Lucy Lawless on Rosie O'Donnell

September, 1997

All in all, this was a highly enjoyable interview. Lucy was relaxed, and Rosie and she seem to share a common silliness. Rosie's attempts to emulate Lucy's Xena yell are hysterical! One of the better Lucy interviews I've seen. Light years above the nightmare that is Howard Stern.

A transcript of the interview follows, interspersed with pictures. Click on each picture thumbnail to view the larger image. Eventually I hope to have sound bytes here as well. Check back periodically for those.

Rosie: Please welcome Lucy Lawless!
(Lucy comes onstage)
Rosie: They love you!
Lucy: Yay them!

Rosie: The people love you.
Lucy: Well...
(audience member): We love you Xena!
Rosie: See? They love you.
(audience cheers)
Lucy: As if to prove it.

Rosie: First of all, congratulations on your Broadway debut.
Lucy: Thank you very much!
(audience cheers)
Rosie: You're welcome. Grease at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre.
Lucy: Mm-hmm.
Rosie: I understand that we played a small part in your getting the role.

Lucy: Rosie cast me in, um, the show, I came on eight months ago, something, and, I sang a song. The producers happened to be watching, and you said you could do Broadway and I said, ho ho, you know, really do you think so, and um, and they were watching and, and, you know and, they made the offer and I just jumped at it.

Rosie: And you're doing it for seven weeks.
Lucy: I'm doing, just for seven weeks, that's all the time I have off.
Rosie: Which is, which is, just the perfect amount of time because you won't get, into the routine. How was opening night for you?

Lucy: Opening night was great. I have no memory of it whatsoever except waking up the next morning with, like pillow face going, "oh my God you're..." (laughs) I have to play that episode all over again, you know, just,

I'm used to a continual flow of new material and, and, always working under the gun, so, to do the same thing, uh, night after night is a real challenge, and now that I'm getting more comfortable it's a whole lot more fun.

Rosie: Now, are you nervous with the singing?
Lucy: Uhhh...singing I was nervous with at first, initially, dancing I was terrified of, now, my acting's gone to hell you know and...
(Rosie and audience laugh)

Lucy: I'm thinking so much (does a little "hand jive"), I'm doing this that where I'm, now I'm starting to say things like fluff-flak , and, (Porky Pig noises), I'm doing Porky Pig routines and going "oh my God I can't get the words out straight" but um, fortunately the audience is sort of um, hanging in there in fact, part of the reason I took the job was that it was kind of therapy for me you see I've been terrified to sing for about, ten years.
Rosie: Really...

Lucy: Yeah, and uh, so I took it and, you're all having to sit through my therapy thank you very much.
(audience laughs)
Rosie: Yes, but you're a very good singer I remember you from last time.

