These messages,  photos and videos are exclusive to this website.  Please do not repost to any other website. 
Link to this page to send people to see them.

UPCOMING
APPEARANCES:

Renee
Beyond the
Farthest Star

Lucy/Renee
Bitch Slap
on dvd

Renee
Ark
can be viewed on hulu



Lucy In Concert
London 2008
The Roxy 2008
Chicago 2007
The Canal Room 2007
The Roxy 2007

Official Lucy Lawless
Fan Club

Official Renee O'Connor
Fan Club























The Official Xena: Warrior Princess Fan Club


Xena Merchandise Xena Fan Kits

Please feel free to contact me at outback@creationent.com -- Sharon
Official Xena Fan Club Yahoo Group   /   Sharon on Twitter


LUCY AND RENEE UPDATES
*************************
11/14/12

2013 Xena Calendars Now Shipping!
Buy them here

Preview Photo Calendar Here


Preview Journey Calendar Here










The 2012 convention shirt just about sold out at the show.
We only have two 2XLs and twelve 3XLs left.  If anyone wants to buy one, send an email to outback@creationent.com Subject: 2012 Convention Shirt
The first people to write me will get the shirts until they sell out.


If you've been looking to take a sneak peek into the 2012 calendars, here's your chance.  Just click on the cover and wander around to your heart's content.
Click here to order the calendars

   





Lucy's speaking out against deep sea drilling off the coast of New Zealand.  Everyone join in and sign the Greenpeace petition to the NZ government.  Lucy says, "I'd urge anyone who wants to protect our coasts from an even worse oil spill than that which we saw in Tauranga to sign this petition.  By doing so, they'll also be doing something positive about the climate crisis that this planet is facing."  We here in the U.S. know what oil spills can do!


Lucy Lawless joining Renee O'Connor at the upcoming
Burbank Xena convention in January!
And Lucy's doing photo ops!
Renee is doing photo ops Saturday and Sunday and will have a different costume for each one.  Can't wait to see what she's pulling out of her closet.

There's a trivia contest and I had to come up with 90 questions!  At 8pm last night, I was brain dead and needed 5 more.  I emailed Lucy begging to be put out of my misery and, instead of the encouraging words I expected, she sent 3 questions!  Bless her heart.

 Here's a preview of some of the new merchandise for the convention
 
 

I also wanted to give you a sneak peek at the month logos for the 2012 calendars which are due to ship the beginning of December.  You know how hard I work trying to come up with something scintillatingly clever, er, interesting.  So here they are.

Photo Calendar month logo
Rob, this one's for you  <G>


Art Calendar month logo



The Official Xena 2012 Calendars are now on sale!
As usual, we have two of them.  The fourth in the Journey series and the photo calendar.  I'm working on them now and will put up a link to see the interior images as soon as I can.  Order the combo pack by Sept. 30 and you'll get a free autographed photo!

   

Lucy met up with Amanda Billing (whose Facebook page came in second) at the Auckland Racing Cup ceremony where the checks were handed out.  Lucy whipped out her Flip and videotaped the meeting.  It was a fierce battle to the finish line for the fiberglass horses, but Shortland Street wasn't enough to beat the Xena fans!  <G>


(click image for video)

The Xena fans came galloping to the finish line and Argo won by a nose!  You folks are fantastic.  The extra $5000 for Starship will do so much good.  And a high-five from me to the fans on Creation's Xena email list cuz when we sent out the call, the "likes" jumped a mile  <G>  Okay, everyone, back to our regular jobs.  No more tweeting and 'Booking our friends and demanding they get every relative they own a Facebook page.
Lucy sent a thank you video.


(click image to watch video)

Lucy teasing video on the No Ordinary Family Facebook page.

She's in first place!  Keep those votes coming!
Lucy's Resene Facebook Page Needs Your "Likes"!
We've all been posting about this race to give Lucy's Blue Argo enough clicks of the "like" button to push her over the finish line and win an extra $5000 for Starship Hospital.  We have to keep her there until March 10th (March 9 in the US calendar).  You have to have a Facebook page to click on the "like" button.  If you're shy about joining Facebook, you can give the minimum of information to set up a page and after March 10, you can just deactivate it.  Don't do it before then or your "like" vote will disappear!  Argo is also being auctioned off and ifLucy's Facebook page gets the most "likes" an extra $5000 is added to the amount raised for Starship.  Creation sent out a message and there was a big jump in the "likes."  I know how much the Xena fans support Lucy and Starship.  All you have to do is click!


And You Thought The Democrats And Republicans Had It Rough!

Review of Spartacus: Gods of the Arena -- Episode One “Past Transgressions”

This 6-episode series, is a prequel to the Starz series Spartacus and
takes place five years earlier.
Premieres tonight, Friday, January 21 on Starz.

We're set down in the world of the upwardly striving lower middle class neighborhood of Batiatus and Lucretia.  Instead of long train rides into the city and nights spent sleeping on the office couch trying to come up with ad campaigns to impress the boss, they train gladiators in the fine art of swordplay, mutilation and death by elimination of body parts, one at a time.  If the local magistrate approves of the amount of blood spilled, you get to move on to the next, bigger, arena.

