flint.
   COMMENTARY: Same as XMR---a.


[451] 08-26-96
   CAVE OF ECHOES. HTLJ episode no. 37. Second release. 
   COMMENTARY: See XMR349 for synopsis.


[452] 08-26-96
   DEATH MASK. Episode No. 23 (123). 2nd release. Guest
Stars: Joseph Kell (Toris), Michael Lawrence (Cortese).
Cast: William Davis (Malik), Doug McCaulay (Aescalus),
Elizabeth Skeen (Sera), Peter Needham (Village Elder).
Credits: Written by Peter Allan Fields, Directed by
Stewart Main.  
   COMMENTARY: See XMR314 for synopsis and commentary.


[453] 08-27-96
   THE EVENING POST (Wellington). Page 10. 449 words.
"Self-indulgent doco dull and unsympathetic" By Phil
Wakefield
   COMMENTARY: Hmmmm, wonder what happened to the rest
of this 449 word article....it sounds mighty
interesting though. I'd love to read about the "dull
and unsympathetic" documentary about the World's Most
Dangerous Animals that knocked Herc off his big block
so that XWP could oust him in the New Zealand ratings
for the first time. [MBE]
   EXCERPT:
   ...RATING A mention: Xena: Warrior Princess outrated
Hercules for the first time on Friday because the
latter was savaged by the TV2 doco,  The World's Most
Dangerous Animals... 

 
[454] 08-27-96
   ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. Tuesday. Page 6D. 746
words. 'Channel 11 Prime Time Looks Different this
Fall." By Gail Pennington.
   COMMENTARY: Ms. Pennington defined "habitude" and
etched out local channel 11's plans to make Tuesday
nights Hercules and Xena night for St. Louis.
   EXCERPT:
   EVENINGS on Channel 11 will look dramatically
different this fall as the station substitutes series
for movies in what general manager Max Lummis calls "a
network-like approach to prime time."
   As an affiliate of the 2-year-old WB network, which
expands to three nights a week this fall, Channel 11
was already set to run WB shows on Sundays, Mondays and
Wednesdays.
   But the station decided to take things a step
further by scheduling first-run syndicated series -
including the popular "Hercules" and "Xena" and cult
favorite "Babylon 5" - between 7 and 9 p.m. on the
other nights. 
   The change was partly inspired by the loss of Blues
hockey games to Prime cable.  
   "Not having the Blues gave us a lot more freedom in
scheduling," Lummis says. At the same time, "the pool
of available movies was drying up." (Lummis notes,
however, that movie triple features will still run on
Saturday and Sunday, beginning at noon, and that a "big
movie" will air at 8 p.m. Saturday.) 
   A third motive for the change was to boost the
station's 9 p.m. newscast.
   Movies frequently run longer than two hours,
shifting the starting time of the news. Combined with
pre-emptions for hockey (and baseball, which Channel 11
still airs), that meant viewers couldn't count on
seeing the 9 p.m. news at 9 p.m.
   Channel 11's code word for the new schedule is
"Habitude," which you may have seen - unexplained - on
buses, billboards and advertisements. If you wondered
what it meant, well, you were supposed to.
   "Habitude" means getting accustomed to watching
series on Channel 11 every night, the station explains.
Phase II of a promotional campaign will expand on the
premise.
   In addition to "Hercules" and "Xena," the
tongue-in-cheek adventure series that premiere Oct. 1,
Channel 11 will have new, live-action versions of
"Tarzan" and "Sinbad" beginning Sept. 27....
   ...Here's Channel 11's fall prime-time lineup, night
by night:...
   ...Tuesday: "Hercules," "Xena"...


[455] 08-28-96 to 09-02-96
   NOTE:  There were actually six questions, but
only five that were substantive in Ms. Glanton's "Five
Questions". [KT]