Lucy: That was, because I was so relaxed, you know, but, for to stand me up, something in my throat just kinda closes up quite often often so, um, I didn't tell the producers that of course, that would have terrified them, and uh, and uh, here I am and I'm doing it I'm just loving it.
Rosie: Well, I'm so happy for you. I on the other hand cannot sing, a note on key, and I would sing loudly, and proudly anywhere I go and, the produ- it's funny, when I auditioned, the producers Fran Weisther, who is, the funny, (impersonating producer) darling, angel, who are you, no idea, I said oh I'd been in a couple movies, maybe you know, (again) darling, I've never heard of you, and basically, you don't sing well.
(audience laughs)
Rosie: And, but they gave me the part anyway, so, I had fun.
Lucy: Yeah you're good.
Rosie: Oh has your daughter been to see you?
Lucy: She hasn't, she, I'm missing her terribly, she's um, she's still in New Zealand...
Rosie: She is...
Lucy: And she's coming over in a coupla, uh, in a week, and uh, I just can't wait, you know, I'm, I'm l- I love the people I'm with I'm having, some of them are here today, and, um, but I've just got that, you know that aching for...
Rosie: Yeah, she's, she's 9?
Lucy: Yeah.
Rosie: 9 years old?
Lucy: Yeah and obsessed with, with Tamaguchi at the moment you know those little, these awful little (laughs) digital pet...
Rosie: Oh, I know...
Lucy: They keep dying, they, doesn't matter how much attention they get, you know they, overfeed them, and overcare for them and these things keep carking it.
Rosie: No, do you know how to do it? Do you know how to do it?
Lucy: I did not know, I've had to set up these awful things time and time again, but uh, they won't just die and stay dead you know, you.. (laughs)
Rosie: They're horrible. My niece said to me, "I'm going to my friend Marissa's party, take care of it!" Lucy: Yeah!
Rosie: The stress! You have to feed the thing and then, change the diaper, and it beeps, and ugh...and they sold millions of them.
Lucy: Do you know though, the other day, I was sitting in, in, Central Park in a restaraunt, and there was a woman with a, ghastly little, matching poodle, matching her own hairdo, you know.
Rosie: Yeah.
Lucy: In, in her handbag, of course, later I get up to go to the loo, and, I walk in, and, underneath a cubicle where you ought to see somebody's shoes is this little dog, doing his business on a nappy liner, and I (laughs) New York, you're outta hand!
Rosie: You're not kiddin' we are outta hand here! Don't go away more Lucy Lawless after this break we'll be right back.
(station break)
Rosie: Back with Lucy Lawless, Xena, can you give me a little Xena yell?
Lucy: Ayiyiyiyi! You've got...
(audience cheers)
Rosie: Yeah, we have it, here it is.
(A tape is played of a Xena yell)
Lucy: Perfect pitch, listen to that.
Rosie: Here we go do it again.
(The tape is played again and Lucy joins in)
Rosie: Lemme try.
Lucy: Oh, stereo!
Rosie: Where'd you get it? Where'd you get that?
Lucy: Uhhh...Rob Tapert, our Producer, and, my partner, you know, um....
Rosie: In life?
Lucy: Yeah.
Rosie: Oh, your boyfriend!
Lucy: Yeah, my boyfriend! Uh, he actually, they were looking for he was looking for some sort of a gimmick like, a Tarzan, call or something, and, uh, the Arabic women do, make, a similar noise. They ululate, all over the place everytime they protest or there's a funeral or they're happy you know, I dunno it's a multi-purpose cry.
Rosie: Really? I never heard of that.
Lucy: Yeah. And I couldn't quite do it so I bastardized it and made it, made it my own and, just exploited the Hell out of it.
Rosie: Ubluhbluhbluhbluhbluhbluh!
(audience laughs)
Lucy: You got it!
Rosie: But you don't use your tongue like that you just uhluhluhluhluh. Do it again.
Lucy: Ayiyiyi!
Rosie: Oh you see but you keep your tongue in your mouth. Uhriririri!
(audience laughs)
Lucy: Very pretty.
Rosie: Thank you. Rururururururu!
(audience cheers)
Rosie: Alright now since you brought this up...
Lucy: Yeah.
Rosie: Was he your boyfriend before he was the Producer or, he was, just working together you...
Lucy: Uh, just working together.
Rosie: Alright, I don't wanna pry I just, was curious it was going through my head while I was doing the yell.
Lucy: Yeah. Oh it's no secret.
Rosie: You're on in 80 countries.
Lucy: How bout that?
Rosie: Hard to believe.
Lucy: I'm on in Saudi Arabia.
Rosie: Saudi Arabia?
(audience cheers)
Lucy: Yeah. I had uh, a friend came back from uh, doing some oil, rig gig, in, in, Saudi Arabia and they had seen Xena, but, all the action scenes have to be blown up, they're huge grainy close-ups so they don't show any cleavage or leg. And uh, I don't know how they manage it . But uh, it's a big hit in Saudi Arabia.
Rosie: Really...alililililili!
(audience laughs and cheers)
Lucy: Yeah. And like that's probably what it is, it's just the sound you know.
Rosie: It's the yell, they go, she's one of us! Blilili!
(audience laughs)
Rosie: Well how long, um, you're gonna do that show for years I suppose, it's so popular.
Lucy: For, for a few years, yeah.
Rosie: For a few years, yeah.
Lucy: Yeah.

