I remember several years ago when Double Dare host Marc Summers was interviewed on the Preston & Steve Show on 93.3 WMMR where he revealed for the first time in public that he had suffered lymphocytic leukemia for several years. "In show business, if you talk about that stuff, it's hard to get hired afterwards. My agent said, 'Well, don't talk about it.' I've sort of compressed this thing and it's made me nuts."
Since then, other celebrities were revealed to be suffering from cancer without letting the public know for similar reasons. Some were able to overcome it like voice actor Rob Paulsen and others had sadly succumb to it like actor Chadwick Boseman. But one I would've never guessed who not only went through cancer secretly, but had succumb to it recently was actor Paul Reubens a.k.a. Pee-wee Herman.
According to his estate, the following statement was posted saying, "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. Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit," it continued. "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."
Never would I have thought that I would hear such a heartbreaking announcement such as this! Literally, I was getting things ready for my sister's birthday when all of a sudden, this popped up on my social media outlets and I was reacted saying "What?! Are you serious?!" Over the past year, I have had people who I knew and loved pass away from cancer such as my aunt and a few acquaintances from church. Cancer is such a devastating disease that affects your entire body, mind, and emotions. You feel tired, weak, and hopeless. I hope that you or anyone you know never gets sick from cancer. It's not only devastating for you, but for those around you. Now that I think about it, it made so much sense why the Pee-wee's Big Adventure 35th anniversary tour didn't pick up after COVID-19 restrictions were gone or why there were no updates on Pee-wee's Playhouse: The Movie or the dark Pee-wee movie he had been working on for decades. He was very sick and couldn't do it. When I read more about Paul's death, I felt sadness coming into me. I was beyond crushed when people who I grew up with such as Robin Williams, Bob Hoskins, June Foray, and others had passed on. But I was introduced to Paul's work at a very young age which made this death a very hard one. Growing up in the late 80's and 90's, I knew about Pee-wee's Playhouse and Pee-wee's Big Adventure. I heard Paul's voice in many cartoons such as The Nightmare Before Christmas, Chowder, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Tron: Uprising, Adventure Time, and more. When Old School Lane first started in December 2011, I posted my top 10 Pee-wee Herman moments on my tumblr page because I was thrilled he was making a comeback and that became the first post that became viral because Paul himself Tweeted it. In a way, Old School Lane wouldn't have gotten its major start in the first place if it wasn't for Pee-wee Herman. So, if you loved my blog posts, podcasts, videos, and/or livestreams we've been doing for the past 10 years, Paul is partially to be thanked for getting us started.
There was also the time I met him in person at MegaCon 2018 waiting in line for almost an hour just to meet him. I remember talking with two women who were in their 40s wanting to meet Paul because they grew up with Pee-wee's Playhouse. The reason why it took so long was because he was talking to a little girl no older than 6 and answering all her questions. When I finally approached him, I told him thank you for his work and gave him a printout of the Tweet of my blog post. While he didn't remember it, he did sign it for me. I will be forever grateful of that.
The last thing I want to state before I conclude this blog post is the question I asked author and pop culture enthusiast Caseen Gaines about his book Inside Pee-wee's Playhouse way back in 2012.
Patricia- Let’s just say, heaven forbid, Paul Reubens passes away unexpectedly. Do you think that people would finally forget about his indiscretions and focus on his great achievements?
Caseen- I absolutely think so. I mean, Paul Reubens has done an amazing service in this world as Pee-wee Herman. Not only was the character entertaining, but it was inspiring to people like Kevin and a whole slew of other creative types. He has achieved great things and I think a lot of people are being reminded of that with his recent Pee-wee appearances.
Even though Paul had done his fair share of mistakes that had stilted his reputation and career, people still have fond memories of his work and how much of a sweet, kind, and gentle person he was. Craig Bartlett, the creator of Hey Arnold!, actress E.G. Daily, Stephanie Beatriz, Rob Paulsen, Wally Wingert, Lori Alan, Ricki Lake, artist Wayne White, actress and comedian Laraine Newman, animator Jorge Guitierrez, and more have left their condolences to Paul. Pee-wee Herman is currently trending on social media of people posting about their sadness for his passing and their fond memories of his work. Sure, there will be a few people who will always bring up his incidents to give their reasonings on why he shouldn't be easily forgiven, but many people have since moved on. Especially, since there were a slew of other celebrities who have done far, far worse. But I digress.