[455a] 08-28-96
   THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (sole copyright holder).
Wednesday. Entertainment News. 561 words. "Five
Questions with Lucy Lawless: Xena Warrior And
Empowerer" By Eileen Glanton
   COMMENTARY:  Brief interview with Ms. Lawless.
   REPRINT:
   If Isis built up her biceps, if Wonder Woman traded
her lariat for a razor-sharp discus, and if they both
brushed up on their martial arts, they might - just
might - be as tough as their superheroine sister, Xena,
played with brawn and bravura by New Zealand actress
Lucy Lawless. Debuting as a power-hungry princess in a
1995 episode of "Hercules: The Legendary Journey," Xena
won raves from fans of the mythic action show. Though
she first tried to kill Hercules, they ultimately
became allies and lovers - a scenario mere mortals can
probably identify with. Last fall, in a feminist
masterstroke, Xena spun off into her own series.  
   Lawless relishes her role in "Xena: Warrior
Princess," but she's slightly bemused by the cult
following she's attracted. Preteen girls seek her
advice; Internet junkies dissect the show's plot lines.
"Mostly, they can differentiate between Xena in
television land and Lucy the individual," she says.
"Thank God, eh?"
   1. The show is doing extremely well and last month
Ms. magazine hailed your character as a feminist icon
for the '90s. What's driving all this success?  
   Lawless: The show seems to have hit the world at the
right time, when people are ready for a woman hero who
is smarter and stronger than she is good-looking. She's
not some silicone-injected stick figure.
   2. Xena seems to attract a lot of young women, older
men and Internet junkies. What is your fan mail like? 
   Lawless: It's mostly from women - younger and older
- who somehow find the show really empowering. For a
long time, I was very afraid of all this role model
stuff. But only recently, I'm realizing that it's a
true honor to be a part of something people find
uplifting or motivating. And it's not that they're
trying to be like me, or be like Xena. They're
motivated to go and do things they've always wanted to,
which is incredible.
   You know, one woman wrote and told me she was about
to go and buy a Harley-Davidson, just because she'd
always wanted one. I sure as hell hope she doesn't go
and can off.
   3. As the mother of an 8-year-old girl, who would
you like your daughter's role models to be?
   Lawless: I would hope that Daisy's best role model
would be, as my mum was to me, her mother. I would like
to be a good example to her, day to day. I hope it's
real people. But I know there are so many kids out
there whose lives are not (full of) role models. So if
you must have one on television, I guess Xena's not a
bad one to have.
   4. Xena and Hercules had a rather complicated
relationship. Where do you think things are headed?
   Lawless: Well, everyone wants Xena and Herc to be
back together, and I think there will probably be some
... uhh ... crossover this season. But I don't think
they're a match made in heaven. It's like, can't live
with him, can't kill him - 'cause he's a demigod.
   5. May I ask how tall are you and how much you
weigh?
   Lawless: I'm somewhere between 5'10" and 5'11". I
have no idea how much I weigh. I actively stay off the
scales because I think it's a very bad thing for women
to do. Throw those bloody things out!
   6 . You're actually much more petite than I think
your viewers
would imagine. 
   Lawless: You know, people always say that. They
think I'm
bound to be 6-foot-something and larger than life.
People expect
me to be intimidating at all times.


[455b] 08-30-96
    CHATTANOOGA FREE PRESS. "Five Questions With Lucy
Lawless: Xena Warrior           
    And Empowerer." 562 words. By The Associated Press.
    COMMENTARY: Same as XMR---a


[455c] 08-31-96
   AP WORLDSTREAM. Saturday. International news. 814
words. "AP Photo NY456" By Eileen Glanton.
   COMMENTARY: Same as XMR---a


[455d] 09-02-96
   THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE. Monday. Page 2. 667 words.
"Snippets"
   COMMENTARY: This article took parts of "Five
Questions with Lucy Lawless: Xena Warrior And
Empowerer" By Eileen Glanton.
   Added new part of "New Zealand actress Lucy Lawless
relishes her role in Xena: Warrior Princess, but she's
slightly bemused by the cult following she's attracted. 
Preteen girls seek her advice; Internet junkies dissect
the show's plot lines."
   It's such a bizarre mix of Ms. Glanton's work with
short interjections added, that it is reproduced in
full in XMR. [KT]
   EXCERPT:
   Viewers Look up to 'Xena'
   New Zealand actress Lucy Lawless relishes her role
in "Xena: Warrior Princess,"" but she's slightly
bemused by the cult following she's attracted.  Preteen
girls seek her advice; Internet junkies dissect the
show's plot lines.
  ""Mostly, they can differentiate between Xena in
television land and Lucy the individual," she says. 
""Thank God, eh? " Her fan mail is mostly from women
-younger and older - ""who somehow find the show really
empowering," she says.  ""For a long time, I was very
afraid of all this role model stuff.  But only
recently, I'm realizing that it's a true honor to be a
part of something people find uplifting or motivating. 
And it's not that they're trying to be like me, or be
like Xena.   
   They're motivated to go and do things they've always
wanted to, which is incredible.
  "You know, one woman wrote and told me she was about
to go and buy a Harley-Davidson, just because she'd
always wanted one. " 
   Lawless is the mother of an 8-year-old girl.  Asked
who she would like her daughter's role models to be,
she said, ""I would hope that Daisy's best role model
would be, as my mum was to me, her mother.  I would
like to be a good example to her, day to day.  I hope
it's real people.  But I know there are so many kids
out there whose lives are not (full of) role models. 
So if you must have one on television, I guess Xena's
not a bad one to have. "
  Lawless also has a bit of advice for women. 
Questioned about her height and weight (most fans
expect her to be taller than 6 feet), she answered,
"I'm somewhere between 5 feet 10 inches and 5 feet 11
inches.  I have no idea how much I weigh.  I actively
stay off the scales because I think it's a very bad
thing for women to do.  Throw those bloody things out!"


