XENA MEDIA REVIEW #28 (10/11/97) Borg 1 of 6 ================ CUT HERE ================== _____ ______ ._ `\`/>`\ /`/` /`__________,.'>___ _____ )~\ /<`\ `\ /`/` /``\ \./------> /|\./\ |\./| / | \ /< `\`\ `\ /`/` /` | | |----\ / | |\ \ | | |././^\ \ |\__{o}\--`\`\ `\/`/` /`-----| | |-----`------\`\`\--| | |----^ \ \----. [\\\\\\\{*}==`> <`=======| | ==============`\`\`\| | |=====\ \ \==--> |/~~{o}/-- /`/ /\ \ `\------| | |---------------`\`\\ | |------\ \ \--' \< /`/` /` `\`\ `\ | | |_____,.'>| | | `\`\| | /' \ \ \ \< /` /` `\`\ `\ ,/ /^\------> / |/^\| \ | |/ \/^\\. /`/\>/` `\`\ `\`~~~~~~~~~~~\ / ~~~~~ )^\,\, '~~~~~ `~~~~~` '~~~~~` ` ~~~~~~ ========================== XENA: THE MEDIA REVIEW #28 ========================== 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. 28 Release date: 10/11/97 Subscribers: 1,271 Covering 09/01/96 - 09/15/96 Annotations 461 to 501 FROM THE EDITOR Attack Of The 50-Foot Lesbians The Third Season Dawns FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Spanking Lawyers FEATURES "From New Homes to New Loves: What Life Online Does To Xenites" by Diane Silver AMENDED ANNOTATIONS [434] 08-14-96. WGN. TV interview. ANNOTATIONS [461] 09-01-96. SF TV FALL PREVIEW [462] 09-01-96. BLACK BELT. [463] 09-01-96. MAD. No. 349. [464] 09-01-96. FEMME FATALES. [465] 09-01-96. DETAILS. [466] 09-01-96. CLEO. Kevin Smith Interview. [467] 09-01-96. THE SUNDAY STAR-TIMES (Auckland) [468] 09-01-96. THE SUNDAY NEWS (AUCKLAND). [469] 09-01-96. CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. [470] 09-01-96. THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER. [471] 09-01-96. EVENT. PHOTO DISK ENT MAG # 6. [472] 09-02-96. NZ WOMAN'S WEEKLY. [473] 09-02-96. ELECTRONIC MEDIA. [474] 09-02-96. XENA MEDIA REVIEW. No. 17. [475] 09-02-96. THE GREATER GOOD. no. 21. 2nd rel [476] 09-03-96. THE VILLAGE VOICE. [477] 09-03-96. WAIKATO TIMES (HAMILTON). [478] 09-04-96. E! NEWS DAILY. [479] 09-05-96. ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. [480] 09-05-96 to 09-26-96. production charts [481] 09-05-96. AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN. [482] 09-05-96. AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN. [483] 09-06-96. THE TORONTO SUN. [484] 09-06-96. THE PALM BEACH POST. [485] 09-07-96. TV GUIDE. [486] 09-07-96. THE TAMPA TRIBUNE. [487] 09-08-96. SACRAMENTO BEE. [488] 09-08-96. THE SUNDAY STAR-TIMES (AUCKLAND). [489] 09-08-96. THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE. [490] 09-08-97. HOT HOLLYWOOD GOSSIP. [491] 09-09-96. CALLISTO. no. 22. 2nd rel. [492] 09-10-96. DAILY VARIETY. [493] 09-10-96. NZ WOMAN'S WEEKLY. [494] 09-11-96. THE TAMPA TRIBUNE. [495] 09-11-96. THE BALTIMORE SUN. [496] 09-11-96. THE CHARLESTON GAZETTE. [497] 09-12-96. THE TORONTO STAR. [498] 09-12-96. THE TORONTO STAR. [499] 09-12-96. DENVER WESTWORD. [500] 09-13-96. ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT. [501] 09-15-96. LOS ANGELES TIMES. THE BACK PAGE Letters The USA Deal Lucy Lawless in Peach Xena Media Review Staff Back Issues This Week in Xena News Reprint Policy Solicitations for Future Newsletters Disclaimer =============== FROM THE EDITOR =============== Attack Of The 50-Foot Lesbians ------------------------------ We're huge, we're powerful, we're lesbians! Can't you see lesbian Xenites like me, chortling as we rampage through the land, pulverizing TV viewers with our fists and stomping critics with our combat boots? You can't? That must mean you haven't been paying attention to the news media lately. According to an ever-increasing number of reports, us all-powerful dykes are the reason XENA, WARRIOR PRINCESS is a hit. Now -- d*mn us -- we've attacked Broadway and turned Lucy Lawless into a success as Rizzo in GREASE. These new crop of stories make it clear that lesbians are either the main reason or the only reason that both XWP and Lawless are successful. For example, on August 23, 1997, Peter Castro, senior writer at PEOPLE MAGAZINE, jumped into this new trend when he appeared on NBC'S SATURDAY TODAY. In discussing XWP, Mr. Castro noted: "The interesting thing about this show is that it is sustained by a lesbian subculture." On September 15, 1997, the Broadway angle was added by Michael Ridel, theater critic for the New York Daily News. In a less-than-flattering discussion of Lawless' performance as Rizzo, Ridel said that Lawless was a hit because she was pulling in people who have never been to a Broadway show before. He singled out one group for special mention, implying that this group was responsible for the cheering audiences currently packing the Eugene O'Neil Theater. "You've got the lesbians flocking to see Lucy Lawless," Ridel said. Oh my, Excuse me, I have to stop writing for a moment to wipe the tears from my