Transcript Xena related interview. 'Spijkers met Koppen', VARA radio (radio 2), 1.45pm-1.55pm Saturday February 28 1998 D= Dolf Jansen, presenter F= Felix Meurders, presenter C= Claudia Vaessen, PR DAHX P= Petra de Jong, President + PR DAHX D: Girl Power is out. The Spice Girls are sissies compared to Xena, the Warrior Princess. The power Xena shows to the audience even makes Conan the Barbarian look like a sissy. In the States the series Xena is as popular as Baywatch and also in the Netherlands the Xena Fever is starting to spread. Petra de Jong is here.. and Claudia Vaessen. You are fans from the very beginning. You are Csaynites, Zenites.. Xenites? ( Dolf had a problem with pronouncing different names right) P: Xenites.. D: Xenites? P: Xenites yes... D: You write it like Xenite? P+C: yes. D: And that means you're a fan? P: That's right, just like Trekkers with Star Trek, we're Xenites.. of Xena. D: Star Trek is a show about people going into space and then you're a Trekker and you are Xenites (wrong pronunciation) C: Xenites D: Xenites... why? C: Good question. It's a fun show, I've never laughed this much with a tv show... I like that. D: It is a comedy? C: Not always but often, yes. It's a show with everything in it, drama, comedy.. D: Can you describe what it is, for the people who have never seen it before? C: You'll have to ask Petra D: Petra? P: It's a fantasy show. You can compare it to Asterix and Obelix... two women travelling through Ancient Greece and meeting all kinds of people.... from Caesar to Cleopatra.. things like that. If something big has happened, they were there... D: If something big has happened in ancient times, in mythology.. P: Yes D: It's about two women... two women play the lead... that's Xena and.. P: Gabrielle D: Gabrielle... I can just call her Gabrielle? P: Sure... or Gabby.... D: Okay, Gabby..whatever you want... They have their own story, their own show, they visit all kinds of places.. it's with fighting, swords and tight dresses.. P: Yes, leather dresses, sword fighting... C: scantily clad D: Scantily clad.. okay.. P: But they have a great climate there... D: Yes, it was always warm in Ancient Greece....You're a fan club, you're real fans C: Yes D: You say the fun part of the show... it's fantasy... science-fiction but then real? C+P: Yes.. no.. not really D: What is fantasy? P: Fantasy is magic, sword fights, gods.... like the word says.. fantasy... D: Yes, like the word says.. and that in a story or show format.. P: Yes D: You have started a fan club, then you're really a fan C: You're really a fan then yes.. The fan club is called DAHX D: What? C: DAHX for Dutch Association of Herculeans and Xenites D: And who are the Herculeans? C: Two at the moment.. not that many D: Yeah, I understand but.. P+C: The fans of Hercules D: Hercules? P: The series D: So that's also a tv series... and it's about a man C: Yes, that's a man D: And Hercules, that's also a fighter? C: You know who Hercules is.. D: Yeah, it's an animated movie at the moment C: It's an animated movie... D: That's the only thing I know C: It was the show that started it all and from which Xena is a spin-off.. People liked her.. D: Xena played a part in Hercules? C: Yes, about 3 times D: It was a tough lady... C: Yes, they got a lot of reactions to it, especially on the net and then she got her own show.. simple as that... D: Because Xena did so well in Hercules she got her own show? C: yes.. D: And then she, together with Gabby, went on adventure... P: That's right... D: Okay, that's clear.. I came home last night around 1.30 am and I found my script and a tape... so last night I've watched Xena.. C (ironic): You really enjoyed it, I can see that... D: I was perplexed.. and also very tired. I was wondering... is this meant to be serious or is it an adventure show, is it comedy, is it about the fights, is it about scantily clad women or is it about the adventures in Ancient Greece? C: Everyone has to decide for him or herself... I think that's why it's such a hit... One person watches it for the fights, which are very well choreographed.. another.. D: I give an example. I was watching, I saw two women in a tree.. I didn't know then but that were Xena and Gabby.. who were doing...well, sitting in a tree... at a distance a man walked, he wanted to go somewhere, he wanted to free prisoners, who all happened to be all scantily clad women... so that's some kind of basic given.. Felix thought it was an entirely different movie... F: With a sword... D: With a sword and let's see what happens. That man wanted to free the prisoners.. one of the women jumped out of the tree.. made a couple of flips... came to that man, fought off 3 attackers..frees the man, who's got a wound on his arm.. takes him to that tree...helps him and then he says: "I am your father"... They lost me there... C: That's because you saw episode number 23 or something D: But that's the one I got.. C: Sorry... D: so those girls are the lead characters and this was some kind of soap plot... she didn't know he was her father.. C: No D: She was startled C: Yes D: She played that well, you saw her 'Huh?!?' C: Yeah, that's fun D: That's fun?.. I had to laugh C: You really had to laugh or are you kidding me? D: It was 2 am C: You had to laugh... so... that's okay D: I was wondering; what's it all about?...adventure? fighting? Or is it all... P: There are different layers; little kids watch because of those flips