[456] 08-28-96
   THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. 775 words. "Warp speed for
Tribune's new enterprise" By Steve Brennan
   COMMENTARY: Tribune Entertainment has committed
itself to producing and distributing "Battleground
Earth", which was based a script written by the late
Gene Roddenberry (obviously written when he was alive).
When asked why, Tribune Entertainment president Dick
Askin said, "The Tribune station group has been a 
successful launch base for 'Hercules: The Legendary
Journeys' and 'Xena: Warrior Princess'. Now they have
signed up for 'Sinbad' (from All American) for the
fall. There is an obvious appetite on the part of
stations for this genre. It is a genre that Tribune was
not in but wanted to be in." from MCA TV."
   Yet another venture taken on because of the success
of XWP. [KT]
   EXCERPT:
   Charting a course into the one-hour action business,
Tribune Entertainment has committed to producing and
distributing a major new sci-fi series created by "Star
Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry.  Tribune Entertainment
president Dick Askin confirmed Tuesday that it has
inked a contract for the production and worldwide
distribution rights to "Battleground Earth." The
big-budget series is geared for a fall 1997 launch....
   ...Explaining Tribune Entertainment's move into the
action-hour genre, Askin said, "The Tribune station
group has been a successful launch base for 'Hercules:
The Legendary Journeys' and 'Xena: Warrior Princess'
from MCA TV. Now they have signed up for 'Sinbad' (from
All American) for the fall. There is an obvious
appetite on the part of stations for this genre. It is
a genre that Tribune was not in but wanted to be
in."...


[457]  08-28-96 to 09-02-96
   NOTE: Ratings for HOOVES AND HARLOTS (#10), 3rd
release, 08/05/96. Ranked as the 1st action hour with a
5.3 rating. [HTLJ took 2nd with a 5.1 and ST:DS9 took
3rd with a 4.3]. This was XWP's first time as the
number one action hour for 1996, and was the second
time in it's history. Perhaps Renaissance Pictures
should encourage the Republicans to have more
conventions. [KT]


[457a] 08-29-96
   DAILY VARIETY. Thursday. 435 words. "Action hours on
the rebound" By Jenny Hontz 
   COMMENTARY: Ratings for HOOVES AND HARLOTS (#10),
3rd release,
   EXCERPT:
   Most access shows were disrupted by coverage of the
Republican convention the week ending Aug. 18, but
action hours, led by MCA TV's "Xena," recovered from a
month of low ratings.
   MCA's "Xena" beat out that company's "Hercules," the
show that spawned it, to take the top spot among action
hours for the first time this year and the second time
ever.
   'Trek' topped
   "Xena's" 5.3 was a 36% increase for the week, and
"Hercules" also gained 11% for the week to a 5.1. Both
shows beat Paramount Domestic Television's "Star Trek:
Deep Space Nine," 4.3, for the fourth straight week,
despite "Star Trek's" 16% increase for the week.  
   Nearly all the other big weekly action hours went up
for the week, but access shows, which were delayed,
preempted or joined-in-progress after Republican
convention coverage, had no such luck....