In closing, I'm going to miss Paul a lot! I will miss Pee-wee a lot! He was funny, quirky, sporadic, creative, and kind. He was one of the people I wanted to have on my podcast for an interview, but now I never will. I remember hearing about one of the last things he was working on was a memoir and a documentary about his life. I look forward to seeing them.
Let me know in the comments below about your fond memories on Paul's work. Thanks for reading and hope to see you at Old School Lane soon.
In this episode of Casual Chats, Patricia discusses about the 2016 Netflix exclusive film Pee-wee's Big Holiday, the first Pee-wee Herman movie in 28 years, alongside special guests Jaimetud, Jim Bevan, AlextheD, and book author Caseen Gaines. Warning: spoilers ahead.
In this episode of Casual Chats, Patricia brings back the first person they've ever interviewed in Old School Lane: book author/pop culture enthusiast Caseen Gaines. This time, they discuss about his upcoming book: A Christmas Story: The Behind The Scenes of a Holiday Classic.
Around August 2009, Paul Reubens announced his comeback as his beloved character Pee-wee Herman. To start it off, a stage show based of his original 1981 stage show mixed with his hit CBS TV show Pee-wee’s Playhouse was going to be shown at the Club Nokia Theater in L.A. When hearing about this comeback, a high school English teacher from Hackensack, New Jersey named Caseen Gaines jumped at the chance to see the show starring his childhood hero. Along the way, he wanted to do some research about Pee-wee’s Playhouse and any behind-the-stories of this classic show. He was shocked to hear that there were no books containing that information and very little on the Internet. He dedicated two years of his life, interviewing over 200 people involved with the stage shows, the movies, and the TV show. On September 13, 2011, Pee-wee’s Playhouse celebrated its 25th anniversary.
I celebrated it with a couple of college friends who were also Pee-wee fans and we had a Pee-wee themed party. There was a buffet of 20 different cereals, we sat down and watched our favorite episodes, we watched Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, and we ended it dancing the “Tequila” dance. Less than 2 months later, on November 1, Caseen’s hardwork paid off as his first book, Inside Pee-wee’s Playhouse: The Untold, Unauthorized, and Unpredictable Story of a Pop Phenomenon, was released in stores. To know more information about this book or if you want to purchase it, check out the website listed here: http://www.insidetheplayhouse.com/
Containing stories from actors, producers, artists, agents, and anyone else associated with Paul Reubens and his works and over 200 pictures never seen before, it chronicles the story of Paul Reubens from his early years at the Groundlings to the last day of his hit Broadway show on January 2, 2011. I already posted my review on this amazing book that you can check out here in the blog. Currently, his books are selling really well and he’s now traveling to different book stores and events doing book signings and interviews. Starting next week, February 24th, he will be at Quimby’s Bookstore in Chicago, Illinois. For more information, check out this website: http://www.quimbys.com/blog/store-events/caseen-gaines-presents-inside-pee-wees-playhouse/
Kevin and I had a chance to interview Caseen Gaines so I hope you will enjoy.
Patricia- Caseen, welcome to Old School Lane. Thanks a lot for taking the time to interview us.
Caseen- Thank you so much for having me!
Patricia- We have a lot of questions for you so I hope that you will be patient with us. (laughs) For those who don’t know about your book, can you please tell everyone a little bit about it?
Caseen- Surely. Inside Pee-wee’s Playhouse is the one and only book that covers the entire Pee-wee phenomenon. It starts off before Paul Reubens created the character and concludes with some speculation about future Pee-wee Herman projects that may be coming down the pike. Did I mention it’s filled with over 250 color photos that are all rare or never-before-seen?