Rosie: You gonna do anymore musicals, you think?
Lucy: Eheeheehee! (nervous laugh)
(audience laughs)

Lucy: Well uh, if they'll, if they'll have me back we'll see I don't know that um, I could do something for, a, a year I know that you did it for a year...
Rosie: Did it for a year.
Lucy: It's, and it's incredibly hard work too I thought, it can't be any harder than, than the work I do, everyday and, and, it is extremely strenuous in a different way.
Rosie: It is. And you only have one day off a week and it's very tiring.
Lucy: Yeah.
Rosie: Have you gotten to see any, any of the shows or, with your schedule you really, don't have time...
Lucy: I saw Chicago yesterday. That's amazing.
Rosie: Isn't that amazing?

Lucy: God...
Rosie: And Marilu Henner is in it now.
Lucy: Yeah.
Rosie: Brilliant, isn't she a great dancer?
Lucy: Mm-hmm.

Rosie: She is. Surprising?
Lucy: Yeah and, and Bebe Newearth is, a dancing machine.
Rosie: She is. It's a great show have you seen (actress' name I can't make out)?
Lucy: Yeah but she's like Betty Boop on steroids, you know (laughs)
Rosie: I love the way you say that, Betty Boop.
Lucy: Betty Boop.
Rosie: Betty Boop on steroids.
Lucy: Yeah.
Rosie: Yeah.
Lucy: George...
Rosie: She's, she's really wonderful, have you seen Titantic yet??
Lucy: I haven't. Is that good?
Rosie: I loved it.
Lucy: Yeah, ok that's another one to see before...
Rosie: Really good Christo-...did you see Rent?
Lucy: Not yet.
Rosie: (singing) Five-hundred-sixty-five-thousand-three-hundred-mi-inutes. How do you measure, a co-mercial break?
(audience laughs)
Rosie: Say we'll be right back after this.

Lucy: We'll be right back, after......this.
(station break)
Rosie: Hey go see Lucy Lawless on Broadway in Grease. Now Luce, who's on tommorow?

Lucy: Ahhh, Barbara Walters!
Rosie: Kimberly Williams.
Lucy: And Cynthia Cooper.
Rosie: Exactly. Hit the target Xena. Buh-bye!
(Lucy starts flinging kooshes)