[457b] 08-29-96
   THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. 295 words. "Xena' leaps to
top of hour
action heap" By Steve Brennan  
   COMMENTARY: Ratings for HOOVES AND HARLOTS (#10),
3rd release
   EXCERPT:
   MCA TV'S muscle-bound action hours "Xena: Princes
Warrior" and "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" flexed
some beefy ratings numbers for the week of July 12-18
with "Xena" taking the top slot among the hour weeklies
for only the second time since the show's debut. 
"Xena" posted a 5.1 to record a whopping 36% increase
from the week before while "Hercules" made an 11% gain
from a 4.6 to a 5.1 to rank as the second action show
in the syndication rankings, according to Nielsen Media
Research.  The increases for the two hour shows were
mirrored in other hour shows across the board during a
week when most other syndicated programming was
impacted by preemptions and start delays due to
coverage of the GOP Convention in San Diego. 
Paramount's "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" was in third
place among hours and at No. 16 in the overall
syndication rankings with a 4.3 rating, up 16% from the
prior week.  All American's "Baywatch" was up 19% to a
3.8 while New World/Genesis' "Renegade" was up 20% to a
3.0. Buena Vista Television's "Land's End" was up 12%
to a 2.9 while All American's "Baywatch Nights" was up
17% to a 2.8.  


[467c] 08-30-96
   THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. 295 words. "Xena' leaps to
top of hour action heap" By Steve Brennan
   COMMENTARY: same as XMR---b.


[457d] 09-02-96
   VARIETY. 435 words. "Action hours on the rebound" By
Jenny Hontz
   COMMENTARY: Same information as XMR---a.


[458] 08-30-96
   AMERICAN JOURNAL. TV Show. Syndicated.
   COMMENTARY: Repeat airing of short feature on Lucy
Lawless in a slightly toned down sensational tabloid
form.  The feature included the infamous shot of Garth
Lawless (LL's ex-husband) being stalked while he was
picking up their daughter, Daisy (included perhaps to
remind us we were watching tabloid tv). Heavily
dependent upon promos shot at the NATPE convention, the
feature mostly consisted of talking heads discussing
why XWP was popular and some narrative on Ms. Lawless'
past. Complete transcription in XMR169. 


[459] 08-30-96 to 09-01-96
   NOTE: Xena made it to the sports pages again!  In a
syndicated story promoting the amazing physical
attributes and abilities of the 49ers Derek Loville,
Mr. Ratto stated, "Hey, if 'Xena, Warrior Princess' can
become a cult hit, why not this?" [KT]


[459a] 08-30-96
   THE SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER. Friday. Sports. Page
D-1. 960 words. "Loville is armed and dangerous" By Ray
Ratto.
   COMMENTARY: Cultural reference.
   EXCERPT:
   Of all the things the 49ers did over the winter in
an attempt to make their panic fit the tenor of the
day, their most triumphant miscalculation was to sign
Johnny Johnson to play for them in 1996. Not so much
because of the money. Eddie DeBartolo would tie $
500,000 around a brick and throw it through the
windshield of Jerry Jones' limo, just for hoots and
giggles. 
   It's because they've been trying to solve a problem
that would seem to have been solved already, at least
solved to enough satisfaction that they wouldn't have
needed to fill the round hole with the square peg that
was Johnny Johnson, let alone the more recent
introduction of Terry Kirby.  
   It's because they have in Derek Loville a man of
unfathomed powers, a man who can fell competition for
the job he figures he has fairly earned and excelled at
with just the karma coming from his articulate and
thigh-like arms.
   "Oh, I don't know about that," he said with all the
warmth and jocularity of Warren Christopher. "I can't
control what happens anywhere except what I do and how
I do it."
   Well, fine, then. He's got his theory, and we've got
ours. And our theory is that his arms, which bear the
Japanese legends for "courage," "strength" and
"unsung," drop all those who challenge him.
   Hey, if "Xena, Warrior Princess" can become a cult
hit, why
not this?...


[459b] 09-01-96
   THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS. Sunday. Page 5B. 770 words.
"Despite playing well last season, 49ers' Loville still
proving himself" By Ray Ratto, San Francisco Examiner.
   COMMENTARY: Edited down version of XMR---a.