Their fortunes hinge on Gannicus, Batiatus' prize gladiator.  Lucy Lawless has described Gannicus as a Rock God and that he is, from the screaming crowds cheering his entrance into the arena to the shit-eating grin on his face.  You can just see his poster hanging on the walls of young peasant girls and secretly lusting desperate housewives.

The walks through the streets and mores of ancient Rome are mesmerizing.  Casual nudity, community toilets, sanctioned beatings of slaves, fascinating and repulsive at the same time.

Life in the ludus, the gladiator school, consists of lessons in killing and sexual couplings of all imaginings to keep the men satisfied and tamed.  The chains around their necks will turn out to be fragile as silk when a leader arises among them.  But that story is still to come.

The episode centers on Batiatus' striving to curry favor with Tullius, whose patronage could lead Batiatus into Capua's elite class.  Batiatus buys Tullius' slave, Crixus, for much too high a price, in hopes of impressing Tullius and moving ahead of Vettius, who stands in Batiatus' way in the primetime fights in the arena.  Batiatus pits Gannicus against Vettius' best man in a marketplace street fight.

This Lucretia wouldn't dream of bedding a gladiator.  She's much too in love with her husband and feels herself above the temptations surrounding her.  That is, until, as Lucy described it, her old college friend, Gaia, arrives.  A widow, Gaia shows the lack of place a woman without a man is in this society.  As for Gaia's desires, they may be real, they may reflect her goal of the moment.  Gaia resurrects the pleasures she used to share with Lucretia - opium and sexual abandon.

While the two women are entangled in their opium-fueled desires, Batiatus' meeting with Tullius after the fight left me wondering how the writers were going to get out of the final scene.  If you watched the first season of Spartacus, jaw-dropping twists and turns of the plot were a weekly occurrence.

The characters are given stories that stun with their horror and touch with their humanity.  And the irony is that Batiatus is looking to gain a seat in the Senate.  Talk about storylines ripped from the headlines.  “Everything is for sale.  The question is but price.”

The softball shirts were approved!  Play ball!!
And a water bottle for those running around the bases.

   




XENA 2011 CALENDARS NOW SHIPPING!!!!

The Pleasuredome now on sale!
I thought this day would never come!  It took me over a year to clear the songs.  All disco material and Rob told me it was going to be impossible to clear.  But this was such an incredible concert, I just didn't give up.  I'm sure the music publishers have my email addy seared into their eyelids  <G>  If this isn't the perfect stocking stuffer, I don't know what is.




Renee's movie, Moby Dick 2010, will be released on dvd tomorrow, November 23!  The amazon link is over on the left.  I did an interview with Renee that I'll be posting shortly and, at the end, she said I should call back soon and do another one about Moby Dick.  Tales to be told!  <G>
Here's the trailer.

Here they are!  The Xena 2011 Calendars!

 
Photo Calendar                        Art Calendar

First sneak peek at the upcoming Xena 2011 calendars. 
Here are the month logos (click to see larger versions).

Photo Calendar Month Logo



Art Calendar Month Logo



It's Xena calendar time!
We're up to The Journey Part 3 and another Photo  calendar.  I'm scanning the interiors to put them up so you can have a sneak peek.  I'm particularly curious to see what the art department comes up with for my concept of the photo cal cover.  It harkens back to my love of Astaire and Rogers.  And I've found a couple Xena icons to decorate the month logos for each calendar that I think you'll get a kick out of.  I'll grab the logos as soon as the art department has them ready to go and pop them up for you to see.

I've been having a great time diving into the black & white still photography taken during Xena.  You've seen bits and pieces over the years, but I really settled in to look over all the negatives.  The June photo club is filled with outtakes and July and August will be some beautiful shots of Xena and Gabrielle.

Lucy and Renee just missed each other at Comic-con.  Renee was filming Moby Dick, with Trey Stokes directing, and filming ran late.  Renee also acted and directed another short film recently. 

I confirmed with Lucy that she did the voice of a character in an acting class for the animated series American Dad.  Lucy is now headed back to work on the prequel to Spartacus. 


LUCRETIA AND BATIATUS RISE AGAIN!

I've just confirmed with Lucy there will be a Spartacus prequel focusing on Lucretia and Batiatus. 
Here's the press release from Starz.

PRODUCTION ON STARZ SPARTACUS SIX-PART PREQUEL TO BEGIN THIS SUMMER

Andy Whitfield to Appear In Two Episodes Along With Lucy Lawless, John Hannah, Peter Mensah Plus Other Returning and New Characters

Los Angeles, Calif.  May 11, 2010  Pre-production is underway on a six-part prequel to Starz hit original series Spartacus: Blood and Sand.

Andy Whitfield, who played the title character in the series, will appear in the prequel briefly, but Lucy Lawless and John Hannah take center stage in this story of the rise of the House of Batiatus and its champions before Spartacus arrives as a captured Thracian slave.  With the title still to be determined, the prequel will begin production this summer in New Zealand, and is slated to air on Starz in January 2011.

John Hannah returns as Batiatus, owner of the Ludus, along with his wife Lucretia, played by Lucy Lawless.

Other returning actors include Peter Mensah (Doctore), Manu Bennett (Crixus), Antonio Te Maioha (Barca), Nick E. Tarabay (Ashur), Lesle-Ann Brandt (Naevia) and others.  New characters will also be added most notably the gladiator who was champion of the House of Batiatus before Spartacus or even Crixus who will help fill in the story about the people and politics in the House of Batiatus and ancient Capua as a whole.

