RIP Paul Reubens

Little Natasha Lyonne was one of the kids in the Playhouse Gang. And The Pee-Wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special had some of the best (and weirdest) special guest star stunt casting ever. 

Damn, I think I missed the Christmas Special.

The Dinosaur family is Jewish and can be seen lighting a Menorah! 

As one would expect!

K.D. Lang was on there when Ronald Reagan’s hateful presidency was ending, and  there weren’t a lot of out LGBT folks on tv

That poor woman, she’s brilliant but man did she suffer from addiction issues and is lucky to be alive. She has a new show on Peacock that is a lot of fun just for the acting even if it is absurd (ist ).

Pokerface is really good. I preferred Russian Doll. 

AKA Cowboy Curtis? Yes, Lawrence Fishburne!

He had a showtime or HBO thing. Phill Hartman was Captin Karl. Taped in Chicago that made me a fan. "Were go when I wanna go, when I wanna do what I want? " 

Hartman as Captain Carl was on the first Season of Pee-Wee’s Playhouse too. 

The HBO Special was called “The Pee-Wee Herman Show”. 

Peewee was my spirit animal. He is who I am when I’m alone and don’t have to keep pretending to be a grownup.

That show shaped my brain in positive ways that I’ll probably never be able to grasp, and made things make sense.  Dad and I loved it, mom and gramma not so much (probably because they could tell it was somehow subversive).

RIP  -_-

Spongebob before spongebob, live. 

I will never forget how Gilbert Gottfried defended his first arrest. Another one we lost too soon. 

Clarification: How Gottfried defended REUBENS, not the arrest. 

“Arrested for Masturbation? It’s turns out when I was a teenager I was Al Capone!” 

If I remember correctly, he was masturbating in a theater where films were shown and masturbation was anticipated.  My question at the time was — why are the cops in that theater?  I know, I can answer my own question.  Then there was the bogus child porn charge — dropped.  They’d have to arrest every curator in every museum in the world for the same stuff.  RIP Pee-Wee — “let’s talk about your big but(t).”

Believe it or not the police are known to go and rated x theaters on occasion to the check out what's going on. 

A friend of mine who is a sapd officer got assigned to a vice detail when they had to do that sort of thing.

And for the record most p*** theaters do not appreciate you doing sex acts inside their businesses.

They were probably in the wrong line of work, then. At any rate, the internet made all of that unnecessary.  

“...everybody’s got a big ‘but’...”p.w.

For those that don’t remember, what Gilbert said was “If masturbation was a crime, I would be on death row.”  It was that set of jokes, made at the 1991 Emmy broadcast, that got Gilbert banned from future Emmy appearances and some think blacklisted.

Too soon?

Nooooooooo! Between PeeWee and Sinéad… So sad and such a loss!

I did not think he was that old. Maybe it was Pee Wee’s persona, which seemed to project everlasting youthful exuberance.

Godspeed.

Cancer doesn’t care how old a person is :(

That is so true.  My sister was only 16 when diagnosed with a brain tumor.  She died a short time after her 18th birthday.

Very sorry for your loss. So tragic. So unfair. 

My sister died at age 39 after being diagnosed with breast cancer at age 36. 

We are never quite the same after they’re gone. Hugs.

Fuck cancer.

It’s also worth noting that Pee Wee’s Big Adventure was Tim Burton’s directorial debut.  My guess is that some of the darker elements were Burton’s ideas (Large Marge, crazy clowns operating on the bike, etc) and those were a perfect match to the goofy craziness that was Pee Wee.  
 

So many great scenes but that post-dream opening sequence with the breakfast machine (shades of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), making tape faces in the bathroom mirror, etc — the beauty of childlike imagination!

(And for Angelenos of a certain age that drove too and from Palm Springs, a goof memory of when the dinosaurs were stand alone features — not to mention good memories of parts of Santa Monica before gentrification).  

I’m trying to remember where it came from but a favorite line was “everyone has a big “but.”  Let’s talk about your big “but,” Susan.”

Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure. And it was Dottie, not Susan. 

That movie was also famous for the line “There’s no basement at the Alamo!” Years later, Alamo tour guides still report they are constantly asked where the basement is. 

Sorry — been a while since I’ve seen it.  I had “Susan” stuck in my head for some reason.

Let’s just be glad we’re not playing pub trivia against Matt Z. :)

I would have lost that round. Simone said it, not Dottie. I mixed them up because Dottie was the more memorable role. 

Darmok has it right. It was Simone. Dottie was his gal pal. 

Actually, I think it was Simone, who always had a reason not to go to Paris.  “Let’s talk about your big but” was the prompt for Simone’s boyfriend, Andy, to break in and break up their discussion.  (Which also includes, “no one’s ever put it to me like that before, Pee Wee!”). 

Oh, you’re right. Simone said that, not Dottie. Diane Salinger not Elizabeth Daily. 

Nerd recognizes nerd. 

