Xena Movie Campaign

Xena Movie Campaign's Ariel recently interviewed Mary D., the creator of the long running, and informative AUSXIP.

Ariel:

Congratulations on AUSXIP's 20th Anniversary! You've worked hard through the years developing, and designing your AUSXIP site. Take us back to the day you first decided to create it all.

What about Xena inspired you to create AUSXIP?

Mary D:

Oh my goodness. AUSXIP nearly didn't get born if I had stuck to my original assessment of XWP.

It was around September 1996 (I think) when my friend Susan said to me, "You have to watch this great show. You will love it!".

Fast forward to December 1996, and my friend asked me to tape 'Sin of the Past', because the show was just coming on Aussie TV, and she didn't have it. Now if I were smart enough I would have figured that Aussie TV is different format to US TV (PAL vs NTSC), and one can't play on another ones machine unless it's a multi-zone. I didn't think of that because I had a multi-zone (that's how I got to see ST:DS9 episodes from the US).

So I said okay I'll tape it for her. I sat down on December 14, 1996 and made sure the VCR was set up correctly. I didn't have anything to do that night so I was half watching the TV while the VCR was recording. I was playing with my computer and half watching TV - the music starts, I'm not watching just listening. I look up eventually and there's Xena burying her weapons. I stop what I'm doing, and wonder why the hell she's doing that? I haven't seen Hercules Xena trilogy so I have no clue about her history. I go back to my computer. I look up again at the sound of Draco's men ordering the villagers, to see Xena looking out from behind the bush in her underwear. I think I made some snarky comment to my husband about it but continue to watch.

I will tell you EXACTLY when AUSXIP was born. Xena coming out of hiding in her underwear battling Draco's men, and the minute it all clicked was when Xena did that little laugh, just before she pummeled whatshisname with her sword. THAT was when AUSXIP was born.

I created art for ST:DS9, in addition to fanfic, (episode art was a big thing for me) and out of nowhere? The art just popped into my head.

I tried not to create another site but lost the battle overnight. I took a template I had for my John and Delenn Information Page (Babylon 5 fandom), and created the Australian Xena Information Page (yes I plagiarized myself).

AXIP or AUSXIP was born on December 15, 1996. 

I didn't want to create a clone of Tom's Xena Page, that was already being done so I did a site just for my art, a little bit of Lucy (and later Renee) and that was it. It was supposed to be ONE page with artwork!

I emailed my friend and YELLED: "You should have sent me 'Sins of the Past' to watch, not that other crap!" (exact words). A very smug and happy response followed. BOOM. I was hooked. Twenty years later I'm still here.

Why did Sins have an impact when the other two didn't? It was the courage shown by Xena and Gabrielle in the face of evil that did it. It resonated with me. I love anything to do with courageous women so it was a natural fit. My friend was right.

Ariel:

How did you come to partner with the Starship Foundation? Would you mind explaining what it is for those who might not be familiar?

Mary D:

September (everything happens in September) 2006. I realized that December was going to be ten years of AUSXIP. I wanted to do something special to give back to the community that supported AUSXIP for so long. I emailed a friend of mine and said "I have an idea...". I wanted to raise money for Starship and for Renee's charity as well. She didn't have a main one so I chose the Burns Foundation, which she does every year. 

I wrote to Starship and told them what I wanted was to get myself out of the equation (not collecting the money). I would set it up, the winning bidders would pay them directly and we (my friend and I) would ship the items. Not only did Starship agree to this but they went out of their way to make it as easy for me as possible.

They changed their donation form to include the AUSXIP Auction, they talked to me on the phone and I outlined everything I wanted to do. A very special partnership was born in September 2006. Once I nailed that down, we had gone into our own collections (and bought a few pics as well) with the idea of getting stuff signed. That was another problem, how do we get stuff signed? I had met Lucy, Rob and Renee backstage at the 2005 Xena con, so there was some recognition type thing but had no means to get the stuff to them. Missy Good came to the rescue by volunteering to get the items signed whilst on a business trip to Los Angeles. That was fantastic and we had some hairy moments when Renee's autographed stuff was mailed to AUSTRIA instead of AUSTRALIA and arrived one day before the auction was going to start. No pressure <g>

December 10-15, 2006 was our first auction that raised just over $8000, and a partnership was born with Starship. They have been AUSXIP's official charity ever since. I love them - they are good people and I have visited the offices and the hospital a couple of times. They make it easy. The Xena cast/crew support it (and other actors from other shows such Spartacus, Rizzoli & Isles, Venice etc) but the most important support is the Xenaverse.

Ariel:

Did you ever think you would be managing the site for this many years? What is it that has drawn you in over the years; XWP itself? The fans? The cast?

