NPR

'Pee-wee as Himself' is a portrait of a private man and his public alter ego

In 1986, one of the most unusual and iconic kids' TV shows debuted. (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "PEE-WEE'S PLAYHOUSE THEME") PAUL REUBENS: (As Pee-wee Herman) Hey. CYNDI LAUPER: (Singing) Come in and pull ...
Houston Public Media

'Pee-wee as Himself' gives unprecedented access to an eccentric comedy legend

Moments into the illuminating, two-part HBO documentary Pee-wee as Himself, what emerges pretty quickly is a struggle for control. Paul Reubens, the performer who invented the Pee-wee Herman character ...
The New York Times

Pee-wee’s Legacy: A Network of Ambitious Weirdos

Paul Reubens’s performance as Pee-wee Herman gave fans “license to be weird.” At an underground cabaret, he cheered on his community of renegades. Paul Reubens, as seen in the documentary “Pee-wee as ...
The New York Times

Review: ‘Pee-wee as Himself’ Finds the Man Behind the Man-Child

This fascinating though incomplete documentary tells Paul Reubens’s story despite the subject’s doubts about the project. By James Poniewozik The title of “Pee-wee as Himself,” the two-part ...
USA Today

'Pee-wee as Himself' examines Paul Reubens' controversial past, delivers final message

You remember the distinctive laugh, the gray, slender-fitting suit and the cherry red bow tie. But do you have any recollection of the man who brought Pee-wee Herman to life, save for a fuzzy memory ...