https://variety.com/2023/film/news/paul-reubens-dead-pee-wee-herman-
So sorry to hear it!
Excerpt:
“Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of
kindness,” wrote Reubens’ estate in the caption. “Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit. A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured
friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit.”
From acclaimed gay film critic Vito Russo (1946-1990):
"Probably the only subversive presence in the American media currently challenging assumptions about gender specificity is Pee Wee Herman. It is precisely because Herman is so outrageous that he is so subversive. A children's comic whose material is
based on the revenge humor of a sissy wounded by bullies all his life, Herman is such a kid himself that at first you don't notice he's performing in a full face of makeup with bright red lipstick. His first feature-length film, Pee Wee's Big Adventure (
1985), considerably tones down the sexual innuendo so blatant in his first appearances in nightclubs and, especially, his HBO special, 'The Pee Wee Herman Show.' On the latter there was direct sexual dialogue between Pee Wee and a handsome blond mailman
with sexy legs and a leering gay attitude.
"On his Saturday morning children's show, Herman often does quite dangerous gay-related material. Recently, he and another male character were married and even had a kissing scene. 'Pee Wee is anti-Rambo,' said Barry Walters in the Village Voice. 'He
argues against compulsory polarization of the sexes by summoning up a child's androgyny. Being just a kid allows Pee Wee and his pals to play with gender codes unnoticed, and therefore all the more subversively.'
"If Pee Wee Herman were a typically masculine-looking comic using the same material, it would provoke outrage. Milton Berle always wore a dress when doing gay humor. Pee Wee is safe because he too performs in the guise of a creature people don't
recognize as serious. Paul Reubens, who plays Pee Wee, is almost never interviewed outside his Pee Wee persona. The most he would say to an interviewer on the subject was, "I just want kids to know that it's okay to be different."
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