eyes because I'm laughing so hard. (a brief pause) I suspect that New York City has some of the best eye doctors in the world. I suggest that Ridel make an appointment immediately. Is he really claiming that the only people he saw at GREASE were lesbians? I will grant you that it's hard to tell heterosexual women from lesbians or bisexual women. I get confused all the time about who is who. It's not like we wear lavender signs on our forehead. For the record, though, I and almost every online Xenite know of many heterosexual women who have seen Lawless in GREASE. However, because of the lack of neon signs, I will not challenge Ridel's fantasy that every female is a lesbian. (Or is it that every female at GREASE is a lesbian?) But does it make sense to say that men are lesbians? I ask that because I personally know of many men who have seen Lawless in GREASE. Surely, men were in the audience when Ridel went to the show. Did Ridel look at these men and see lesbians? Of course, I'm being silly here. Ridel undoubtedly didn't mean to imply that there were no men in the audience. He was probably exaggerating to make a point, and what was that point? More on that in a moment. First, I want to look at the evolution of the media's coverage of lesbian fans. When the show first aired, we didn't exist. Actually, there wasn't much to Xena coverage in the early days except to note that XWP was a spin-off of HERCULES, THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS, and Lawless was from New Zealand. Second, we existed but were a footnote. (Hey look! Lesbians like XWP. Golly.) Third, we not only existed, but the creators of the show acknowledged us. (Hey look! Executive Producer Rob Tapert and star Lucy Lawless refuse to insult lesbians. They say they sometimes put subtext in on purpose. Golly.) Fourth, the media discovered Meow Mix, a lesbian bar in New York City with monthly Xena nights. (Super golly.) Fifth, lesbians take over the world, or at least, that part of it that watches TV and attends Broadway shows. Although I would like to believe that lesbians have enough power to single handedly create a hit TV show, it just isn't so. Think about it. We don't have the clout to get equal rights with heterosexuals, at least not here in the United States. (This is a topic for another time and place, but just a little background. There is no city, county or state in the United States where lesbians/gays/bisexuals have the same legal rights as heterosexuals. In most states, you can be fired from your job if someone even thinks you are queer.) So, why are an increasing number of journalists convinced that lesbians are so powerful? I can't say for certain, but I have two theories. (1) THEY HEARD SOMEBODY ELSE SAY IT. Being too lazy to do their own research, they simply borrowed the idea. This is a common practice among journalists. In fact, I wouldn't be at all surprised if this whole 50-Foot-Lesbian Theory could be traced back to Kevin Sorbo. During his tour promoting his new movie, KULL, THE CONQUEROR, Sorbo repeatedly said XWP was a success because it tapped into the lesbian demographic. Since Sorbo works for Renaissance Pictures, he would be considered a valid source for this information. By saying it, Sorbo allowed journalists to report it as if this was the truth. (NOTE TO SORBO: Those same interviews contain comments that seemed like attacks on Tapert and Lawless. These comments were noted in Xenadom, and even many Hercules fans were angry. Somehow, I don't think it's a terrific idea to purposely anger fans. Perhaps it's time to buy a copy of "How To Make Friends and Influence People?") (2) THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND XENA'S SUCCESS. More importantly, critics may feel the need to ridicule the show. This could be because of snobbery. (It's TV: it's an action show; it can't possibly be good.) However, it's just as likely that a little unconscious fear might be at work here. Could the image of a woman who can't be physically intimidated by men, be the problem? Maybe it's the image of two women making decisions based on their own needs and wants instead of those of a man? Perhaps it's the sight of two women who obviously love each other (whether that is romantic or platonic love)? The 50-foot lesbian is a wonderful weapon. Folks can use all of society's prejudices, ignorance and stereotypes about us to bludgeon XWP and Lawless. The sex-maniac stereotype allows critics and journalists to declare that XWP is only a success because of skimpy costumes. The insane lesbian stereotype allows critics to declare that Xena fans are not in touch with reality. The man-hating lesbian stereotype allows folks like Ridel to claim that the show is only a success because Xena "throws