• by Adam Buckman , Featured Columnist, August 2, 2023

“Pee-wee’s Playhouse” was one of the wonders of 1980s television, and it is what Paul Reubens is being remembered for most in the wake of his death Sunday at age 70.

The TV show he dreamed up was a work of art, a rarity for television -- from the sets and furnishings to the cast of characters he surrounded himself with.

At the center of it all was Paul Reubens as Pee-wee Herman -- a performance like few others in the history of television.

So complete was his immersion in the Pee-wee character that he and Reubens came to be regarded as one and the same.

Even when coming across Reubens in dramatic TV roles far removed from Pee-wee, the reaction was always the same: Is that really the guy who plays Pee-wee Herman? No, it cannot be. But it was.

“Pee-wee's Playhouse” was one of those uncommon things that drew the attention and awe of children and adults alike, but not because of any hidden messages that only grownups would understand.

The show attracted its wide audience simply because the world that Paul Reubens created for his alter ego was a beautiful thing to see. Three words -- charm, charm, charm.

His friends and neighbors were unforgettable -- Cowboy Curtis (Laurence Fishburne), Captain Carl (Phil Hartman), Miss Yvonne (Lynne Marie Stewart), Globey, Jambi, the King of Cartoons and more.

Speaking of charm, what was more charming than a stuffed armchair named Chairry who would give warm, welcoming hugs with her puffy, upholstered arms to anyone who sat on her?

Whether in or out of costume, Paul Reubens apparently never lost his childlike enthusiasm for the world around him, filtered through the excited eyes of Pee-wee.

The evidence can be found on Peewee.com, a personal website made up of blogs penned by Pee-wee -- the last one dated just July 28.

Here, Pee-wee shares his delight on any given holiday, his exuberance for new Pee-wee merchandise such as a Pee-wee Chia Pet and Pee-wee tiki mugs, and his gratitude for the loyalty and affection of his fans.

The site is a showcase for fan pix and videos, including a punk Pee-wee song performed by a Chicago band, and a song written and performed by two Oregon boys titled “I Wish Pee-wee Herman Was My Neighbor.”

Many who loved visiting Pee-wee Herman in his playhouse Saturday mornings on CBS no doubt feel the same way.