Actor and infamous in-cinema masturbator Paul Reubens, best known for his comic, kid-friendly alter-ego Pee-wee Herman, is dead of cancer at seventy. Even though seventy is relatively young by today's standards, I didn't realize Reubens was that old.
I have to admit that I don't know all that much about Reubens. I never watched any Pee-wee-related material except for two movies directed by Tim Burton: (1) "Pee-wee's Big Adventure," which featured the iconic Large Marge. Reubens also cameoed in (2) Tim Burton's second Batman movie, "Batman Returns," in the brief role of Oswald Cobblepot's father. Aside from that, there was the masturbation scandal in which Reubens was caught whacking off in a porn theater. I think he was also charged, later on, with possession of obscene material including portrayals of underage sex, but I'm not sure whether those charges ever stuck.
Reubens apparently was a hit among kids for several years as his Pee-wee alter ego. After his scandals, he turned to more serious dramatic work in film, but I don't recall that he ever did anything that made much of a splash. He was, for me, a bit of a fixture from my youth, but he was only ever peripheral in my consciousness. Despite that, here's hoping he rests in peace.
ADDENDUM: oh, yeah... he was in the movie version of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." I forgot about that, and I did see that movie.
I thought he was talented, despite being a bit whacked. *ahem*
ReplyDeleteRest in Peace, Pee Wee.
His Saturday morning series was the highest rated of all on at that time, including a couple of years of reruns after he quit filming. Cowboy Curtis became quite famous after his start on the show. Sadly, CBS pulled it as quickly as they could after he was caught with his pants down. Their hasty decision doomed their Saturday morning cartoon programming as they never recovered from Pee Wee's wee wee. RIP, Paul.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I was surprised to hear that he was seventy, too.
ReplyDeleteAnd he did have talent, even if he did have his problems (like all of us). Considering some of the things that have come out of Hollywood in the intervening years, his infractions seem relatively harmless now.