Patricia- As you know, I posted your book as one of my favorite top 10 Pee-wee Herman moments of 2011. (For those who haven’t read it yet, check it out right over here). My Top 10 Favorite Pee-wee Herman moments of 2011 It was an amazing read and Kevin and I enjoyed it very much. What was the process of getting this book accomplished?
Caseen- First of all, I just wanted to say I was amazingly honored to have made your top 10. I shared the link with everyone I knew! Getting the book published was a life-changing experience. It was a lot of work, but it was also very rewarding finishing the book and, more importantly, getting feedback from Pee-wee fans around the world.
Patricia- From what I understand, you’ve interviewed over 200 people who were associated with Paul Reubens from the stage shows to the movies and TV show. However, only 100 allowed their words to be in the book. You even interviewed Reubens himself, but he chose to save his memories and stories for a future memoir. Who else did you interview that you found their stories to be just as fascinating, but never made it to the book?
Caseen- Just to clarify, I actually didn’t speak directly with Paul Reubens. I spoke with a lot of “his people,” but not actually him. In terms of people I interviewed that didn’t make the book, a lot of them were animators and backstage crew. There were so many people that worked on the show that I couldn’t fit them all in the book, unfortunately.
Patricia- A follow up to that question, the people who were also associate with Paul Reubens that you couldn’t get a hold of for some reason, who would you liked to have interviewed? Maybe E.G. Daily who played Dottie from Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Rob Zombie who was a production assistant to Pee-wee’s Playhouse, Cyndi Lauper who sang the opening song, or anyone else?
Caseen- There’s a very long list of people that I had hoped to speak to that, for one reason or another, didn’t work out. I won’t go through the whole list, but I can say that we came very close to having a foreword to the book written by Little Richard. When that fell through, it was a little bit of a bummer.
Patricia- Wow, you almost got Little Richard? That’s awesome. Too bad he didn’t make it to the book. Anyway, Kevin’s ready for his first questions.
Kevin- Hi Caseen, I just want to let you know that I loved your book as well. For as long as I can remember, I always watched Pee-wee’s Playhouse in my playpen and had my Pee-wee doll with me. Now I’m a filmmaker working on my first movie and I partially credit Paul Reubens and his Pee-wee character for inspiring me to follow my passion in making movies. Reading your book has brought me back so many happy memories of me watching the show and the movies.
Anyway, I digressed. Here’s my first question: Phil Hartman worked with Paul Reubens for many years co-writing Big Adventure as well as playing Captain Carl in the stage show and the TV show. If he was still alive, what questions would you have asked him?
Caseen- Kevin, thanks so much for the compliment. There are a million things I would ask Phil. You know, Dawna Kaufmann, a woman who was a co-creator and the producer of the original The Pee-wee Herman Show in 1981 spoke so fondly about Phil that I really feel as if I’ve met him. He really was the secret backbone to a lot of Pee-wee Herman projects and a true comedic genius. It’s a real shame that he’s gone.
Kevin- Who was the most exciting and interesting person or people that you interviewed when doing this book?
Caseen- I think I had the largest freak out when I spoke to Suzanne Kent, who played Mrs. Rene, mostly because she sounds a lot like her character and kept slipping in to her Mrs. Rene voice! Also, a lot of the puppeteers slip in to their characters’ voices a lot, too. The very first person I interviewed was Kevin Carlson, who was Clockey, Conky, and Floorey from the second season until the fifth season. He did a portion of the interview as both Clockey and Floorey and it was amazing. I felt like I was really in the playhouse!
Kevin- If you have to pick another icon to write a book about, who would it be and why? Freddy Kruger, Ernest, Elvira, Steve Urkel, Ed Grimley to name a few.
Caseen- You know, that’s a great question. There isn’t really an individual pop icon that interests me as much as Pee-wee Herman, but there are a number of films and TV shows I’d love to write about. By the way, I’m not sure if you know, but Elvira was interviewed for the book. She was an usherette during the original The Pee-wee Herman Show. I had a great conversation with her about her character and the similarities between what she does and what Paul Reubens does with Pee-wee. It was by far one of my favorite and interested interviews, even though very little of it made it into the book. It was filled with wonderful tangents and digressions, much like the one I’m on right now.