Production on the second season of Spartacus: Blood and Sand was postponed this spring to allow Andy Whitfield to be treated for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in New Zealand.  His doctors indicate that the actor is responding well.

The prequel story maintains the excitement and entertainment value of the first season of Spartacus, giving audiences the engaging experience they've come to expect, said Starz President and CEO Chris Albrecht.  Fortunately, Andy is responding to his treatments, and will be able to be part of this prequel in a limited capacity.  As soon as he's able, we look forward to continuing the Spartacus story.

Produced by Rob Tapert, Sam Raimi, Joshua Donen and Steven S. DeKnight, Spartacus: Blood and Sand was the highest rated show for the 18-49 demographic among all cable networks for 12 of the 13 Fridays on which it aired based on coverage rating.  The production team remains intact for the six-part prequel.

Another video from Lucy.





Don't undermine New Zealand - March against Mining!

Message from Lucy:
Last week, Robyn Malcolm and I paid a visit to beautiful Paparoa National Park on the West Coast, one of the conservation areas the Government wants to mine -- for coal.  Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee reckons coal is "sexy," so Robyn and I have put together this little video as a tribute to its sexiness. 
Check it out (if you're over 18!!).



More seriously . . . as a New Zealander I always thought that conservation land would be there.  Jeez, what part of "conservation" don't they understand? Digging it up to burn more coal and pollute our children's atmosphere is not ETHICAL, not SMART and not FORWARD THINKING.  In short it is un-Kiwi. Don't do it!  We need clean, sustainable energy not coal mining and climate change.  Tourists I spoke to at Paparoa were in disbelief that our Government is even considering this.  Mining our conservation land means stealing from our kids.  We are responsible for turning this around.  So let’s make sure John Key gets the message loud and clear on May 1.  We need a big turnout on Queen St at 11am – so see you there!
Lucy Lawless
P.S.  If you can’t make it along (because, say, you live in the South Island) please forward this message to as many Aucklanders as you possibly can.

    

This is it!  The last episode of Season One of Spartacus is airing tonight!  And I'm staying off yahoo groups, message boards, fan websites and media websites cuz I don't want to be spoiled!
Who will be left standing?
Who will be within a finger's twitch of life?

Finale Preview "Kill Them All"
Final Confrontation
Aedile Batiatus




Xena Photo Club
April
More "Eternal Bonds"



Xena Photo Club
March
"Eternal Bonds"


Xena Photo Club
February
More "Coming Home"


Xena Photo Club
January 2011
"Coming Home"



NEW MERCHANDISE:


Lucy London
Convention DVD


Lucy & Renee
The Early Years DVD

Coffee Talk 6 DVD


Lucy/Renee Chicago Convention DVD


Xena New Jersey
Convention DVD











Spartacus Episode 12 "Revelations"
We're almost to the end of the precipice that is Spartacus.  At least that's the way it's seemed to me.  Especially from the fifth episode on.  I have never watched a show that seemed to be built on ever-shifting sand.  Just when you've gotten to like a character or thought you knew where something was going, you get pitched over that precipice at the edge of the ludus.  I'm left with my jaw gaping and my fist in my mouth in shock in the last 10 seconds of each episode.

Next week's finale, "Kill Them All," is promised to be an ender as never before seen on television.  And I don't doubt that in the least.

Preview
Farewell Solonius
Glaber Demands a Demonstration


Heard from Renee, she's on her way to Texas to start filming!

Spartacus episode 6 breaks the 1 million viewer mark!

New Renee movie!  "Beyond the Farthest Star"
At the recent Xena convention, Renee talked about a new movie she's just signed on to do.  It's filming in Texas.  It's the story of Adam Wells, a minister driven by the prospect of achieving greatness as the next nationally syndicatd TV evangelist.  But at a life crossroads, he lays down his opportunity at celebrity, even his own life, for his wife, Maurene Wells (Renee), and troubled daughter.
Here are some links to articles and websites: christiancinema.com, Dallas Observer, facebook, twitter, movie home website



 


Saw Renee's movie, "Fitful," last night.  I shivered for an hour and a half.  Now, admittedly, I don't go to horror movies and am easily scared, but this psychological thriller had me sitting wide-eyed and trembling the whole time.  Chicken that I am, I eagerly waited for the comedy bits and wasn't disappointed when they came zinging by.  Without giving away the plot, Renee had an unusual challenge in this movie and she rose to the occasion.  Ted was there and I grabbed a shot of the two of them.

I saw a rumor floating around the internet that Lucy had been approached to do
D'Anna on Caprica.  I asked, she answered, "Nope."

Proof that Lucy filmed Extra
I thought I recognized those sneakers  <G>
http://twitpic.com/xz43o

Just popped up links to the newest Xena Photo Club images for August, September, October and November.  "The Debt" was a monster episode to write the caption page for.  I actually had to expand to two pages for each month.  Found some beautiful new images.  Check out especially the black and white ones. 

Spartacus renewed for a second season before it even airs!  Having seen the first four episodes, I'm not surprised Rob blew the socks off Starz and they want more, more, more!

