Pee-wee Herman's "Dark" Reboot: Paul Reubens Is Ready to Stage a Comeback

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/featu ... ck-1273962



Can he do it?

Why not?

He's 67 years old. So it can be done, but does he really want or need to, or have the health and energy to do whatever it takes?

Because he's fucking annoying?

That's no barrier to a comeback.

People just as annoying have had huge careers after a comeback.

He can try...

Rosanne’s comeback didn’t go so well.

Yeah, but she’s not just annoying, she’s also kind of crazy and a bit of an asshole.

The original Burton movie is already ... not dark, exactly. But weird and unsettling. (And awesome.)

It went great until she sabotaged herself (iirc - I didn’t watch either generation of her show).

yeah she is funny as heck but has a big mouth. Not sure why Pee Wee didn’t do something sooner considering all the streaming platforms and obscure cable channels who are only looking for material.

I think if Paul Reubens brought back a version of Pee Wee's Play House where he openly embraced
and suggested mature topics, topics like masturbation in movie theaters, I think the show could be a
success. People would get upset, though, no matter where it was being promoted (or shown), as trying
to target young children and/or to endorse child abuse. It could be pretty funny stuff, though, for adults.

It would probably sell better as a one-and-(maybe)-done movie: "Pee Wee's Continuing Big Adventures."

Pee Wee Herman's original act was VERY dark. Some idiot at CBS saw it and thought he'd make a legit children's show host and made him one.

Back in the day I knew MANY odd adults who idealized Pee Wee. He struck a chord with all the slightly perverted, the outcast queers and the geeky nerds who loved glitter. He made them feel normal and that is quite a gift.

I am interested in whatever his next chapter is.

He's hilarious. The original 1980s stage "Pee Wee" show is great -- although the one available on DVD is certainly not dark, it's just got more of an adult sensibility to it. But maybe the one that was put out on video years ago is a revised version?

At any rate, the children's TV show is also a brilliant piece of work in its own right -- it was far better than contemporary Saturday morning children's fare (I know, I was a child taking in all that fare), and it still holds up now. Meanwhile, "Pee Wee's Big Adventure" is one of the best movies of all time.

The later Broadway show from ten years back -- also available on DVD -- is a pretty brilliant synthesis of the TV show and the original Groundlings special from the early 1980s. Just on a technical level alone, it's amazing how much skill and artistry went into creating a live version of all the animatronics and puppetry from the Saturday morning series.

The Netflix special from a few years back is pretty funny as well. Paul Reubens can't quite do the same Pee Wee voice anymore, but his comedic sensibilities are still really sharp and enjoyably off-center.

The only major Pee Wee artifact I personally have yet to absorb is "Big Top Pee Wee." It always looked kind of lame to me, but ... I love everything else he's done, so I don't know why I'm avoiding it.

Bottom line, I think Paul Reubens is a remarkably talented comedic performer and writer. I'm certainly on board for the documentary.

Big Top Pee Wee is funny - not as brilliant as Big Adventure, but certainly not to be avoided, IMO.

Man! It's like I have a mental block, telling me that I won't like it even though generally speaking I like all things Pee-Wee.

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN

The complete series of Pee-wee's Playhouse is coming to Blu-ray tomorrow:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D4F8T3BK/?tag=imwan-20

I did finally watch Big Top Pee Wee, and I loved it. In retrospect I was a fool to avoid it for so long. It's a delight.

RIP Miss Yvonne