Patricia- Back to me. Now Pee-wee Herman wasn’t the only alter ego that Paul Reubens created while he was at the Groundlings. He portrayed many characters such as Jay Longtoe, the Native American who danced on his toes. If Pee-wee never existed, which of these other alter-egos do you think would have been his magnum opus?
Caseen- I don’t really know if any of those other characters would have stuck like Pee-wee did, at least in the way that they were being presented. Pee-wee really stuck because that character had a full-length show based around it, which was really the brainchild of Dawna Kaufmann, the woman I alluded to earlier.
Patricia- Speaking of Dawna Kaufmann, after reading the first chapter of your book, I was a little bit surprised and shocked reading her story. What was your experience interviewing her?
Caseen- When I interviewed Dawna, the first chapter of the book had already been written. I was reaching out to her for some more background information and, after I spoke with her, I realized I had to do a major rewrite. She’s really a remarkable person who changed pop culture history and, unfortunately, has never received the credit she deserves. I think the most amazing thing from her interviews how she had long since made her peace with the whole Pee-wee Herman stuff. She’s an amazingly accomplished television writer, producer, and she’s since transitioned into writing true crime books.
Patricia- Now, when looking at the original show again, there were a lot of characters that didn’t make it to Pee-wee’s Playhouse. Hermit Hattie, Mailman Mike, Mr. and Mrs. Jelly Donut, and Monsieur Lecroc. Who did you think would have made an awesome entry into the Playhouse?
Caseen- I always loved the Jelly Donuts, even though they were in the show really briefly. I think they would have been a great addition to the children’s show. A character like Hermit Hattie would have also worked, I think. Miss Yvonne could have used a female suitor!
Patricia- Well, a lot better than the Del Rubio Triplets, in my opinion. Anyway, I recently saw Pee-wee’s Big Adventure with a bunch of other Pee-wee fans at the library. Some of them even brought their kids who had never seen the movie before at this event. At the end, the kids were smiling and laughing while quoting their favorite lines while the parents were smiling and talking about fond memories on when they first saw it. Compared to other movies in the 80’s or even now, in your opinion, what makes Pee-wee’s Big Adventure hold up so well?
Caseen- Pee-wee’s Big Adventure is still one of my favorite films. It sounds silly, but I think the movie has an honesty to it that makes it hold up. It’s a super-simple premise with an outrageous main character, but it still feels like everything in that film could really happen. The characters feel like real people — even Pee-wee! I think that’s a real testament to the writers, Paul Reubens, and Tim Burton, of course.
Patricia- Regarding about Pee-wee’s Playhouse, there were so many people and characters that we came to know and love. However, for some, there were some characters that just seemed out of place and didn’t really get a lot of recognition or love. For me, it’s a tie between Mrs. Steve and Floory. What about you?
Caseen- I’m a big fan of Jambi, but I suppose he’s a bit of a favorite. I like Dixie a lot. She sometimes gets forgotten about. I’m also pretty partial to the Playhouse Gang, since I interviewed a lot of them!
Kevin- My turn. For people who grew up with the show, what do you think that people have gained over it as compared to today’s generation with their kids’ shows?
Caseen- I think Pee-wee’s Playhouse appeals to kids and adults, which isn’t something I can say for a lot of kids shows nowadays. I was flipping the channels the other day and saw this show called Doodlebops or something like that. I couldn’t watch more than 45 seconds before changing the channel.
Patricia- Trust me, I don’t blame you. Sorry, Kev. Continue with your questions.
Kevin- If you could take any Playhouse memorabilia, what or who would it be and why?
Caseen- I would have to take the red door. It’s iconic! Who wouldn’t want that?
Kevin- Besides Pee-wee’s Playhouse, what was your favorite show from the 80’s? Also aside from Pee-wee’s Playhouse, what show did you think was the most successful?
