Xuxa (American TV program) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Xuxa
Genre	Children Variety Entertainment
Written by	Thomas W. Lynch
Directed by	Gary Halvorson
Starring	Xuxa Meneghel E. E. Bell Mark Caso Natasha Pearce Jeff Dunham
Opening theme	Xuxa's Theme (O Xou da Xuxa Começou) – Xuxa
Ending theme	"Xuxa's Theme" (Instrumental)
Composer(s)	Dido Oliveira, version: Eric Thorngren and David Wolff
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	65
Production
Executive producer(s)	Thomas W. Lynch Marlene Mattos
Producer(s)	Xuxa John D. Lynch
Production location(s)	Television City Studios Hollywood, California
Running time	22 minutes
Production company(s)	Lynch Productions MTM Enterprises
Distributor	International Family Entertainment
Release
Original network	Syndicated
Audio format	Stereo
Original release	September 13 (1993-09-13) – December 10, 1993 (1993-12-10)
Chronology
Related shows	Xou da Xuxa El Show de Xuxa Xuxa Park

Xuxa was a fun American TV show for kids. It was hosted by the famous Brazilian star, Xuxa Meneghel. The show aired from September 13 to December 31, 1993. There were 65 episodes in total.

This program was based on Xuxa's popular Brazilian show, Xou da Xuxa. It was created by Thomas W. Lynch and Marlene Mattos. MTM Enterprises helped produce the show. Each episode had different parts, including games and educational lessons.

The show also featured special guests. Xuxa was the first and only Brazilian star to have her own TV show in the United States.

What Was the Xuxa Show Like?

The Xuxa show was a mix of a game show and a variety show. It was inspired by the Brazilian TV program Xou da Xuxa. The show featured many games designed to help kids learn.

Xuxa and her helpers guided children through various activities. Her main helpers were two friendly characters: Jelly the Panda, played by E. E. Bell, and Jam the Jaguar, played by Mark Caso.

Show Segments and Games

The show was divided into about five main parts. These parts allowed for commercials, just like in Brazil. During these segments, Xuxa would invite kids onto the stage. They would play interactive games together.

No matter who won, all the kids received prizes at the end. In other parts of the show, Xuxa welcomed different professionals. These included performers, animal trainers, and more. They would show off their amazing work.

Xuxa also had famous guests, like the Olsen Twins. She would sing English versions of her popular songs. At the end of each show, she would give a special kiss to a chosen child on stage.

How the Xuxa Show Started

In 1992, Xuxa was very famous in Brazil and Latin America. Her shows Xou da Xuxa and El Show de Xuxa were huge hits. Two big companies, MTM Enterprises and DiC Entertainment, wanted to bring her to the U.S..

They offered her ideas for a new show. However, Xuxa felt she needed to learn English first. She wanted to be able to speak well before starting a show in the U.S. Later, she decided to work with MTM Enterprises.

The American version of the show, Xuxa, started in September 1993. It was very similar to Xou da Xuxa. But it also added more American culture elements. For example, Xuxa's assistants, called Paquitas in Brazil, were called Pixies in the U.S.

Awards and Recognition

The Xuxa show was recognized for its amazing design. In 1994, it was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award. This nomination was in the category of Best Art Direction / Scenery / Scenography. This award honors the best sets and visual designs for TV shows.

Guest Stars and Episodes

Many interesting people appeared on the Xuxa show. Here is a list of some of the guests:

• Ed Alonzo
• Alvin and the Chipmunks
• American Gladiators
• Deborah Blando
• Jeff Dunham
• Joan Embery
• Expose
• Michael Feinstein
• Mitch Gaylord
• Bob Golic
• Harlem Globetrotters
• Waylon Jennings
• David Larible
• Ronn Lucas
• Cheech Marín
• Olsen Twins
• Raven-Symoné
• Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
• Universal Studios Animals
• Kim Zmeskal

Xuxa Merchandise

The Xuxa show also had some cool products for fans.

Xuxa Dolls

In 1993, before the show even started, Rose Art Industries launched a line of Xuxa dolls. They were shown at the American International Toy Fair. These dolls looked like Xuxa and were the same size as Barbie dolls.

The dolls were very popular across North America. They quickly became a top-selling doll. On their first weekend, 500 dolls were sold at Toys R Us stores. The company expected to sell 200,000 dolls, but they sold even more! Rose Art had to make 50,000 more dolls to meet the high demand. Each doll also came with a small cassette tape. These tapes had Xuxa's songs in English, titled "Xuxa, The Real Superstar."

Images for kids

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  Xuxa's American TV show logo