Mary D:

I have a very short attention span for TV shows. I gave it a year or less, and then I would lose interest and go back to my Star Trek. Hm. Didn't quite work out that way.

The fans. The Xenaverse. The family we all are. Sounds schmaltzy but true. It's the fans. I've made friends with the cast/crew of the show BUT it's the fandom that has kept me here. The friends I have made from ALL OVER the world. As an example on September 11, 2001; I was in the US on my first overseas trip (everything happens in September). On that day I was in Syracuse, NY with the friend who insisted I watch Xena.

When the terrorists struck? I was on the ground and safe. Fans didn't know that and sent messages saying that if I was stranded by the plane (because it was on lockdown), that I had a place to stay with them. I'm writing this and I get goosebumps. Total strangers who I had never met, emailed Mesh who was looking after AUSXIP in my absence, and emailed me to tell me I have a home if I needed it. The Greater Good in action.

That is the Xenaverse. I experienced the love of the Xenaverse and that is what keeps me going. I love this show but it's the Xenaverse that keeps me here.

The cast are awesome people, and I love them dearly but it's the fans who have made AUSXIP what it is with their support, their generosity in auctions, their contributions to the site etc.

I'll be honest, I have said it's time to hang up the keyboard and walk away when I'm tired or dealing with a troll or cranky in some way. I'm never going to do it because it comes down to friendship and love. I love what I do; I love this fandom and I love what it stands for.

Ariel:

From the beginning to now, how would you say the Internet and social media has transformed the way you experience the Xenite community?

Mary D:

The Xenaverse was born at the birth of the Internet. It was heady days and although we didn't have twitter, Facebook or other social media we had forums, websites and mailing lists. The Xenaverse was a tight knit group - a little dysfunctional at times, like any family but a tight group. Was it because we didn't have all that social media whizbang? I doubt it. It's just the way the fandom is. It's demographic, it's core. I think it's the same although slightly more intense (at times).

Ariel:

What is your most memorable fan story?

Mary D:

Rob Tapert thanking me for AUSXIP, and then offering me fish from his fridge to take back home to Australia in 2005 (during the 2005 Xena Con in Burbank). I love the guy; he's so talented, quirky and a funny guy. Alas I did not take the fish (the plane ride home would have been interesting). There are other stories than that I choose to keep to myself because they are extremely personal.

I think the most memorable story about AUSXIP was when a fellow xenite came up to me at the 2003 Xena Con, and told me what AUSXIP meant to her, and how through AUSXIP she met the love of her life, and they have been together since then. AUSXIP changed my life and I helped (though the site) to change someone else's life. Doesn't that just blow your mind? THAT is what this show is about and paying it forward is the best way.

Ariel: 

What has Xena meant to you over the years?

Mary D: 

Xena changed my life; it gave me my spunk back when it went MIA after 16 years of an abusive marriage. I walked out just before Xena ended in 2001. The Xenaverse kept me here. The Xenaverse keeps Xena alive and the Xenaverse keeps AUSXIP alive. I'm here because of the people who made the show what it is - the fans. The fans stood by it through the good and the bad.

On Twitter and your site, you seem to be in favor of the Xena reboot. What makes you supportive of the Xena story continuing? What would an ideal reboot look like to you?

Xena 2 will be on trial - I'll wait to see what it looks like, what the actors are like, what the "feel" of the show is like. If I like it, I'll continue to support it. If I don't, I'll walk away from it (not the Xenaverse, just the reboot). I want to give Rob a chance. He is the guy who gave us the show we love. Will he create magic again? I don't know but I'm willing to give him a chance.

My ideal reboot? Bringing Lucy, Renee, Adrienne, Hudson, Ted (I know Joxer died but no one stays dead on XWP) etc and fixing FIN before handing over to a new generation. There are so many ways to achieve this and it can be done. It won't be done that way because Hollywood is obsessed with youth (for women at least) and they want a reboot of the characters and the actors.

If the Xena reboot never happens, I won't shed any tears. The show we know, and love is perfect just as it is.

Ariel:

As you know, most Xenites have strong opinions for or against the reboot, and it has caused some rifts in the fandom. Do you recall what caused rifts in the fandom in the past, and how we as a community overcame them? Do you have any advice to the Xenite community so that we can overcome our disagreements about the reboot?

Mary D:

Xenites have always been a passionate bunch. Passion is what drives this fandom. Passion is great but it must be tempered with civility and respect. Your opinion will count more if it's articulated in a calm way rather than screaming obscenities. Yes there will be people who are deeply aggrieved by it all and they can't walk away because it means so much to them BUT throwing hand grenades isn't the answer.

Do I remember past rifts? Oh indeed.