Caseen- I liked Muppet Babies, Garfield and Friends, Alvin and the Chipmunks, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I loved almost everything on Nickelodeon. I’m not sure what was the most successful, but shows likeFull House, Saved by the Bell, and Family Matters were huge when I was growing up — and also really popular with a wide audience.
Kevin- Do you think that Pee-wee had a crush of Ms. Yvonne?
Caseen- I think he did for sure, but I’m not sure if he knew it.
Kevin- I know that you own a Pee-wee Herman doll, just like me. Do you have your doll displayed or on its original box?
Caseen- I have a lot of Pee-wee Herman merchandise, including my doll, around the house. I have a 40 inch Pee-wee Herman doll sitting on a child’s size Chairry in my basement. It makes for a great conversation piece. Usually when I have guests sleep over, they request that I put Pee-wee in another room. I have to remind them that Pee-wee lives there, the guest is just visiting! I love that story, don’t you?
Patricia- I do. But here’s a story that I wasn’t too crazy about. Now when talking about Big Top Pee-wee, I admit that there are a lot of things about it that don’t make it as good as Big Adventure. The kiss, some of the characters, the love triangle, and Pee-wee being a farmer didn’t work for me. But when hearing the NPR interview from Paul Reubens in 2010 about his childhood growing up near a circus community and going to circus camp, I thought that was awesome. In my opinion, that would have been an awesome concept for Big Top Pee-wee if they would have focused on that a lot more. What changes do you think should have been done that would have made this movie as good as Big Adventure?
Caseen- I think Big Top Pee-wee focused too little on Pee-wee as a character. The circus folks and the romantic interests really commanded a lot of attention and drove the plot. Big Adventure is really all about Pee-wee and his quest for his prized possession. Almost 20 years later, I’m still not sure how to sum up Big Top Pee-wee in one sentence.
Kevin- I do. It sucks! It blows!
Patricia- Kevin, those are two sentences.
Kevin- Alright then; it sucks and blows.
Patricia- That’s better. Although it sounds like you’re describing a vacuum cleaner than a movie, but I’m digressing. Back to the questions. One of the most memorable moments in Pee-wee’s Playhouse was snack time. I can remember making the frozen juice pops after I saw that episode at 4 years old. What was your favorite moment in snack time? Have you actually tried to make something from snack time after you saw it? If so, what?
Caseen- I also made frozen juice pops and ice cream soup. Snack time was a great segment.
Patricia- Another one for me were the cartoons ranging from the old cartoons from the 30’s and 40’s to the Penny cartoons and El Hombre. Which were your favorites?
Caseen- I always loved the Penny cartoons. I thought they were brilliantly animated and hilarious. I still watch them on YouTube from time to time.
Kevin- Back to me, again. In the 80’s, there was another icon who portrayed himself as a man-child who became very popular with his movies and TV show, Ernest P. Worrell played by the late Jim Varney. Was there a comparison between Pee-wee and Ernest among fans?
Caseen- I think so. I also liked Ernest a lot, although he was always very different to me. Pee-wee was a smart, almost nerdy child. Ernest, in my opinion, was a very dumb adult. They were always opposite sides of the coin to me.
Kevin- In discussing the Christmas special, Patricia had mentioned that if there would have been a balance of celebrities between what Paul Reubens and the producers wanted and that kids would have wanted at the time, it would have been a bit better. I definitely agree since more than half of them only showed up for less than a minute. Here are some of the celebrities I would have loved to see at the Christmas Special:
Kermit the Frog and the Muppets
Big Bird and the cast of Sesame Street
Alf
Elvira
Beetlejuice
Roger Corman
Ernest
Rocky Balboa
Hulk Hogan
Michael Jackson
ET
R2D2 and C3P0
Who would you have loved to see on the Christmas Special?
Caseen- I was a massive Sesame Street kid, so seeing Big Bird on Pee-wee’s Playhouse would have been awesome. I would have loved to have seen some Sesame Street characters, maybe Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly, and could we have gotten Howard the Duck, just for the sheer weirdness factor?
Kevin- I am a huge Muppet fan as well. Are you one? If so, do you have any Muppet memorabilia? How did you feel about the new Muppet movie?