around" men. Have lesbians played a role in Xena's success? Of course, we have. We and our families make up a large group within fandom. That fact gives us the same power to boost ratings that, for example, heterosexual families enjoy. Lesbians have also played an important role in publicizing the show, in part, because of the news media's obsession with us. Xena night at Meow Mix, Xena and Gabrielle marchers in lesbian/gay/bisexual pride marches have also helped boost the visibility of the show. Lesbians and bisexuals also play important roles in fandom, including acting as founders of GabsClan and organizers of many fan gatherings like the recent WarriorCon where some key organizers identify as either lesbian or bisexual. One final thing and then I will shut up. I find it interesting that the many bisexual fans of XWP never get mentioned by the news media. They truly are the invisible fans. I'm finally done. The Third Season Dawns ------------------------ OK, so I lied. One more thing. After four months of flame wars, speculation, rumor and rampaging Xena Withdrawal Syndrome, the much anticipated third season of XWP will begin airing soon. Soon we'll find out if we discover the identity of Xena's father, whether producers lied about a rape plotline for Gabrielle, and what the heck XenaStaff really meant when they said "taboos" would be broken and some fans might leave. We'll find out what Cecrops will be doing in three or four episodes and if Joxer really will be in half the episodes this season. Will Renaissance Pictures tinker with its highest rated show so much that it flops? Will they take the show to new heights? Who knows, but stay tuned. We are about to find out. Diane Silver, The Energizer Bunny of Writing October 10, 1997 Lawrence, Kansas dswriter@idir.net ======================== FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ======================== Spanking Lawyers ---------------- Just to make sure we do not get too serious here (our center of adoration after all is XWP), I would like to discuss with you this phenomenon of lawyers wanting to be spanked. THIS WEEK IN XENA NEWS (TWXN) is the "advance sheet" of XMR. What is an advance sheet? It's a lawyer thing. It means a release of information before it is released in its proper state. For our purposes, I go through boatloads of newspaper articles, etc. preparing the annotation part of XMR. If you have not noticed, XMR is about a year BEHIND REAL TIME. It is okay because of relativity and stuff, so DO NOT PANIC. When I am going through the RAW DATA, I put it into a huge database that I keep for referring to when I get to the XMR in question. When I transfer the news item from the RAW DATA to the database, if the news strikes my fancy I throw it into TWXN and then release it to an unsuspecting world. TWXN #109 was released Saturday, 09/20/97. In it I wrote: "Lucy Lawless brought up that spanking lawyers theme again on Conan O'Brien (09/18/97). I was wondering, is she stating an actual observation OF FACT or is she just politely informing us that SHE'd like to spank a few lawyers? (I have known some I'd like to slap around, but, nah, not spank.) SO, I have decided to liven up this charactistically dry newsletter by IMPLORING all you lawyers out there...DO YOU WANT TO GET SPANKED? And...DO YOU WANT "IT" ENOUGH TO PHONE UP LUCY LAWLESS (or have one of your people "take care of it") AND ASK FOR "IT" (politely, I assume)? Heck, let's include law students, paralegals, and anyone connected with the legal profession in this GREAT COUNTRY of ours. ALL RESPONSES WILL BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL, or my name isn't "Just" Kym. If anyone dares to respond, I will RELEASE the results in a later issue of TWXN." Well, I lied. I will release the "result" in XMR. Same difference, right? But that is neither here nor there BECAUSE someone ACTUALLY responded! Maybe this will inspire others to share with us their needs or non- needs to be spanked by Lucy Lawless (wearing or not wearing her warrior princess togs?). The reponse: ----- From: (name withheld) To: ktaborn@lightspeed.net Subject: Re: THIS WEEK IN XENA NEWS #109 Date: Monday, September 22, 1997 Okay, I'll bite. . .. My older sister is pre-law and works for a lawyer .... she said .... "My boss and the other guys (other lawyers in the firm) told me that they wouldn't mind being spanked and 'rebuked by Xena'" ----- Okay, this is good. But how about something direct from the legal community? Hearsay can only get you so far! Come on legal professionals of the Xenaverse! 