[460] 08-31-96 
   COMIC SHOP NEWS. "Overlooked Sizzler of the Month.
HERCULES: THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS. Tops Comics"
   Transcribed by Sandi (teddi@xroads.com)
   COMMENTARY: Short blurb about how Herc and Xena
comics are expected to be big sellers on the stands.
[MBE]
   EXCERPT:
   ...Okay, we'll admit it: none of us ever imagined
that the low-budget Hercules syndicated television
series would survive a single season, much less
generate a successful spin-off. And since we weren't
sure if the show's offbeat charms could translate to
comic books, we wondered if it would be possible to
produce a comic book that could appeal to the
television fans. Well, Tops has done it--but maybe that
shouldn't be a surprise, since they have proven
themselves the modern masters of licensed comics with
the hit X-Files series. The first couple of issues of
this series were severely underdressed, leaving fans
and civilians competing for the few copies on the
stands. And now that Xena, Warrior Princess is part of
the shoreline, these books are going to disappear
faster than the television series' modest special
effects budget! If you've ever enjoyed either Hercules
or Xena, give the comic a try; Roy Thomas and Steven
Butler know what makes the series click, and they're
putting that knowledge to good use in each issue of the
comic...


=============
THE BACK PAGE
=============

COMING ATTRACTIONS: XMR #28 features shall include
"Attack Of The 50-Foot Lesbians", "The Third Season
Dawns", and "From New Homes to New Loves: What Life
Online Does To Xenites". The annotations will cover the
first part of September 1996. Highlights include: a
Robert Tapert interview; the Hong Kong influence on
XWP; MAD Magazine's first parody of XWP; Kevin Smith
interview; Stephen Papps, actor (ORPHAN OF WAR); Lucy
Lawless interview; Meow Mix; Rene O'Connor interview;
Sinbad; Kiwi movie production; Anson Williams,
director; artist inspired by XWP; Tarzan; etc.
 

XENA MEDIA REVIEW STAFF: 
Living to serve Xena fandom since March 1996!
   Kym Masera Taborn (KT), editor-in-chief
       ktaborn@lightspeed.net
   Diane Silver (DS), editor (even issues)
       dswriter@idir.net
   Maria Erb (MBE), editor (odd issues)
       maria@erb.mv.com
   Barbara Johnson, circulation 
       xenatwo@aol.com
   Lydia M. Woods (LM), assist. to the editor-in-chief
       woodsl@erol.com
   Thomas Simpson, mascot
       thomas@xenafan.com
       

BACK ISSUES: Back issues of XMR are available at the
XMR Archive on the XMR web page: http://xenafan.com/xmr

THIS WEEK IN XENA NEWS: TWXN is the advance sheet for
XMR. Since XMR offers indepth analysis of media
coverage, the issues are distanced in order to gain
perspective and insight into how the media report
affected the future or was affected by its peers. TWXN
is a commentary-lite review of excerpts to be used in
future XMRs as they are processed for the XMR database.
TWXN is not available for subscription, however it is
posted regularly on the XenaVerse, Hercules-Xena, and
Chakram Mailing Lists (thank you Lucia!), the MCA
NetForum (when they are accepting posts!), the Xenite
Message Center (whenever I can find them!), and
alt.tv.xena. 

REPRINT POLICY: Permission to use, copy and distribute
Xena Media Review (XMR), or parts thereof, by
electronic means for any non-profit purpose is hereby
granted, provided that both the below copyright notice
and this permission notice appear in all copies of the
newsletter itself, and that proper credit is given for
any excerpts. Any other format or purpose for
distribution requires permission of the author.
Reproducing XMR or parts thereof by any means implies
full agreement to the below non-profit use clause.
   
SOLICITATIONS FOR FUTURE NEWSLETTERS: Send cites,
references, articles, annotations, and/or submissions
to ktaborn@lightspeed.net and I will love you for it.
XMR is a non-profit fan publication. The editors retain
editorial control and reprint privileges over the
submitted materials and reserve the right to use the
material in whatever way they deem appropriate.
Submitted materials will not be returned to the sender.

DISCLAIMER: XMR (Xena Media Review) is a free non-
profit informational release. XMR in no way intends to
challenge, disregard or profit from any of the original
copyright holders of the material excerpted, reprinted,
or referred to (including but not limited to MCA,
Universal, Renaissance Pictures, and any other rightful
and legal copyright holder). This newsletter is an
academic and educational pursuit to archive, annotate,
and study the media response to Xena: Warrior Princess
(a television production from MCA/Universal/
Renaissance) and the actresses Lucy Lawless and Renee
O'Connor, especially in the light of popular culture
and the influence of mass media. XMR exercises its
right to quote, excerpt or reprint as allowed under the
law in order to review and discuss the media reports
cited and annotated herein. XMR is distributed free of
charge via electronic media. Banner graphic by Colleen
Stephan. This is A Labor of Love Publication. Copyright
1996, 1997 by Kym Masera Taborn.
