PAUL REUBENS

Actor best known as Pee-wee Herman, died at 70

Paul Reubens was born August 27th, 1952 in Peekskill, NY. Best known for his iconic character Pee Wee Herman, Reubens got his start in show business in the 1970’s as part of the LA based improv comedy team called The Groundlings who used to perform in a sketch comedy theatre. Eventually the team came up with a challenge of sorts to each come up with their own “comedy club” persona, and Paul created Pee Wee Herman as a nerdy guy that would never make it on a comedy stage. The character with his signature laugh and witty catch phrase “I know you are, but what am I,” became such a hit that he was picked up by HBO to do a comedy special in 1981. This eventually led to his breakout with the major motion picture “Peewee's Big Adventure” in 1985. The movie was a modest success but became a cult classic, with a huge following of fans. This paved the way for Pee Wee’s Playhouse, a sindicated children’s show and two more movies; “Big Top Pee Wee” and “Pee Wee’s Big Holiday.” The character of Pee Wee Herman was so Iconic that it was actually Pee Wee who got a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame rather than Paul Reubens. And “Pee Wee’s Playhouse” was nominated for more than 20 Daytime Emmy Awards, although it never won any.

“The inspiration behind ‘Crown’ is about what we see happening on a daily basis,” says Samory I. “People losing themselves, or manipulating their image and their values, for worldly gain and acceptance in society. We remain Rasta no matter how hard the wind blows or the tide rises.”

It wasn’t all giggles and witty remarks for Paul Reuben however; and his reputation was scarred in 1991 when his infamous arrest for publicly masturbating in an adult movie theater in Sarasota, FL began circulating through the headlines. It was a definite roadblock for Paul’s career, but it turned out not to be a wall.

He eventually got back on track after a few years and with much support from his peers in the celebrity world who came to his defense and called his actions reckless but not dangerous or inherently criminal. And ultimately he regained his access to the spotlight, with reruns of “Pee Wee’s Playhouse” returning to network television after a few years of being blacklisted. Over the years between 1992 and the 2023 Paul Reuben was trying to get out of his type-cast character who was last seen in 2016’s Netflix movie “Pee Wee’s Big Holiday.” During this time Paukl Reubens tried with moderate success to make a name for himself as a more serious actor, by portraying a vampire in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie and also the father of the penguin in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns. It should be noted that the original Pee Wee Herman’s Big Adventure was Tim Burton’s directorial debut. Paul also ha da recurring character role on Murphy Brown and had roles on primetime shows like The Blacklist, Gotham and dozens of other shows. He also starred alongside Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz in the 2002 film Blow, playing the flamboyant hairdressing drug dealer, Derek Foreal. Ultimately overlooking his lapses in judgement, he led a very lucrative and successful career. He made countless people around the world laugh at his antics, and his catch phrases including “I know you are but what am I,” became staples of youth lingo throughout the 1980s and 1990’s. I know I personally used that line many times growing up. He also inspired kindness and acceptance to children through Pee Wee’s Playhouse. Paul Reubens lost a secret six-year bout with brain cancer on July 30th and will be remembered and missed dearly by his fans, family, and peers. Paul Reubens, Pee Wee Herman it was a privilege to grow up watching your antics, may you rest in peace.

By Michael Devine u