'Fess up in a safe and nurturing environment. All responses will be kept confidential. The XENAVERSE wants to know the TRUE story. Kym Taborn Fighting strong urges not to work for the Enquirer October 10, 1997 If you think you're bored try Bakersfield, California ktaborn@lightspeed.net ======== FEATURES ======== From New Homes to New Loves: What Life Online Does To Xenites -------------------------------- by Diane Silver (dswriter@idir.net) What can life in online Xenadom do to a person? Does it give you eye strain, spreading rear-enditis, and/or carpel tunnel syndrome? Yup, but that's only the beginning. Although some Xenites say they haven't been changed much by their time in the online community, others report that the changes have been profound. Some folks say they now have a more negative view of the human race, at least, of that portion on the Internet. Other folks say their time in Xenadom has renewed their faith in humankind. Of course, attitudes aren't the only things that have changed. Xenites report finding new loves, moving to new cities and gaining new skills. "I am a different woman now than I was in Nov. 1995 (when first online in Xena and Hercules fandom)," says Cassiopea (cassiopea@worldnet.att.net). "Then, I was one scared, lonely, depressed, repressed, conservative, southern housewife, who couldn't say no: who had no control over her own life: who had no understanding of other lifestyles, sexual preferences other than hetero; who lived only as I thought I SHOULD. I actually SNUCK my visits to the public library to surf the websites, because it felt, well, illicit, somehow, for a then 39-year-old woman to have a crush the size of Mt Olympus on a television star! (Hercules) "I have gone from that to someone who understands and accepts the gay lifestyle; who thinks for herself, or at least tries to; who has some control in her life; who, though still not where I want to be, am continuing to work on my Becoming; who is not willing to accept the status quo simply because it IS the status quo. I have a LONG way to go; changing one's mindset is not something one can do overnight. But Xena, and even more so, the Xenaverse, keeps me searching, somehow." Cassiopia is one of many Xenites who say Xenadom has changed their attitudes about lesbians and bisexuals from negative (or neutral) to positive (sometimes, overwhelmingly positive). Catness (allycat@iglobal.net) says, "My feelings about so much has changed so dramatically I can't even put it into words." "I totally give credit to the show and the Xenaverse list for giving me the courage to admit publicly that I am a lesbian," Catness said. "I found some great role-models and advice just by being on the list.... I now know that being a lesbian is nothing to be ashamed of and that women can and do love each other in a sexual way, emotionally and mentally, not just a friends." The webmaster of the Tom's Xena page mega-site, Tom Simpson (thomas@xenafan.com), says he would never have moved half way across the country if it hadn't been for his involvement in Xenadom. "The only reason I'm currently living in Brooklyn is because of watching the show Xena and interacting with people online," Tom says. "If I hadn't e-mailed Betsy Book a while ago and offered to do buttons for WHOOSH, I'd still be living in Salt Lake City, and never would have tried to start a new life out here." BTW, Thomas Simpson proposed marriage to Betsy Book in late September 1997, and Ms. Book accepted. They anticipate a mid to late 1998 wedding. Yvette aka Salspua says she has grown "tremendously." "I have made some very dear friends with whom I occasionally drive hours and hours to see. Two have spent the weekend with me and my family. I have spoken with six other Xenites on the phone. I know three couples who have met and fallen in love through the Xena on-line phenomenon (XOLP). I have another friend for whom support through the XOLP has helped her battle cancer. Because of the XOLP, I feel like Xena (the show) and my "cybercronies" are "family". It has made XWP more than just a television show. Another friend of mine bought a computer BECAUSE of her love of XWP. She met her soulmate through Xena_Chat." Geekgirl says Xenadom helped her get back in touch with "a part of my idealistic youth." "I was a child who believed in honor, integrity, the 'greater good' for lack of a better word. I loved stories of knights, chivalry....Without much more embellishment of tedious details, I lived as a street kid, fell into situations that were dangerous, did a lot of substance abuse, dropped out of school, etc. Even after I pulled myself away from all that, I was jaded, cautious and bitter. No one was to be trusted. "Perhaps this is why I connected on such a gut level with Xena: Warrior Princess. I felt like I knew the struggle she faced to stare down the shadows that dwelled in her soul.... The more I watched, the more I came to find the part about doing right