Caseen- I do love the Muppets. I don’t have any Muppet memorabilia really, but I did meet Carroll Spinney, who is the actor inside Big Bird, who is a proud owner of Inside Pee-wee’s Playhouse! I thought the new Muppet movie was cute, but it fell a bit short of my expectations.
Kevin- I felt that way about the movie as well. Anyway, what was your reaction when you saw Pee-wee Herman at the Muppets magazine?
Caseen- I actually own that Muppet magazine! I thought it was awesome.
Patricia- You know, Kev, Pee-wee was made into an Honorary Muppet.
Kevin- Yeah, I know. That was awesome! One more Muppet question: Do you think that the Muppets should host next year’s Oscars?
Caseen- The Muppets should have another late-night show. Remember when they had that show in the late 90’s?
Kevin- Okay, Pat. Your turn.
Patricia- Thanks, Kevin. After Pee-wee’s Playhouse was off the air, Nickelodeon became gaining in popularity with the show Rugrats. However, most recently when doing research, I noticed something interesting. One of the writers for the show was Hey Arnold and Dinosaur Train creator Craig Bartlett, who did the animation for the Penny cartoons. The voice for one of the main characters, Tommy Pickles, was E.G. Daily, who played Dottie inPee-wee’s Big Adventure. The person who did the opening theme and some of the music was Mark Mothersbaugh, who also did the opening theme and some of the music for Pee-wee’s Playhouse. The woman who sung the opening theme for Pee-wee's Playhouse was Cyndi Lauper, who also sung a song called "I Want A Mom That'll Last Forever" for Rugrats in Paris. A few years later, Paul Reubens even voiced a character in one of the Rugrats Christmas specials. Big coincidence or subtle homage?
Caseen- Big coincidence, I think! A lot of people who worked on Pee-wee’s Playhouse had no problem getting other work in the endless realm of children’s television. I think your stats prove that to be true!
Patricia- Indeed. It’s time to discuss some major thinkers. I hope you’re ready.
Caseen- Go for it!
Patricia- Over the years, a lot of celebrities have been caught with huge scandals. Some more drastic and serious than others. Eddie Murphy was caught with a transvestite prostitute, yet when he was doing mostly family films in the 90’s and early 00’s, no parent forbade their kids from watching Dr. Doolittle or the Shrekmovies. Rob Lowe did a sex tape, yet no one complained or criticized him when he’s in Parks and Recreations. However, Paul Reubens did a lesser crime in the theater, yet to this day, he’s still criticized for it. Why do you think that after 20 years later, people will still not let that go in their minds?
Caseen- I think the fact that he was a kid show performer made a big difference. Also, the fact that there was no line between Paul Reubens and Pee-wee Herman in the 1980’s made it very easy for people to go, “Oh my God, is THAT who you really are?” I don’t think he’ll ever fully have redemption from that.
Patricia- Unfortunately, I think you’re right. Following up to that question, some of the greatest icons in history have had scandals or have had problems with a substanceof whatever sort. It seems that people seem to notice that than their great achievements. They tend to make jokes about it. However, in recent years, that seems to change when great people such as Michael Jackson and more recently Whitney Houston have passed away and people finally focus on their great work. Let’s just say, heaven forbid, Paul Reubens passes away unexpectedly. Do you think that people would finally forget about his indiscretions and focus on his great achievements?
Caseen- I absolutely think so. I mean, Paul Reubens has done an amazing service in this world as Pee-wee Herman. Not only was the character entertaining, but it was inspiring to people like Kevin and a whole slew of other creative types. He has achieved great things and I think a lot of people are being reminded of that with his recent Pee-wee appearances.
Patricia- He’s also an inspiration for me too. Right now, I’m working on writing two books that were influenced by Paul Reubens, his Pee-wee movies, Pee-wee’s Playhouse, and his recent comeback. One that I plan to make a series out of and the other one is a full on novel.