Actually, it was the waitress in the dinosaur whose name I forget who was the subject of “Let’s talk about your big but.”  Jan Hook delivered that memorable line in one of the funniest scenes ever — “Can you say tor-tee-ya”?

Oops, should have scrolled down and thanks, Darmok for Simone’s name.

The chewing gum made those scenes in the Alamo so damned funny. I love Jan Hooks.

“There are thousands and thousands of uses for corn, all of which I’m going to tell you about right now!”  Jan Hooks was just brilliant as the Alamo tour guide.  (Speaking of another wonderfully talented person gone too soon).  

I think that the cut that is made at the end of her sentence is the best edit in cinema history.  

Jan Hooks, a super funny lady also gone too soon. 

She's another we lost far too soon.

Jan Hook had a comic genius that served her well.  When she was on *3rd Rock From the Sun* as Mrs Dubchek's daughter she was on fire!  I miss your humor, Jan.

And Cowboy Curtis (Wasn’t he credited as Larry Fishburne at this stage of his career?) had his own catch phrase:  Big Feet, Big Boots.

Can't hear the song Tequila without thinking of Pee Wee.

I LOVED Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. Sad to hear he died :-(

Pee Wee is now riding with Large Marge again.

PeeWee/Paul was the absolute favorite of our dear departed and sorely missed Jeremy/BF/ CameronProf.

He mentioned on numerous occasions how Paul brought laughter and light to his often dismal days.

In my minds eye, Jeremy is there welcoming his new friend, and then getting a personal performance with love and laughter. 

I love that so much. Pee-wee’s Instagram feed was full of heartfelt nuggets of joy — tbh, it reminds me very much of your diaries, here, Tevye: always good for a warm smile.

Deeply appreciated, friend. Thank you.

Grace Jones singing “Little Drummer Boy” on a Saturday morning kids show — the best!

Were he still around my late partner Mario would be absolutely devastated right now. In his late 30s he turned watching Pee Wee’s Playhouse an integral part of his recovery from substance abuse (and childhood trauma). We absolutely HAD to go see Pee Wee’s Great Adventure as soon as it hit the theaters.

Rubens was two years younger than I am. Each time a person of note passes away and they are younger than my current age it’s a reminder to me that I live on borrowed time.

Condolences to his friends, family, loved ones and millions of fans.

Among the many other things Reubens did, he was also the voice of Max, the ship computer in Flight of the Navigator, which I remember fondly as one of my favorite films during my childhood.

That movie, it turns out, had a lot of impact. It was a pioneer in the use of several types of CGI, and was among the first films with an electronic music score. Oh, and it was also one of the first significant film roles for Sarah Jessica Parker because why wouldn’t it be, right?

One of my absolute favorite movie scenes!  He was a great comic.  I came to like him through my son. RIP Pee-Wee. 

Which inspired one of the best known dances of 80s hip hop, HUGE for us when I was in Jr high:

x

x

So fabulous. It’s a sad week for foundational Gen X influences. 

“...BREAK dancing - haHA!!!...”p.w.

He was great. RIP

Some friends of mine who often enjoyed hallucinogenics took to watching Pee-Wee's Playhouse. After about the second or third time visiting I asked why they were watching it. Part of it they said was that the playhouse itself resembled an acid trip. And they thought the humor overall was pretty subversive. I started watching it with them, never in such a state myself, and had to agree. We were mildly surprised it was on television. It wasn't until years later that I recognized some of the people who would guest star on it.

It was a fine example of stupid humor, making fun of stupidity and certain social expectations. Yet at the the same time it was fine as a children's program overall and kind of innocent in its own way.  

Loved him in his Pee Wee manifestation.  Sorry to see him go, and sorry he was ruined in the MSM years ago.

How was he ruined?

He got caught doing something he shouldn't have been doing by the police on a surprise inspection and basically tried to talk his way out of it.

I can't feel that sorry for him in circumstances like that.

His career never recovered— that’s how. 

And sure, doing something naughty in an adult movie theater that an undercover cop saw  is naughty, especially in puritan upright Florida,but the MSM shunning and shaming was a bit overmuch.  

Fortunate indeed that Sarasota County had such a low crime rate in all other categories that the force could afford to send an undercover cop to snoop around an adult movie theater for crimes therein.

As for how you feel about it, I’m sorry you feel that way.

He also was later caught with child pornography.  Yea.  Great guy.

“Pull my finger.”  -The Spleen,  Mystery Men (funniest movie ever made) 

I’ll second that. 

I was scrolling down to see if anyone mentioned this role of his. It is such a funny movie, and Paul Reubens did such a great job, and fit so well with the rest of the cast. 

“We struck down evil with the sword of teamwork, and the hammer of not bickering “

A family favorite! 

Reubens was the 1980s’ Jerry Lewis. My girls grew up with him. Rest In Peace, Pee Wee.

Hopefully he was a nicer person than Jerry Lewis turned out to be.

Yeah, I wasn’t a Jerry Lewis fan. But Pee-Wee obviously borrowed a lot of his shtick from him.

