990112che

WB holding hot show in reserve

Calgary Herald
01-12-99
By Eric Mink
Page D7
1 non-Xena graphic

EXCERPT

COMMENTARY
In an article about WB shows, Michelle Gellar is quoted as saying "it's an incredible trend" when contrasting Buffy, Xena and La Femme Nikita with TV shows she watched as a kid.

PRIMARY SOURCE

[snip]

   But WB is keeping Movie Stars, which has the makings of a sleeper hit, on the
shelf until March. Movie Stars, starring Harry Hamlin (L.A. Law) and Jennifer
Grant, is an exceptionally clever sitcom about the ordinary home life of two
big-time movie stars married to each other.  

   Among the show's funnier recurring bits are scenes featuring the siblings of
actual stars -- including Joey Travolta, Frank Stallone and Don Swayze.

   "In the pilot, where John Travolta won't take Joey's call, I didn't make that
up," said series creator/producer Wayne Lemon. "John Travolta won't take Joey's
calls."

   - WB's hottest young stars -- Sarah Michelle Gellar of Buffy The Vampire
Slayer and James Van der Beek of Dawson's Creek and their shows' hot young
creators, Joss Whedon and Kevin Williamson, respectively -- teamed up for a
press conference with all the excitement of a glass of water.

   Somehow, though, wedged in among the gush -- you're great, no, you're great;
you're so creative, no, you're so creative -- was Gellar's interesting take on
TV's strong female characters.

   "I think it's an incredible trend," Gellar said, contrasting Buffy, Xena and
La Femme Nikita with TV shows she watched as a kid.

   "On Growing Pains, you had Tracey Gold play the character that was supposed
to be very, very smart and she was always pretending to be dumb because she
wanted the guys to like her," said Gellar. "And Mallory was the popular girl on
Family Ties, and she couldn't add two and two . . . and I think the wonderful
thing about this trend is that young girls have something to look up to."

   - Arsenio Hall said he was joining star Sammo Hung on the CBS action/comedy
Martial Law because the network decided it needed a big mouth to go with Sammo's
muscle. "And I don't know," Hall said. "Who do you call? Me or Monica

                                                                      PAGE  447
                        Calgary Herald, January 12, 1999

Lewinsky?"

   - Wish-you'd been-there department: It seems Phil Morris -- currently playing
chief purser Will Sanders on UPN's Love Boat: The Next Wave but best known as
Jackie Chiles, the fast-talking Johnnie Cochran-like lawyer on Seinfeld -- found
himself face to face with the real Cochran.

   "We go to the same barbershop," Morris said. "I walk in and I see him there
getting his hair done, and there's this kind of Clint Eastwood stare-down.

   "And then he starts breaking up and laughing, and he's actually very thrilled
that it's me. He's known me since I was like, 11, so it's kind of an honour for
him to see me do that character, as opposed to maybe somebody else who wouldn't
be as kind to him."



GRAPHIC: Photo: Sarah Michelle Gellar

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

LOAD-DATE: January 13, 1999 

---

Click here to return to the THIS WEEK IN XENA NEWS page.