NPR

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

Pee-wee As Himself tells the story of how a kid who grew up adoring The Little Rascals and I Love Lucy went on to revolutionize sketch comedy and children's television. In 1986, one of the most ...
The Hollywood Reporter

The ’Pee-wee as Himself’ Trailer Is a Party, and You’re Invited

The two-part posthumous Paul Reubens documentary out of Sundance premieres one month from today on HBO and Max. By Tony Maglio The man behind Pee-wee Herman, Paul Reubens (Blow), is ready to truly ...
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 Boston Globe

‘Pee-wee as Himself’ is a bittersweet look at the price of fame

The two-part HBO documentary series, “Pee-wee as Himself” follows in the footsteps of “Faye,” “Sly,” and “Martha”; that is, it’s a film where the subject speaks for himself in interviews conducted by ...
Salon

“Pee-wee as Himself” reveals Paul Reubens’ struggle for control—on and off screen

As Pee-wee Herman, Paul Reubens was a performance artist hiding in plain sight in mainstream popular culture. His fictional character, a hyperactive, bow-tied man-child, provided subversive messages ...
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 ...