I also wanted to share the tomfoolery I came up with for the month logos for the calendars.  As I mentioned earlier, last year I sunk Rob's one-eyed boat.  This year I wracked my brain for something equally delicious.  Can you name the theme for the one on the left?  And do you remember what the sheep symbolizes?

   

You have got to check out the Xena photo club for June and July.  It's "A Friend In Need."  I found some stunning shots of Lucy and Renee and also scenes we've never had stills from before.  Take a peek.

For those (how could you?) who didn't buy last year's Xena Photo calendar, I had the scathingly brilliant idea to sink the ship as the months progressed.  Here's how it turned out.



As I'm now working on the 2010 calendars, I've been wracking my brain to think of something similar.  And I think I've got it.  Need to gather source material and run it by the art department, but I'm hoping it's doable.  I'll let you know.

The cover of the New Zealand magazine, Next, has hit the web!



A short video on the making of a Xena Photo Club month.


QT   WMV

Renee's booked a movie!  The principal roles for the new Brauer Productions, Inc. indie film Fitful have been cast. Actors Larry Joe Campbell and Renee O’Connor will fill the two lead roles.

Fitful, a dark comedy/suspense feature written and directed by Michigan Film Maker of the Year Rich Brauer, will be filmed in Manistee, Mich. this September.

In the film, Paula (Renee O’Connor) is an inspector for the Historic Trust who visits an abandoned ship on a desolate waterfront. She meets up with the self-appointed caretaker, Vigs (Larry Joe Campbell), who had blindly made the application for historical status. Moments after her arrival, her car is disabled and she is far from town and is stuck for the night.

Without other options, she takes him up on his offer to spend the night. What follows is a sleepless night of bad dreams and creepy reality.

Visit Rich Brauer's blog.

Lucy's been texting me that she's in the thick of it at Comic-Con. We should look for her on the Entertainment Weekly website. Especially an interview she did with Michael Ausiello who twittered it was his best interview ever!  Steve Sears was in the hallway when the panel ended and said it was a "huge hit!"

April Xena Photo Club is "Lyre, Lyre."  This whole episode was filmed indoors and there was no slide footage.  Everything was in 35mm negatives.  It was a challenge trying to find Xena and Gabrielle when you don't have a "positive" image to look at.  My favorite shot is Renee swinging on the bars of her cage kicking Draco.  Click on the link in the upper left hand corner and have a peek.

You may have heard that Lucy's family bought a new puppy.  Julius and Judah wanted one.  Or maybe it was Lucy?  Or Rob?  So they popped off to the local shelter and came back with Koha, a mixed bit of this and that.



You may have heard we had an earthquake in LA yesterday.  I got a couple texts from Renee:
"Oh we rocked and shook last night.  Felt pretty scary.  We had to run out of the house.  But no damage.  Miles didn't want to sleep upstairs ever again and Iris asked for more "shaky bed" this morning.  Iris is going to make me gray.
Cheers!
Renee"

Lucy is not on Twitter, Skype or Facebook.
Anyone writing to the person using Lucy's name is talking to an imposter.

Just heard from Lucy that John Hannah is playing her husband, "Batiatus," in Spartacus.  She really likes working with him.

Ever onward with the 09 convention clips.  Here's Bitch Slap director/writer Rick Jacobson talking about the making of the movie and how Lucy and Renee were cast as nuns!


QT   WMV

War with No Guns -- I asked Lucy if she was participating in this New Zealand documentary.  She said she had agreed to do it, but hadn't filmed her part yet.  I told her the concept -- a multinational peacekeeping force, led by New Zealand, sent to a brutal 10-year civil war, chose to leave their guns behind and instead bring guitars and hakas (New Zealand Maori war dance) as their weapons of choice and forged a peace that continues to this day -- reminded me of the 60s anti-war protests where students put flowers into the barrels of police rifles pointed at them.  Here's a famous photo from that era.

  
                                         (photo credit: Bernie Boston)


More 09 convention green room footage.  Here's Eric Gruendemann with the crew of Bitch Slap.  Renee and Michael make cameo appearances.


QT   WMV

Heading on back to the 09 convention clips, here's Renee trying to figure out
which way is up in her Sister Batrill costume.


QT   WMV

Lucy told me around Christmas time that Rob had a great role for her in "Spartacus," his upcoming original series for Starz.  It's contracted for 13 weeks and will be shot mostly in a virtual environment.  Starz wants to out HBO, HBO in terms of sex, violence, nudity and language.  Hey, is there a 4-letter work for frak in Latin??  Anyway, Lucy was asked about it at the recent convention and here's her response -- about the nudity!


QT   WMV

Steve popped into the green room just as I was finishing up with Jennifer Sky
so I turned the camera on him next.


QT   WMV

Thought I'd put up some behind-the-scenes videoclips of the 2009 Burbank Xena Convention. 
Here's the first clip of Jennifer Sky.


QT   WMV

Popped up a preview for the February Xena Photo Club.  It's Hobbies month.  Did you ever wonder if Xena's fascination with fishing stemmed from the fact that Rob Tapert's dream is to catch a 300-pound tuna?