again, going back to the inner code that had been a part of me for so long. Finding other people on the Net who did what they said they would do, be there when they said they would, etc. Helped rebuild my trust. "Since coming on-line, I have made some very effective and powerful changes in my life. I feel like I am finally becoming the type of woman I had hoped to be before all the crap started way back when." Many fans talk about how their online activities have taught them new skills. "When I started, I didn't even know what a web page was, now I operate the busiest web site on my server, garnering over 23,000 hits per month," says Susabelle (susabelle@fastrans.net). "I publish Xena and HerK fan fiction, maintain the family fan forum, and keep a list of Xena/HerK web sites. I also created and maintain the Kevin Sorbo International Fan Club Web Site. And this is only a small percentage of my web pages as a whole!" The webmaster of the Xena at Logomancy mega-site, Carol Burrell (logomanc@interport.net), says Xenadom helped her business. "I learned, through fits and starts and mistakes and successes, a great amount about web design. I pushed myself to learn more programming, more graphic design skills and tricks," she says. "The web site attracted clients, even got me a job programming an ancient-world CD-ROM game and web site. I discovered that I can learn to do something difficult simply by putting my mind to it -- acquired some self confidence. Not bad, eh?" Many Xenites talk about how Xenadom has given them a broader view of the world. "My opinions about so much has changed just by reading the wonderful posts," Catness says. "I am being introduced to so many different ideas from all over. People from different cultures and backgrounds, it's amazing. I am being so challenged mentally that sometimes I can't even keep up with it all. My list of books has grown to an unreadable level! New ideas and perspectives are constantly surrounding me and I sometimes can't even respond, but I do think about them, deeply and discuss them with family or friends." Geekgirl says, "I have been exposed to so many different people from so many different backgrounds and opinions that I cannot help but move through the world differently." One of the owner's of the XenaVerse mailing list, Spikus (spikus@the-hermes.net), says some of her experiences have been negative, but that, in general, she has found a new faith in people. "I have renewed faith in the goodness of people by all the positive interactions I've had on the Net--from sending money blindly into the world for Xena dollies to the intense sense of community among fellow Xenites who rally when one of their members is hurt or needs comforting to the warm welcome I know other Xenites have had from strangers in foreign cities." Not everyone shares her view. The owner and moderator of the Chakram list, Venator (venator@frontiernet.net), says Xenadom hasn't always been a positive experience. "If anything, my attitude towards people on the Internet has changed," he says. "I'd really not like to get into it, but let's just say that people can say or do whatever they want to out here, and have NO regrets ... and I don't like that. I don't enjoy seeing the lack of a conscience that a great deal of the fans have, and how they weep and cry about how Xena and Gabby are together, but they don't practice what the show preaches, if you catch my drift. Friendship, loyalty, trust, honor ... these things all seem to be a foreign concept to a lot of online people, and it appalls me." Other fans say that while their online experiences haven't changed their views of themselves or the world, their experiences have transformed their opinion of XWP. "After reading a lot of the posts on mailing lists, and of course the fan fiction, I must admit I find myself in a whole new level of enjoyment whenever I watch XWP," says Xenamaster (Xenamaster@aol.com). "I see and hear things I might've otherwise missed because someone pointed them out to me. I notice expressions and gestures that might have escaped me before, and I find myself hurrying to the Net just so I can talk about them. And I am a loyal follower of the whole subtext issue, which is a big part of the reason I watch this fantastic show to begin with." Even Xenites who don't believe Xenadom has had much of an impact, can see some changes in themselves. "Nah, I'm pretty open minded as it is," says Tamara Poirier (Tamara_Poirier@mindlink.bc.ca). "Wait, wait a minute. I take that back. Yes, something did change. I used to think Trekkers were weird for their devotion to a TV show. Now, I'm one of those people I used to wonder about!" ================ CUT HERE ================== XENA MEDIA REVIEW #28 (10/11/97) Borg 1 of 6