Anyway, I’m not sure about you, Caseen, but I feel that some things happen for a reason, no matter how bad it seems. I know that Paul Reubens had talked about taking a break as Pee-wee in 1990 after being exhausted doing all the work he did for starring, writing, producing, and co-directing Pee-wee’s Playhouse. However, I felt that he was going to go back to being as Pee-wee at some point, but “the incident” pretty much stopped that from happening for 15 years. When he came back as Pee-wee, from what I read in your book, dozens of interviews from fans, reviews from the stage shows, and the entertainment news, people had missed him terribly and were beyond happy to see him again, you, me and Kevin included. They needed a moment of happiness and laughter, especially with these trying times.
Now here’s my hypothetical question. If the incidents never happened and Paul Reubens made his comeback as Pee-wee without any changes, do you think that he would’ve gotten the same love, support, attention, and welcoming of open arms that he got?
Caseen- That’s a great question. I never really thought about that. For me, the separation anxiety of having Pee-wee disappear all of a sudden did add to my enthusiasm for his return, I believe.
A great example on people’s reactions to Pee-wee’s comeback can be seeing here in this Funny or Die video last October when Paul Reubens was promoting his upcoming Broadway show.
Kevin- Alright, Pat. Time to take a break from the serious stuff. My turn.
Patricia- Go right ahead.
Kevin- Paul Reubens has done a lot of other roles over the years, including voice work. I really didn’t like Batman: The Brave and the Bold, but I loved Paul playing as Bat-Mite. How did you feel about it?
Caseen- To be honest, I never actually saw his Batman: The Brave and the Bold stuff! When it came out, I was deep in book promo, so I missed it entirely. Shame on me!
Patricia- Speaking of which, Paul has done a lot of movie and TV roles over the years. What are your favorite non Pee-wee roles and why?
Caseen- I loved him in Todd Solondz’s Life During Wartime. He’s fantastic. I think that’s my favorite non-Pee-wee role of his.
Patricia- Let’s talk about the new Pee-wee movie being produced by Judd Apatow. When I discussed it with people, I’ve gotten three different reactions: “Oh my God, I can’t wait”, “Oh, that movie has been talked about for years, it’ll never be done”, and “Really? Isn’t Paul Reubens a bit too old to play as Pee-wee? He’s way past his prime”. Let’s talk about the second statement: people that I know who play video games are calling it the Duke Nukem Forever of movies. If you don’t know about the game, it’s basically the sequel of a popular FPS game of the 90’s called Duke Nukem 3D. The character Duke Nukem was known for his one liners and over the top gameplay. The game was announced in 1997 but came out just last year after many delays. After it finally came out, critics hated it for being extremely dated, both the gameplay and Duke Nukem himself. Do you think that’ll be the case for the new movie?
Caseen- I totally remember Duke Nukem and didn’t realize a game had come out last year. You know, I’m a big fan of Paul’s and hope the film comes out, but I think the longer he waits, the worse it will do. I couldn’t imagine a Pee-wee Herman movie doing better in 2015 than it would have in 2005 or even 1995. If it doesn’t get greenlit soon, I don’t even know if it’s worth doing, financially.
Patricia- Now, let’s bring up the third statement. I remember 6 years ago when Sylvester Stallone announced that he was doing Rocky Balboa and people criticized and talked about not seeing the movie just because Stallone at the time was 60 years old and they felt that he was too old to play Rocky. However, after I saw the movie at the theaters, people were cheering for him and chanting “Rocky”, “Rocky”! at the fight scene with Mason Dixon. They loved it. Now Stallone is going to turn 66 and he’s doing The Expendables 2.
When I saw the Broadway show on DVD, I loved it and didn’t think for one second that Paul Reubens shouldn’t be doing it. I saw Pee-wee and he still got it. Do you think that people will react the same way at first when they hear more about the movie? Do you think the same results will occur if the movie is a success?
Caseen- I think Pee-wee fans will go see it, but I don’t know how well a Pee-wee movie would do broadly. I always thought the Apatow film would do really well if they took a cue from Pee-wee’s SNL digital short and added a bunch of cameos like the early Muppet movies. That might get people interested in it.
Kevin- What would be your next project?