Just got a sweet note about the January Xena Photo Club that I thought I'd pass along. 
Thanks Louise :)
"Got the Jan photo club this morning.  That is an AWESOME shot of Rob kissing Lucy!  Gorgeous!  You're right about the colors, too.  They are so much brighter now -- real wow factor!  May the photo club go on forever.  I just love getting mine through the door!"

Here's a promo clip for the Roxy 08 DVD.

QT


(photo: Lida Verner)

Oh my, what a concert!  What a convention!  What surprises!!!
There will be lots more pics and videos and chatter from me about this past weekend, but I thought I'd start with one of Lida's photos and a couple videoclips from Lucy's concert.  The songs are "Temptation" and "Hallelujah."  And there are two pieces on the Lucy Lawless Fan Club site.

 
                                                 QT   WMV                                                      QT   WMV


Lucy's really letting it rip at the Roxy this weekend.  Ack!  It's this weekend!!  Finally, the wait is over  <G>  One last rehearsal clip here and on the Lucy Lawless Fan Club site.


QT   WMV

Here's another Roxy rehearsal clip.  And there's another on the
Lucy Lawless Fan Club site.


QT   WMV

I'm starting to upload Lucy's Roxy 09 concert rehearsal clips.  The first session I filmed was for staging each of the songs.  Lucy, working with Laura Sperrazza, went through each of the numbers figuring out how to best tell the story.  It was fascinating watching Lucy as director.  Her mind seemed to be running non-stop.  Take a peek.  There's another clip on the Lucy Lawless Fan Club site.


QT   WMV

LUCY'S ROXY CONCERT:  IN HER OWN WORDS  <G>
This show is based on a screenplay set in the time when the music group Frankie Goes to Hollywood ruled the airwaves as well as everyone’s T-shirts. “This post-disco period was epitomized by high times in low places,” says Lawless. “Where disco was a sparkly diversion from the humdrum. The era I grew up in fully acknowledged, even celebrated, its own dark side.”
To tell the story, Lawless has chosen an eclectic mix of songs from top artists from the great Patty Smith, harbinger of it all, Eurythmics, Soft Cell and Cyndi Lauper to Garbage, Marilyn Manson and Jet.
 “The Pleasuredome” brings the audience into a world of sex, drugs, temptation and redemption, about which, Lawless says,"I don't know why, but I do 'Bad-Girl' really well." She further states, "My fans always enjoy a tale of redemption...with a heapin' helpin' of Wickedness along the way."
Joe LoDuca, Emmy Award winning composer of Xena: Warrior Princess, has helped the New Zealand born star put together a remarkable band.  The show will also feature actor/singer Laura Sperrazza.

Lucy Lawless practices her singing for her upcoming performance at the Sign On planet A concert Dec 5th - Myers Park, Auckland more info athttp://www.signon.org.nz/planet-a


Lucy performing at Greenpeace NZ concert Dec. 5, 2009



New Zealand Youth Delegation Official Leaving Party & Fundraiser
Charity Auction! Live Entertainment! A night of FUN!

The NZYD are 12 passionate young Kiwis working to ensure our climate policies look after the planet and people for generations to come.  They're heading to the UN Climate Change conference this December in Copenhagen, Denmark.

November 19, 2009, 6:00pm - 9:30pm
Freemans Bay Community Centre, 52 Hepburn Street, AKL

New Zealand celebrities such as Lucy Lawless have painted and hand decorated designer organic canvas bags which will be up for auction, alongside many more exciting items!"

Lucy has joined with Paw Justice, a New Zealand organization, that was formed to help deal with the problems of animal abuse and neglect with a petition to increase the maximum jail sentence for offenders that seriously mistreat our animals.  Only NZers can sign the petition, but anyone can buy the shirt.  The paypal function will be set up next week.

 

 

Lucy will be singing and swinging at the Starship Supernova Swing Ball in New Zealand on September 16, 2009.  Don't you love that publicity photo they shot especially for this event?  She's with Jason Kerrison, another performer in the show.

Three New DVDs for Sale!
Lucy's Roxy 08 Concert
Lucy's London Convention
Lucy & Renee: The Early Years (now on dvd)



Lucy Live in Concert at the Roxy 08 DVD
This was quite a different show.  Very mellow.  Lots of country influences.  Songs like "Walking After Midnight," "A Love Song," "Heartache Tonight" "Winner at a Losing Game" and "Stop Draggin My Heart Around" (a duet with Renee -- Renee singing -- Renee actually singing!  <G>).  The concert is about 70 minutes and there is about 45 minutes of bonus footage.

I filmed Lucy's London convention myself.  So it isn't broadcast quality, but there were so many requests to release it, that we decided to go ahead.  This complete appearance is about 60 minutes.

Lucy & Renee: The Early Years is finally out on dvd.  It consists of four early conventions.  Lucy in Burbank 1997.  Renee in Valley Forge 1997.  Lucy in Burbank 1998.  Lucy in Santa Monica 1999.  The total length of the dvd is 110 minutes.

Angel of Death
webisodes at crackle.com starring Zoe Bell
Lucy guest stars.
  

Hope you're sitting down for this behind-the-scenes videoclip of
Mother Superior and Sister Batril from Bitch Slap!