Back to the Lucy Lawless Library main page

Back to the Xena Picture Library

	Rosie: Please welcome Lucy Lawless! (Lucy comes onstage) Rosie: They love you! Lucy: Yay them!
	Rosie: The people love you. Lucy: Well... (audience member): We love you Xena! Rosie: See? They love you. (audience cheers) Lucy: As if to prove it.
	Rosie: First of all, congratulations on your Broadway debut. Lucy: Thank you very much! (audience cheers) Rosie: You're welcome. Grease at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre. Lucy: Mm-hmm. Rosie: I understand that we played a small part in your getting the role.
	Lucy: Rosie cast me in, um, the show, I came on eight months ago, something, and, I sang a song. The producers happened to be watching, and you said you could do Broadway and I said, ho ho, you know, really do you think so, and um, and they were watching and, and, you know and, they made the offer and I just jumped at it.
	Rosie: And you're doing it for seven weeks. Lucy: I'm doing, just for seven weeks, that's all the time I have off. Rosie: Which is, which is, just the perfect amount of time because you won't get, into the routine. How was opening night for you?
	Lucy: Opening night was great. I have no memory of it whatsoever except waking up the next morning with, like pillow face going, "oh my God you're..." (laughs) I have to play that episode all over again, you know, just,
	I'm used to a continual flow of new material and, and, always working under the gun, so, to do the same thing, uh, night after night is a real challenge, and now that I'm getting more comfortable it's a whole lot more fun.
	Rosie: Now, are you nervous with the singing? Lucy: Uhhh...singing I was nervous with at first, initially, dancing I was terrified of, now, my acting's gone to hell you know and... (Rosie and audience laugh)
	Lucy: I'm thinking so much (does a little "hand jive"), I'm doing this that where I'm, now I'm starting to say things like fluff-flak , and, (Porky Pig noises), I'm doing Porky Pig routines and going "oh my God I can't get the words out straight" but um, fortunately the audience is sort of um, hanging in there in fact, part of the reason I took the job was that it was kind of therapy for me you see I've been terrified to sing for about, ten years. Rosie: Really...
	Lucy: Yeah, and uh, so I took it and, you're all having to sit through my therapy thank you very much. (audience laughs) Rosie: Yes, but you're a very good singer I remember you from last time.
	Lucy: That was, because I was so relaxed, you know, but, for to stand me up, something in my throat just kinda closes up quite often often so, um, I didn't tell the producers that of course, that would have terrified them, and uh, and uh, here I am and I'm doing it I'm just loving it. Rosie: Well, I'm so happy for you. I on the other hand cannot sing, a note on key, and I would sing loudly, and proudly anywhere I go and, the produ- it's funny, when I auditioned, the producers Fran Weisther, who is, the funny, (impersonating producer) darling, angel, who are you, no idea, I said oh I'd been in a couple movies, maybe you know, (again) darling, I've never heard of you, and basically, you don't sing well. (audience laughs) Rosie: And, but they gave me the part anyway, so, I had fun. Lucy: Yeah you're good. Rosie: Oh has your daughter been to see you? Lucy: She hasn't, she, I'm missing her terribly, she's um, she's still in New Zealand... Rosie: She is... Lucy: And she's coming over in a coupla, uh, in a week, and uh, I just can't wait, you know, I'm, I'm l- I love the people I'm with I'm having, some of them are here today, and, um, but I've just got that, you know that aching for... Rosie: Yeah, she's, she's 9? Lucy: Yeah. Rosie: 9 years old? Lucy: Yeah and obsessed with, with Tamaguchi at the moment you know those little, these awful little (laughs) digital pet... Rosie: Oh, I know... Lucy: They keep dying, they, doesn't matter how much attention they get, you know they, overfeed them, and overcare for them and these things keep carking it. Rosie: No, do you know how to do it? Do you know how to do it? Lucy: I did not know, I've had to set up these awful things time and time again, but uh, they won't just die and stay dead you know, you.. (laughs) Rosie: They're horrible. My niece said to me, "I'm going to my friend Marissa's party, take care of it!" Lucy: Yeah! Rosie: The stress! You have to feed the thing and then, change the diaper, and it beeps, and ugh...and they sold millions of them. Lucy: Do you know though, the other day, I was sitting in, in, Central Park in a restaraunt, and there was a woman with a, ghastly little, matching poodle, matching her own hairdo, you know. Rosie: Yeah. Lucy: In, in her handbag, of course, later I get up to