Lucy Lawless on KTLA Morning Show
September 27, 1996

Note: my local cable which does carry KTLA (in Utah of all places) doesn't have the best picture quality around. I filtered and prodded the best I could and was able to make most of these look pretty good.

We've been talking about this, we have a new 5 AM newscast starting Monday morning at 5. As you've heard, not too many people are clammering for the gig. We are always open to auditions. So here now, if we could... kinda quiet on the set. Is camera one there? Here's her big audition.

Good morning. My name is Lucy Lawless. And, and I know that, some people say that sounds like the name of a porn star, but I never did nothing bad... well, not not real bad. Well anyway, this is the KTL morning news first edition. Among the stories we're covering: It's real dak..., dark outside. I can't imagine anyone would be watching at this hour. But, uh, really there's no traffic to speak of. You just tack an extra couple of hours on the beginning and the end of your day. And if you want to know what the weather's like, just look out the window. Well we'll get to our headline stories presently, but here now is Jennifer York in Skycam 5.

Additional pics from this speech:

Very nice! That was great. So...

The ratings are off the scale for the 5 o'clock...

So, would you, would you seriously be interested? Because the Tribune executives would sign you up right now. You were very good.

I, I need a day job. Yeah, that'd be great.

Lots of people I suppose would enjoy a similar assignment with Lucy Lawless, TV's Xena. Stateside once again. We're glad she's here. Good morning.

Good morning.

Sam: You brought us presents too.

Lucy: I did. I brought you food.

Sam: Thank you.

Lucy: I didn't know there would be that enormous crafts services table over there.

Sam: This is very nice.

Barbara: Well that's all right. That's fine.

Sam: The more food the better!

Barbara: Save this.

Sam: Ah..Yeah save this for Monday.

Lucy: It has Xena cups.

Sam: It has Xena cups?

Lucy: Memorabilia.

Barbara: Ah, well...

... there are in fact people out, outside and things. Is it just... everytime you come here it gets bigger and bigger and bigger. Is it gratifing to you?

Yeah it is. 'cause it means people are watching the show. so, uh, yeah I am pleased about that. I don't get recognized that much though.

Really?

No, umm, I think that if I don't talk or quite look or dress like Xena and I do today 'cause I just kinda had my hair done.

But, umm, but generally I kinda slop about in shorts and I don't get picked up much.

Oh well... whatever.

Quick clip from next season

...maybe you don't get picked up a lot because people are afraid of you.

Yeah. You, you missed the fire blowing from that. But that uh... yeah, that's a little trick I picked up on the show.

... the success of your show, the success of Hercules, has spawned scores of imitators. We had on the Morning News, (tell me if this bothers you, look at this tape) we had somebody come on from one of these new shows, from "Sinbad" ...there it is. That's me.

Lucy: I would love to see it.

They show a clip of Sinbad here

So what do you think?

What do you mean 'What do I think?' You want me to dis somebody? Sam: No. Like you would.

No, I would never do that. She's above that. She's bigger than that. Be a good... Lucy, they're running us along because you're going to go on vacation for a while, right?

Yes I am. I've been on vacation for the last couple of months actually. Went to Turkey. And, and I had this nightmare of a travel schedule back through Turkey and Amsterdam and I just thought "Oh god! I'm going to get pulled apart at customs." But, uh, it didn't eventuate. Had an amazing holiday though.

Well if you carry a sword around? C'mon! Yeah! Imagine being the customs agent who tries to bust Xena!

Yeah.

Thank you very much!

And I'm sure we'll see you Monday at 5 AM Great seeing you! hr