QT  WMV

Here's the preview of the Xena 2009 Art Calendar, "The Journey."  We did two photo calendars this year.  This one tells the story of Xena and Gabrielle's adventures from the beginning.  It ends about one-third of the way through the series.  The story will continue over the next two years.  As Xena lives on in the popular culture, these calendars will provide a picture book retelling of their lives together.


There are going to be two Xena calendars for 2009.  The first one for preview is the regular Photo Calendar this year entitled "A Friendship for the Ages."  It's filled with friendship, fighting, comedy, outtakes, wet month, a little conflict, a damsel in distress and three months devoted to individual episodes.  Click on the cover below to see the months. 



ET videoclip of Lucy on CSI: Miami
Lucy TV Guide Highlight for CSI: Miami
Lucy on CSI: Miami next Monday, Nov. 10, CBS, 10PM ET/PT

   

Daniel Cieplinski here.  I shot and edited the Lucy and Renee Bitch Slap interview.  The music is by the band  Soil Bleeds Black, the song is "Kyrie Eleison," and it's off of their CD Mirror to the Middle Ages.  I'm sure they have a myspace page as well.  The band was founded by twin brothers, Mark and Mike Riddick, and are based in Northern Virginia where I'm from.  Very nice guys.

Renee had a Monster Ark viewing party Saturday night.  We were all supposed to be monsters or monster slayers.  Some of the Xena crew were there and we gathered together for a family photo. 


(clockwise from upper left:
 Steve Sears, Renee, Bernie Joyce, Tim Boggs, me, Jason Schmid)

Renee sent over some candids she took on the set of Monster Ark.







Renee had fun wandering around Comic-Con 08. 
Ran into an old friend, er, monster!


Got in touch with Renee and confirmed that she will be doing the upcoming 2009 online sci-fi series Ark for 60frames.com.  Info about the series can be found on afterellen.com

Lucy supporting Starship Hospital shuttle service.





Therapy on screen and in real life or How I Conquered the Boogeyman and Lost My Head --
an audio interview with Renee O'Connor. 

Renee and Michael just sent me a behind-the-scenes photo from Bitch Slap.  Hope you're sitting down when you click on the photo to see the larger version <G>



Lucy and Renee did bit parts in a movie with a
bunch of their Herc/Xena buddies:

I also did a small role as Mother Superior in BITCH SLAP, alongside the gorgeous, Renee O'Connor, who is a naughty novice in the convent.  She is confessing her dark fantasies to my character -- just as she does in real life.  Ha-ha, not really.  (Yes, really.)  BITCH SLAP is an epic exploitation movie written and produced by Herc/Xena producer, Eric Gruendemann and directed by Rick Jacobson, (one of my all-time fave directors on Xena).  It also stars Michael Hurst; stunt co-ordinator, Zoe Bell.  Kevin Sorbo also makes an appearance.  So it was a terrific reunion for us all.  Renee and I were spectacular.  Just don't blink.
Lucy

Eric called me up and asked to come and play with all my old buddies.  I had the BEST time in a long time!
renee

Folks have been asking if Renee was in/remembered a couple films that recently showed up.  So I put it to Renee.  She doesn't remember being in a movie called The Birth of Language directed by Paul Jay although a Renee O'Connor is listed in the credits.  She also doesn't remember filming the Randall's warehouse informercial although she was definitely in that.  She looked at the youtube video and exclaimed, "Scary!"  Not sure if she was talking about her acting or the fact that such a piece of work has surfaced on the web.  <G>

The things you can find on your camera.  I took this outside Renee's house after Coffee Talk, hmm, which number was that?  <G>  We've just put it up for sale.


Rummaging through my movies, I found a couple clips I thought you'd enjoy over the weekend.  The first is from the soundcheck for the convention when Lucy sang the "Cowboy Song" for the first time.  The second is Lucy singing "Melt Into Me" at the Chicago convention with Joe LoDuca accompanying her on guitar.  They rehearsed that song for the first and only time about 20 minutes before they were due on stage.

  
                (click image for QTversion)(wmv version) (click image for QTversion)(wmv version)

Here's a peek at what went on during Coffee Talk 6.  I remembered, at a recent convention, that Renee talked about seeing Lucy at the Roxy and how evident it was that the fans loved Lucy and Lucy loved the fans.  On stage, as she was saying this, Renee started to cry.  I asked her why that thought made her so emotional.  Here's her response.


(click image for QTversion)(wmv version)

And here's a peek at the girls during Coffee Talk 6.



Now we're off to the Chicago concert and Lucy and Renee's duet to "We Can Work It Out."  No one knew this was going to happen, including the staff.  Lucy and Joe were rehearsing "Melt Into Me" in the car on the way to the convention. Lucy called Renee and asked if Renee would join her singing "We Can WorkIt Out" and Renee gleefully jumped at the chance to sing <G>  They put this all together in the green room 30 minutes before they went on stage.  Watch the opening, which begins with the audience applauding after Lucy sings "Melt Into Me."  The response is so great, she looks behind her to see why everyone is cheering so loudly.  She thought maybe Renee had stuck her head out from behind the curtain.  Couldn't believe all that applause was for her.
Back to the car -- and Lucy's mishap with her compact case.  You know, those round things that hold powder and shoot out of the holder every now and then.  Lucy opened it in the car and it shot out covering her lovely chaps -- front and back!  You can hear Lucy tell the story of how Renee came to the rescue and, um, er, wiped up the powder.  Luckily, there was someone in the room with a cell phone to record this good deed.