Watch the audience at the MTV awards give Pee-wee an insane standing ovation on what I believe was his first public appearance after his arrest. A true show of love, with Paul doing his  schtick, but then you could see him get choked up while the ovation went on and on.

At the time of his arrest, he was deeply depressed. He invented Pee-wee’s Playhouse in for a stage show in LA. He had originally thought it would play for a short time, but it was an incredible hit, although leaving him permanently typecast. It was one of the finest comedy works, with the most brilliant timing, and I believe it is still available on HBO. He was living with his mother in her condo in Florida, even while earning $17mm a year in royalties from his brilliant “kids’ show” Pee-wees Playhouse, which won an incredible 22 Emmys.  Of course, he lost all that. Real love to Paul Reubens, I used to watch his show with my daughters. 

He later had a respectable voice-over career. My favorite cartoon role of his was Bat-Mite on Batman: The Brave And The Bold. He also played one of the villains on the recent Mickey Mouse preschool shows. 

Dammit! I’m still sad over the loss of Sinead O’Connor and now Pee-Wee?!?!? Jeeeeez.

He was fabulous as The Spleen in that wonderful movie, “ Mystery Men”. Great cast all around. Ben Stiller , Janeanne Garofalo, Bill Macy, Hank Azaria, Greg Kinnear and Geoffrey Rush, Lena Olin, Suzy (formerly Eddie). Izzard, Tom Waits.  Fantastic.  If I don’t find out who I lent my dvd to, I shall go mad!

Baruch dayan ha’emet.

He will be missed. 

He brought so much joy to so many people.  I’ll miss him a lot.

I am sorry he has passed away.  He was very talented, but like a lot of very talented people, he was very weird.  I attended one of his live performances once, in which he threw handfuls of Tootsie Roll midgees at the audience members.  He did not gently toss the Tootsie Roll midgees at the audience; he forcefully hurled the Tootsie Roll midgees right at the audience.  I was genuinely afraid he might hit me in the eye.

PeeWee was preceded in death by his friends Jamb (John Paragon) and Capt Carl (Phil Hartman).
May he rest in peace.

I wasn’t a big Pee-Wee fan, but I really liked Reubens in “Blow”: 

He was brilliant.

If you haven’t seen What We Do In The Shadows, the TV show, Reubens plays his character from the movie, Buffy The Vampire Slayer. He was hilarious as a vampire. RIP. 

AGH! Terribly sad! Can’t believe it!

My heart is broke… my son, my best friend and I watched his show every Saturday morning, taped all the episodes and still just crack up at them.  I still have a never worn Pee-Wee’s Playhouse jacket I bought for my son back in the 80’s.  (He wouldn’t wear it lol)

Sounds like a real collector’s item, Queeni3001!

When I was a kid and I had a slumber party I always insisted on renting The Never-ending Story and Peewee’s Big Adventure, though I always made an excuse to leave the room when the clowns showed up. That movie was formative to me, and when you rewatch it today it holds up. It’s still hilarious. It always makes me happy when he shows up in other movies and television. I squealed in delight when he showed up on What we do in the Shadows.

He’ll be missed.

The “secret word” on Playhouse was magnificent subversion… yes let’s have a feature specifically targeted to prompt hyper-sugared kids to make as much noise as possible earlyish on a Saturday morning. Take that, Moms and/or Dads!

Once the Secret Word was “Help”. I was like “Oh, this will NOT end well.” 

My mother, a retired music teacher, watched the show with my baby daughter and me.  She was horrified that I let my child watch a show that encouraged children to scream.

My introduction to Paul Reubens was the “hamburger dude” he played on Cheech and Chong’s Nice Dreams.  “I’m not sorry!! Bhahahaha!!” 

I was just about to post the same thing.  Here’s a link to that bit from the movie.

www.dailymotion.com/...

Reubens also provided the voice of the pilot droid in Disneyland’s Star Tours ride, RX-24 (“Rex”) — right down to saying “I meant to do that!” after a near-miss.

Pee-Wee’s Playhouse was like a John Waters film turned into a kid’s show. At a time when most Saturday morning programming consisted of blatant toy commercials with anti-drug and pro-groupthink moralizing, Pee Wee blew the roof off the Reagan 80s.

Pee-Wee’s Playhouse was like a John Waters film turned into a kid’s show.

This, exactly.

“I meant to do that!” is my most favorite line and scene in the movie.

“Like a John Waters film turned into a kid’s show:” That totally encapsulates the vibe!

I’ve not seen this one yet. He had a cameo on the wonderfully fun  Frankie and Annette “Back To The Beach” movie — playing himself doing a trippy “Bird is the Word”

 this scene NEVER fails to bring a smile and laugh. It’s an annual movie for us that we play every summer — even if we’re not going Back To The Beach.

May he RIP - and thanks for the smiles!

great scene in that movie with Dick Dale and Stevie Ray Vaughn playing Pipeline.      

2 guitar legends!

Also, as I watched the more famous/familiar faces in the clip, dresoteric, I realized that most/all of them are gone (except, possibly, the Beaver?). *sigh*