PopHorror Let's Get Scared
There is one simple reason I am banned from acting up at the dinner table: Paul Reubens, as his character, known as the 80s Icon Pee-wee Herman. Though my family didn’t care if I watched it, it became my persona. I wanted to be just like him, because I was a weird kid into weird things, and he showed me that’s OK. I was bullied a lot in school until I showed off my Pee-wee’s Big Adventure dance moves. I still got bullied, but at least I had the strength to show back up, even with zero friends. In the end, I wanted to be exactly like Pee-Wee Herman.
After seeing the documentary Pee-wee, I was forever changed, in a good way.
From the moment the doc starts, you can tell it’s gonna be worth watching. You may think something along the lines of “It’s a kids’ character”. Paul Reubens was a persona, a bright light who put so much time and energy into this character. The character Paul Reubens related to the most was Pee-wee. It went so far beyond a character running around like a maniac. I will never deny that I watch the show and his movies at least once a month. I was afraid I was going to find out secret stories and gossip about one event or another, which we will not discuss because we are all adults.
The Other Side
You get to see the other side of Paul Reubens’ intensity, the smart-mouthed, sarcastic, lovable old man. Pee-wee was the brainchild of a creative genius. After creating a character he loved, he was a regular on David Letterman as a recurring guest. Paul Reubens has been everywhere and done everything in the world of performance art. He paid his dues, and life worked out great for him. I think the man deserves a giant statue right next to Mr. Rogers. That’s how much it reached into me. I started to be myself in a comfortable way, but people still bullied me, and I didn’t care. I was on my way to Stardom, imagining myself in the Playhouse. I used to wish he were my dad and we lived in the house from Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. I wanted cool bikes and Mr. T cereal.
To see the honesty of his words, the story, and his struggle. Being gay in Hollywood isn’t a big deal, but hiding it from people and becoming reclusive after the show was cancelled. Paul Reubens was able to fly under the radar, despite his popularity in the 80s and early 90s. From there, he was able to make cameos in movies such as Blow and an unforgettable performance in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie. Paul hid his iconic Pee-wee character under different makeup and features to hide his face a bit. I wonder if he even wanted that role.
In The End
You could tell that Paul Reubens is an absolute icon. Instead of kids, it’s grown men and w. We were raised on him. He was a hero to some of us. He was controversial to others, and that is completely depressing. To hide in silence after a blowup takes a lot of courage. The man was escorted to a secret place to avoid people. Paul Reubens was loved, even in his private life. He taught a lot of us lessons we needed. He built his act from the ground up.
I cried when I heard the news, I had to, I idolized the man. If you say you don’t shed tears, you haven’t truly been moved by a film. Does that sound silly? Of course it is, but not as silly as degrading someone’s death. He will forever be a legend, an inspiration, and a good person. We will always miss you.