go to the loo, and, I walk in, and, underneath a cubicle where you ought to see somebody's shoes is this little dog, doing his business on a nappy liner, and I (laughs) New York, you're outta hand! Rosie: You're not kiddin' we are outta hand here! Don't go away more Lucy Lawless after this break we'll be right back. (station break) Rosie: Back with Lucy Lawless, Xena, can you give me a little Xena yell? Lucy: Ayiyiyiyi! You've got... (audience cheers) Rosie: Yeah, we have it, here it is. (A tape is played of a Xena yell) Lucy: Perfect pitch, listen to that. Rosie: Here we go do it again. (The tape is played again and Lucy joins in) Rosie: Lemme try. Lucy: Oh, stereo! Rosie: Where'd you get it? Where'd you get that? Lucy: Uhhh...Rob Tapert, our Producer, and, my partner, you know, um.... Rosie: In life? Lucy: Yeah. Rosie: Oh, your boyfriend! Lucy: Yeah, my boyfriend! Uh, he actually, they were looking for he was looking for some sort of a gimmick like, a Tarzan, call or something, and, uh, the Arabic women do, make, a similar noise. They ululate, all over the place everytime they protest or there's a funeral or they're happy you know, I dunno it's a multi-purpose cry. Rosie: Really? I never heard of that. Lucy: Yeah. And I couldn't quite do it so I bastardized it and made it, made it my own and, just exploited the Hell out of it. Rosie: Ubluhbluhbluhbluhbluhbluh! (audience laughs) Lucy: You got it! Rosie: But you don't use your tongue like that you just uhluhluhluhluh. Do it again. Lucy: Ayiyiyi! Rosie: Oh you see but you keep your tongue in your mouth. Uhriririri! (audience laughs) Lucy: Very pretty. Rosie: Thank you. Rururururururu! (audience cheers) Rosie: Alright now since you brought this up... Lucy: Yeah. Rosie: Was he your boyfriend before he was the Producer or, he was, just working together you... Lucy: Uh, just working together. Rosie: Alright, I don't wanna pry I just, was curious it was going through my head while I was doing the yell. Lucy: Yeah. Oh it's no secret. Rosie: You're on in 80 countries. Lucy: How bout that? Rosie: Hard to believe. Lucy: I'm on in Saudi Arabia. Rosie: Saudi Arabia? (audience cheers) Lucy: Yeah. I had uh, a friend came back from uh, doing some oil, rig gig, in, in, Saudi Arabia and they had seen Xena, but, all the action scenes have to be blown up, they're huge grainy close-ups so they don't show any cleavage or leg. And uh, I don't know how they manage it . But uh, it's a big hit in Saudi Arabia. Rosie: Really...alililililili! (audience laughs and cheers) Lucy: Yeah. And like that's probably what it is, it's just the sound you know. Rosie: It's the yell, they go, she's one of us! Blilili! (audience laughs) Rosie: Well how long, um, you're gonna do that show for years I suppose, it's so popular. Lucy: For, for a few years, yeah. Rosie: For a few years, yeah. Lucy: Yeah.
	Rosie: You gonna do anymore musicals, you think? Lucy: Eheeheehee! (nervous laugh) (audience laughs)
	Lucy: Well uh, if they'll, if they'll have me back we'll see I don't know that um, I could do something for, a, a year I know that you did it for a year... Rosie: Did it for a year. Lucy: It's, and it's incredibly hard work too I thought, it can't be any harder than, than the work I do, everyday and, and, it is extremely strenuous in a different way. Rosie: It is. And you only have one day off a week and it's very tiring. Lucy: Yeah. Rosie: Have you gotten to see any, any of the shows or, with your schedule you really, don't have time... Lucy: I saw Chicago yesterday. That's amazing. Rosie: Isn't that amazing?
	Lucy: God... Rosie: And Marilu Henner is in it now. Lucy: Yeah. Rosie: Brilliant, isn't she a great dancer? Lucy: Mm-hmm.
	Rosie: She is. Surprising? Lucy: Yeah and, and Bebe Newearth is, a dancing machine. Rosie: She is. It's a great show have you seen (actress' name I can't make out)? Lucy: Yeah but she's like Betty Boop on steroids, you know (laughs) Rosie: I love the way you say that, Betty Boop. Lucy: Betty Boop. Rosie: Betty Boop on steroids. Lucy: Yeah. Rosie: Yeah. Lucy: George... Rosie: She's, she's really wonderful, have you seen Titantic yet?? Lucy: I haven't. Is that good? Rosie: I loved it. Lucy: Yeah, ok that's another one to see before... Rosie: Really good Christo-...did you see Rent? Lucy: Not yet. Rosie: (singing) Five-hundred-sixty-five-thousand-three-hundred-mi-inutes. How do you measure, a co-mercial break? (audience laughs) Rosie: Say we'll be right back after this.
	Lucy: We'll be right back, after......this. (station break) Rosie: Hey go see Lucy Lawless on Broadway in Grease. Now Luce, who's on tommorow?
	Lucy: Ahhh, Barbara Walters! Rosie: Kimberly Williams. Lucy: And Cynthia Cooper. Rosie: Exactly. Hit the target Xena. Buh-bye! (Lucy starts flinging kooshes)