Paul Reubens was at The Grove today portraying the infamous fictional comic character he created in the 1980’s, Pee-wee Herman.
Decked out in his all-too-familiar red bow tie, white loafers and grey suit, he was still chock full o’ his trademark never-ending comebacks (“I know you are, but what am I?”) and annoying yet somehow contagious and lovable laugh.
The childlike Pee-wee Herman character was developed in the 1980’s as a stage act but quickly led to an HBO special in 1981. The character became so popular that it spawned two motion pictures: Pee-wee’s Big Adventure in 1985, and Big Top Pee-wee in 1988. And then there was Pee-wee’s Playhouse, an Emmy Award winning children’s series that ran on CBS from 1986-1991.
The character’s success came to a screeching halt when Reubens was arrested in 1991 for allegedly masturbating in a porn theater. Reubens eventually plead “no contest” to the charge of indecent exposure just to put the matter behind him, paid a $50.00 fine and was ordered to perform 70 hours of community service. But that public fiasco spelled immediate doom for “Pee-wee,” that is, until recently.
After decades of being shut out in the dark, the iconic character has made a triumphant return to the spotlight through a special HBO presentation which will air Pee-wee’s new stage show, recorded live at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre in New York City. You can watch a preview clip of that special below. The HBO special is set to air March 19 at 10 PM.
Pee-wee also told Lopez that his fans will soon be seeing a lot more of him: He’s working on a new Pee-wee feature film with writer-director-producer Judd Apatow (Funny People). He told Lopez: “Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, and me – this is our moment!”
Watch a preview of “The Pee-wee Herman Show” on HBO:
( illustrated by Wes Hargis).