(wmv version

Lucy recorded a videoclip about working on Burn Notice (airing Sept. 13 onthe USA Channel).  Thanks to Lucy for the clip and NBC Universal for the publicity photos.  Click center image for QT of video.  (wmv version)


Renee called from Bulgaria a couple days ago and, aside from the heat, she's doing great.  Iris is also well.  Renee said that most of the cast was from the U.S. this time as opposed to the last time she worked in Bulgaria on Alien Apocalypse when they used more local actors.  She also found herself working in the same quarry location that  Alien A was filmed.

Note From Renee: 
Hello from Bulgaria.  Yes, I am still here.  I have some great footage from my second week and just as I was about to spend the time to edit it together, my little Iris went into the hospital with an illness.  She is out and everyone is well!  This videoclip is just a little something for now.
Renee


(click image for QTversion)
(wmvversion)

How many folks remember Kevin Smith at the 2000 Xena Convention Cabaret?  Well, we've just put up two videoclips of Kevin, Danielle Cormack,  JoelTobeck and Tim Omundson from that show with Kevin singing Tom Jones' "She's a Lady" and Billy Idol's "Rebel Yell."  They're over on the Creation TV website.  Kevin couldn't get any hotter,  so make sure you've got a cold compress by your side when you check out these clips.

GOT A CALL FROM RENEE about her new movie for the SciFi Channel, The Genesis Code.  First off, here's a link to afterellen.com with a summary of the plot.  Renee has been talking with the SciFi Channel about projects they might work on together.  She'd been submitting ideas and they came up with this movie.  Eva is spiritual and intellectual, but not emotional.  She has love and hope for the world.  Gabrielle was spiritual and emotional.  Renee wanted to explore adding heart to intellect.  She leaves Friday and will be filming for a month.  FYI, she wanted to let everyone know the character of her ex-husband has undergone a name change to Nicholas Solomon.  She made a point of saying she wanted everyone to know that as she didn't think "Nicholas" would appreciate being called "David."  I think Renee's already knee-deep into her character.  <G>

Here's a clip of Renee from the NJ convention.  She talks about making the choice to wear the "Heart Of Darkness" outfit for her photo ops and the effect the costume had on her boyfriend when she first showed it to him.  Wait till he sees what else is in her closet!  Checkout "Tell Mama" on the Lucy Lawless Fan Club page.


(click on image for QT, wmv version)

Renee visited her "Heart Of Darkness" for this weekend's photo ops.  The funniest bit was when she discovered the ties to the top of the costume were braided leather.  She decided they made great whips and many of the fans were treated to a thwap from Renee when they came up to her.  She's such a goof.  I'm in my local Starbucks here on Long Island.  Hope no one is looking over my shoulder at my photo of Renee.  Not sure suburbia is ready for Renee O'Connor in her temptress attire!


KIT 12 WEBSITE:  Lucy attended the Girl Bar Pure White Party at the Hotel Zoso March 30.  Did three numbers and she allowed me to  video her dance rehearsal.  Check it out over on the kit 12 website.


KIT 12 UPDATE:  I've been gathering up odds and ends of Xena questions to ask Renee.  Among them:  What was it like to have a Warrior Princess nibbling on your toe?  Life on both sides of the director's chair.  Connecting with a murderer.  Finding your name is now above the title.  Gay/straight fan fiction -- read it or avoid it? It's a long interview, so pull up a chair and settle in for a good read.

There are photos of Renee being added to the Ghost Town imdb site.  Not too many, but she looks great and there's a really funny one.  More to come, Renee says.


Lucy went to the gala re-opening of the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles October 29.  A friend of ours was there and got some photos and a bit of an interview that I've just posted to the Kit 12 website.  She's a StarTrek fan!

 

I talked with Lucy after she attended the Allure on Location benefit for Clothes Off Our Backs and she was still high from her experiences on Celebrity Duets.  So much so, in fact, that she's dying to get back on stage and make more music.  Seems January feels like a good time to her.  You know January, yes?  That's when we'll be having the 11th Official Xena Convention.  Lots of fans will be in town from all over the world.  Wouldn't it be great to be able to hear Lucy sing that weekend?  Let's hope the gods make it so.  Click here for a video of Lucy talking about her dream of getting back on stage. (wmv version)


Message from Renee:

"I'm about to start a movie called Ghost Town filming in North Carolina.  I'm playing a character named Little Jack who is the son they never had.  It's in the style of the HBO series, Deadwood.  I have been to NC before to film the TV movie Follow the River.  For that movie we worked in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  This one will be shot in the Smoky Mountains.  I do have a few days off so I plan on checking out the Cherokee area.  I'll be checking in to share with you my progress
playing . . . (I interjected here and said, "a girl named Jack." I told Renee tha twas a takeoff on the Johnny Cash song, "A Boy Named Sue."  Turns out she uses music to help find a character and she's going to go out and buy that song. 
It just might help. <G>)

Well, that was one heck of a ride Lucy gave us on Celebrity Duets.  I've got videos and backstage pics that will be going online this week.  She had a grand time participating in this show and is thrilled for Alfonso.  Everyone from the show -- cast and contestants -- partied at Jerry's Deli's Bowling Alley.  They had the show playing on the TVs and the crowd was in an uproar when Lucy's "TellMama" piece came up.  And thanks to all for your dialing fingers at home, signs and cheers at the show and the good wishes that came in from all corners of the world.  Lucy will forever be grateful that you kept her on the show all the way to the end.

