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| Pee-wee Herman (Paul Reubens) and Miss Yvonne (Lynne Stewart) ham it up on Pee-wee's Playhouse . Image Entertainment |
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July 18, 2006, 9:31AM
NEW ON DVD
For Pee-wee, today's secret word is ... revival
By LANA BERKOWITZ
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle
Could 1980s superstar Pee-wee Herman make a comeback?
Pee-wee creator Paul Reubens hopes so. He has finished a script for a third Pee-wee Herman film, and is more than pleased that reruns of the 1986-91 series were added to Cartoon Network's Adult Swim lineup last week. Today marks the DVD release of The Pee-wee Herman Show , a 1981 taping of his stage show that introduced the childlike man in a tight gray suit to a national audience via HBO.
After the cable special, two films ? the first directed by Tim Burton ? and a Saturday morning series, outrageous Pee-wee Herman of the 1980s was oh-so-quotable.
I know you are, but what am I?
All those Pee-wee catchphrases, however, took a different spin when Reubens was arrested in 1991 for indecent exposure at an X-rated movie house in Florida.Although Reubens' record was cleared after he paid a fine and made a public-service announcement, Pee-wee's Playhouse reruns were yanked, and Reubens mothballed the tight gray suit and red bow tie. Pee-wee mania died.
Why don't you marry it?
Cartoon Network thought Pee-wee's Playhouse would be a good fit for Adult Swim, the programming block aimed at viewers 14 and older beginning at 9:30 p.m. weeknights."We live in a society today where everyone wants to be younger than they really are. Forty is the new 20, 50 is the new 30, and even Hugh Hefner recently said that 80 is the new 40," said Keith Crofford, an Adult Swim vice president. "So it makes sense that if you are 20 or 30, you're yearning to revisit your childhood. I can't think of a better way than by watching this absurdist's view of a 'kids' show.' "
I meant to do that
Paul Reubens, 53, doesn't want to talk about his personal life, but he's ready to reintroduce his Pee-wee Herman character. He's proud of Pee-wee's Playhouse , which won 22 Emmys."It was very ambitious in a lot of ways. I tried to do something that kind of disguised its educational content. I felt that we were successful in making it really entertaining," Reubens said, of the series that slipped in messages about selfishness, mocking others and feeling left out.
"And we had Randy the bad marionette that was constantly making the wrong decision and getting in trouble," Reubens noted.
Made you look
Most people, however, enjoyed the show for its manic weirdness, which was crazy enough for kids and smart enough for adults.The outlandish characters included flamboyant Cowboy Curtis, glamorous Miss Yvonne, no-nonsense Reba the Mail Lady, snarling but good-hearted Captain Carl, Jambi the green genie and Tito the always topless lifeguard.
Pee-wee's household items also contributed to the mayhem. Chairry, Conky the robot, Globey, Clocky, Mr. Window, Magic Screen, Mr. Kite and even the food in the refrigerator had distinct personalities.
Connect the dots ? la la la la la
Reubens notes that Pee-wee and his friends never left the playhouse, and that's the premise for the film that he's working to get financed and hopes to start shooting in early 2007."It's a a big-screen epic adventure," Reubens said. "This movie shows what's outside the playhouse. Where is the playhouse? What land is the playhouse in? This is going to answer lots of those questions."
Today's secret word is ...
There will be new characters, including a scary villain, and Reubens hopes actors ? Laurence Fishburne, S. Epatha Merkerson, John Paragon ? who played fan favorites will be back."I can't imagine doing it without those people. I'm just going to have to figure out how to beg them" Reubens said. "I'm sure they'll all do it. It was a fun job."