1. The rape of Gabrielle in Season 3 by Dahok. Steven copped a hammering over that one. It created such furor that I was scared for Steven's safety. Rape is not something you throw in to progress a story. We lost some fans from the Rift episodes.

2. The Gabdrag. That set the Xenaverse on fire. There was some heavy duty losses over those episodes, to the point where many just didn't like the tone of the show and where it was headed. I stayed because I like to hope for better days and hoped the show I fell in love with in Season 1 and 2 would survive.

We lost the high profile webmaster Tom Simpson from Tom's Xena Page - one of the original Xenites. He decided he did not want to support the show anymore. He chose to walk away and not use his site to disparage the show. Many fans still loved it, and were willing to see it through the tough times. Tom did not and I respect his decision.

3. FIN. The Xenaverse imploded. What a terrible time that was. The wailing was intense, the pain was real. I think we survived it because of the promise of a fix-it job from Rob. There was a possibility that FIN was going to get fixed, it had to get fixed. That hope has sustained the Xenaverse through the agony of FIN and the end of the show. It took me a long time to forgive Rob for FIN.

Getting emotionally invested in a character like Xena means you will suffer and it will be real. Yes she's a fictional character but the emotions are real. I don't think it was the fact that Xena died - heck she died so often - but it was the ending that gutted everyone. This show is about the relationship between Xena and Gabrielle and the path they had chosen to take. That's what got people so enraged.

It was INTENSE to the point where Rob had death threats thrown at him. Emotions ran high, people were genuinely grief-stricken.

The Xenaverse survived. It will survive a reboot.

What fans need to realize is that OUR show; the classic / original show won't ever disappear. It's our show. It's done and it's part of history. NOTHING can negate that show.

My advice to fans who don't want a reboot is that your opinion matters but please be respectful when stating your opinion. Creating an insurgency and throwing metaphorical hand grenades at Javier or Rob is not going to work. It may make you feel better to throw the venom at Javier or Rob but it won't achieve anything else. The Xenaverse can get things changed (The Way protest is one example) but it has to be done with civility. Screaming at them that you won't watch the show won't achieve anything either.

Ariel:

You promote a lot of great fan fiction and fan art on your site. Is there a particular favorite author, or artist that you recommend to fans who might be new to Xena fan works?

Mary D: 

Oh my goodness.. where to start. I have a XIPPY Awards section for fanfic that is above and beyond. That's a good place to start. Lunacy has an excellent review site. The fan fiction in this fandom is INCREDIBLE. I thought Star Trek: TNG and DS9 (which I wrote 11 stories and were published in printed fanzines..gosh I feel old now) were excellent and a good breeding ground for writers. The Xenaverse beat them - it has produced amazing writers who have gone on to write their own characters.

My personal favourites are on AUSXIP smile emoticon The fanfic site is by invite only and the only criteria is that I love the bard's work. same goes for artists. There are far too many bards and artists to name them. Everyone who I host on AUSXIP is my favourite. I have other favourites not posted on AUSXIP and also too numerous to mention by name.

Xenites are a talented group of people.

Ariel:

You are a writer yourself. Do you have any upcoming projects you are excited about?

Mary D:

I'm currently writing Book 6 in my Eva and Zoe series called "Nor The Battle to the Strong".

I have a few coloring books like Amazons & Warriors series, mandalas and geometric patterns available and other themes planned.

There's a radio play being produced from one of my novellas called "A Widgie Knight" coming up in May.

I'm conducting three panel / Q&A segments at the Xenite Retreat in April

1. Talking about AUSXIP, The Xenaverse along with Kym Taborn from the legendary site Whoosh.org
2. Writers Workshop
3. Publishing Workshop

I'm also planning AUSXIP's biggest charity auction in December to celebrate 20 years online. That's going to be HUGE!

Lots of stuff coming up that I'm really proud of.

Ariel:

How is your kitten Tessa fairing?

Mary D:

My Fifty Shades of Grey kitty <g> For those that are not in her fan club, Miss Tessa is a Russian Blue cross (I think the daddy was either a Korat or Siamese..we're not sure, mama got around). She's grey all over with gorgeous green eyes. She came home with me when she was 6 weeks old (mama was a stray that wandered into my sister's house and proceeded to give birth to three kittens) and she's now 4 months old. Quite the personality and affectionate. Yesterday she taunted me by managing to climb into a funnel that led to the ceiling and out the roof. I got her out and stuffed the hole with one of my toy squirrels. She was not happy but that's life <g> She's AUSXIP's official mascot.

Ariel:

Is there anything else you'd like to discuss we forgot to ask about?

Mary D:

Nope. Thank you for the chance to talk to you.