and things like that.. D: Yeah, lots of flips and jumps... she jumps up and,,, P: yeah, it's sensational, it's fun if they do that.. D: That's real fun yeah P: It's great for the kids.. D: yeah P: While the adults watch because of the story lines.. yes, they even have story lines.. D: And every age group is watching it? P: Yes. I've been to the States and there I saw 2-year-old kids dressed like Xena and 70-year-old grandmothers who love the show.. D: You went to the States because you're such a big fan that you wanted to go to that show, that you wanted to meet the people... Did you succeed? C: That's not possible there because the show is shot in New Zealand. D: In New Zealand? So she arrived in the States and there they said... C+P: Sorry, not here.. wrong plane P: I have friends who live there.. I visited them and I've seen both actresses... D: They also went with the wrong plane and... P: Yeah, they arrived with the same plane.. D: But you're such a fan that you want to meet them, talk to them, to know everything about them? P: It was just a vacation and you combine the two. Lucy Lawless, who plays Xena, played on Broadway, in a musical so I've seen her live and Renee O'Connor, who plays Gabrielle, was at a convention in the region... D: I see... P: And I also had dinner with the mother of Renee O'Connor.. D: I see... F: and the father? D: And the father was still in the tree P: yeah D: Felix is a little behind on us but he's catching up... P: I will draw it for him... D: You can have the tape Felix.... Okay, so you're a fan. That Lucy Lawless, she's the lead character, she's a star? P: She's a big star in the States. She can't just walk down the street anymore... that's impossible.. D: Really? A lot of people watch it and will follow her? P: Yeah, there are some stalkers who harrass her and so on... D: In the Netherlands.. to be honest.. Are here any people who've seen the show? (a couple of people saying 'yes' among the 100+ audience)... Three? okay... C: Let's talk about that.. The show is being aired around 6pm D: At 6pm? C: At 6 yes, a bad time... D: Who airs the show? C: Veronica D: Veronica, 6pm, a particular day? C: Tuesday D: Tuesdays, 6pm, Veronica, and you don't think that's a good time slot? C: No, not really D: Why not? C: People are just home from work or are eating.. then they won't watch Xena.. not me D: You want Xena on prime time? C: Yes, exactly P: And also because it's not a kid's show.. it's aired around 6pm and the violence in it is.... D: So it has such a level of violence that it has to be aired after 8pm.. P: something like that C: Especially with the episodes that are coming next season, definitely not for the kids D: Real fighting? C: Not just fighting but lots of blood.. D: Blood? P: Rape.. crucifixions and so on.. D: She says with a smile on her face P: Yeah, am a sadist C: We're older so we can see it in perspective... kids can't D: It's going to be violent..real.. C: yes, real violent D: Oh, I'm going to watch it then... You have a fan club... there are a few people here who've seen it... it's nothing big yet.. let's be honest... How many members does the fan club have? C: Last count 130 D: 130 fan club members? C: and 2 to 3 new ones each day. D: So there are people watching, Tuesdays at 6 because you're not going to join a fan club... C: no.. according to the ratings about half a million people watch each episode D: Tuesdays at 6 C: Tuesdays at 6... D: And you say; Veronica, Xena on prime time? C: Yes because even more people will watch it then.. D: Of course. Are these all people who used to watch Star Trek but who want something different now? Who can't stand Captain Kirk anymore and who watch two women sitting in a tree and let's see what happens? C: I'm going to send you more tapes... D: Another thing; two women in the lead.. they're close.. does the show have a lesbian undertone? C: yes D: Yes? C: Very much so D: Is it also part of the success? C: I don't know if it's really part of the success but there are a lot of women that are fans... lesbian women... who embrace it as a cult show.. D: A cult that two women physically kick men's butts, things like that? C: I don't know if that's it but I do know that it's about two strong women D:It does happen.. C: It does happen yes D: In the scene I saw she hit four men unconscious C: It happens all the time D: Girl Power C: But the men aren't recognizable... D: Ah, okay.... are you both violent types or is it just relaxation? C+P (at the same time): relaxation D: Great answer, relaxation... Tuesdays 6pm Veronica, has to move to prime time, Xena fan club.. I know everything now, I'd like to thank you for the information C: Can I say something? D: Sure C: March 14 we have a promoday, in cooperation with the Germans and the TV Toys Museum in Dieren which features a Herc/Xena exhibition. It will start at noon.. D: March 14, TV Toys Museum in Dieren, Xenaday C: It's going to be great D: I think so... Enjoy! D: Talking about Girl Power; here's Ellen with the Spijker song: "Xena is the new Schwarzenegger, Some sort of Rambo but a very sexy lady, with big tits and an tight dress, She's the new television favorite, Claudia and Petra are for Xena, With her as example their lifes can't go wrong.. Els Borst (Secretary of Health) is from a different generation, She had to do with her example, Catherine Duck..." Followed by the rest of the song but that didn't include anything Xena *G* Peta/Dutch