Lucy and Renee Get Out the Vote!!
 (click image to see QT version)
(click here to see WMV version)


If you've been reading the Celebrity Duets reports, you've heard me mention the press that gathers after Thursday's shows.  I've been surprised that the press isn't there after the Friday shows instead when the voting is announced.  But this seems to be the way the production company set up the interviews schedule.  I captured some footage of Lucy giving an interview to Reality TV and the videoclip sare now online on the Kit 11 website.


(click for large version)

Lucy wowed the audience last night singing"Right Here Waiting" with Richard Marx.  What was so thrilling is that, now that there were only five contestants, the song times are being extended and she got to sing so much of the opening verses of the song by herself.  And when she sang with Richard, they're voices blended splendidly.  It was pure delight.  And speaking of delight -- Lucy's daughter, Daisy, was in the audience cheering her Mom on!  Below is the fitting Lucy had with Alek Adorian for the gown she wore.


Lucy got"Footloose" and we all got jiggywith her.  Check out the Kit 11 website for a report on week two of Celebrity Duets complete with heaps of backstage photos.  Tonight is voting night again -- everyone warm up yourfingers and charge!


(click for larg eimage)

It's podcast time on th eKit11 website!  I got Lucy on the phone and asked her a few questions about Celebrity Duets.  Pop over and find out just how challenging it is to sing with music legends.

 CELEBRITY DUETS
Lucy's doing fantastic!  She was the top vote getter this past week!  Let's keep those fingers dialing come thisThursday. Word is out that the top three people are very close together.  It's neck and neck and we can make the difference!

This week she will be paired with either Patti LaBelle, Chaka Kahn, Richard Marx, Sheena Easton or Al Jarreau.  Here's a shot of Lucy with Alfonso and Carly the daybefore Carly was voted off. 
(click for large version)


ANOTHER KIT 11 UPDATE:
Back in August of 1997 Lucy appeared on the Tonight Show with JayLeno.  After the show, she and Rob thought they'd take a casual stroll back to their car.  What they didn't know about was the paparazzi that stake out the back gate of NBC studios.  Check out the video to see what happened.

Just posted footage of Lucy at the Battlestar Galactica party at Comic Con over on the Kit 11 website.

Comic Con -- 7 billion people!  Well, maybe not quite that many, but darn close to it.  Lucy was doing some press backstage and we popped in to get some photos.  Here's a sample of me taking a photo of our photographer, Brian, taking a photo of Lucy.  I'm writing a report, with more piccies, which will be on the kit 11website shortly.  It will also have a video of the Battlestar party Saturday night.


Photo: Sharon Delaney
click image for larger version

Here's the Sci Fi channel Battlestar Galactica
Season Three promo shown on Eureka last night. 
Click on image for QT version. 
Click here for wmv version.


Speakingof Kit 11, the latest addition to the website is a beat sheet for an unaired Xena episode!  It was called "Shoreline."  Sort of Xena meets Survivor or Lost.  Check it out.  Makes for some fun reading.

XENA 06 CONVENTION DVD:  As you may have heard, we had alot more onstage footage than originally thought.  And I got permission from Lucy to include the Thursday soundcheck of the song she sang at the convention and footage from Renee's photo ops session.  So I wound up making two bonus features.  The total running time for the 2-disc set is almost 3 hours.  

Forthose eagerly awaiting folks,
here's Renee and the lovely wee Iris O'Connor!


Our joyous best wishes go to Renee on th ebirth of her daughter.  Renee sent us word that, "I had a baby girl Sunday, March 19, Iris Sura O'Connor, 7 lbs. 15 oz. and very mellow."
The Xena Fan Club Kit 11 website is now online including another sneak peek at "Coffee Talk 5" that you won't want to miss.  Lucy ambushes Renee in a most unusual place and poses a very intriguing question!

 Grabbed a snapshot from the video of Coffee Talk 5.
They have so much fun together.


Filmed Coffee Talk 5 for Xena Fan Club Kit 11 today!  It went wonderfully!  Lucy and Renee were in great spirits and they gossiped like mad.

Couldn't resist posting these images of Renee at the Photo Ops.


(photos:Aleida Santiago)
(click image for larger version)

Last Day of the Convention -- Lucy Day!
Lucy's doing her best Greta Garbo imitation in the middle one. 
Yes, Lucy sang! 
As for her accompanist, well, the verdict's still out on her. (grin)
(photos below: Sharon Delaney)
(click images for larger versions)

 
 Day Two of the convention back in the green room with Michael Hurst,
Jennifer Ward-Lealand and Renee O'Connor!


 

Latest Kit 10 upload is now on line.  Lucy came for a visit to our offices to work on a new shirt design.  Thought you'd enjoy being a fly on the wall.

Click here for a special message from Renee for the holidays.

Latest Kit 10 uploads are holiday messages from Lucy and Renee.  I definitely think you folks will want to listen/watch them!