Caseen- I know, but I can’t tell you just yet! It’s a good one though, trust me.
Kevin- One last question for me. When The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast was re-released in theaters, I saw that toy stores were carrying their toys and action figures again. Now that Pee-wee made a huge comeback and when the movie comes out, do you think that they should release new toys and merchandise at the toy stores?
Caseen- I’m a little surprised we didn’t see Pee-wee merchandise in stores with his recent Broadway run. If he’s back on TV or on the big screen, I think we’ll see Pee-wee stuff for sure.
Kevin- Alright, that’s it for me. Thanks a lot, Caseen.
Caseen- Thank you for your awesome questions!
Patricia- I have a few more questions. Thanks for being patient with me. It can be established that Pee-wee Herman, his movies and shows has made a huge influence in pop culture. Movies, TV shows, music, art, and even commercials have paid homage to Pee-wee. What is your favorite homage? What was the last one you saw?
Caseen- I loved The Simpsons episode that you cited in your Top 10 favorite Pee-wee moments. I nearly choked to death of laughter when I saw that!
Patricia- Nowadays, we see a lot of remakes based on popular cartoons and TV shows from the past. Most of them have not done as well as the originals and some of them have been downright awful. The best comeback I’ve seen in recent years is the Muppets. They went full force with their comeback; releasing hilarious YouTube videos, guest appearances on TV shows, and the movie. However, with Pee-wee’s comeback, it’s kind of the opposite. It’s a slower, but steady comeback. Whenever he appears on TV, such as the Spike TV Scream Awards last October and the guest appearance in Top Chef: Texas a few weeks ago, he becomes a huge trending topic on the Internet and people demand to see more. Which of these comebacks do you think is better: consistent appearances left and right all over the media or a slower, but steady comeback that has people craving for more?
Caseen- You know, it’s a great question, but I don’t know the answer yet. I think the comeback of Pee-wee Herman is sort of the first real slow roll out that we’ve seen of a major pop phenomenon like that. Then again, if you think about it, The Muppets have had a slow roll out too. Remember Bohemian Rhapsody a few years ago?
Patricia- In 2001, Paul Reubens had the opportunity to host a game show called You Don’t Know Jack, based off the PC game and the more recent one on the PS3 and XBOX 360. I’ve played both of them and see some similarities, while seeing some new stuff. I loved watching it, since it reminded me of those crazy 70’s game shows like Match Game in which the host interacts with the contestants and jokes around with them. I was very sad when it only lasted 6 episodes. Do you know if Paul had any involvement with the game show? Why do you think it didn’t last longer than it did?
Caseen- I enjoyed You Don’t Know Jack a lot, but I think the show was a little too wacky for primetime television. Remember, game shows were, and still are, a bit out of style, so it’s hard for them to catch on. For every Who Wants to be a Millionaire, there’s several more that lasted only a handful of episodes. With that being said, I think a lot of people were turned off by Paul Reubens’ character. He wasn’t Paul Reubens hosting the show, but Troy Stevens. The show was obviously heavily scripted and, if you’re one of the few people who actually care about watching a game show to see people win money, You Don’t Know Jack wasn’t going to satisfy you.
Patricia- True, very true. Plus, as you said, other game shows at the time such as Who Wants to be a Millionaire,The Weakest Link, Survivor, and Fear Factor pretty much cemented that You Don’t Know Jack wasn’t going to catch on. However, it is a fun game show when you play it as a video game. It’s a lot of fun on game nights.
Here’s the first episode of You Don’t Know Jack for your enjoyment.
Patricia- One last question. Are you thinking about taking this book to the next level and probably make it into a documentary?
Caseen- I’d love it! If anyone out there is a filmmaker and wants to talk, get a hold of me. Kevin, I hope you heard that part!!!
Patricia- We were actually talking about that a week ago. We were thinking of taking a huge road trip to all the places that were shown in the movies like the Alamo and the Cabazon dinosaurs. We could interview all the fans, the people who were behind it, get some rare clips and bloopers from the movies and show. You could definately join us, it’ll be fun. Anyway, Caseen Gaines, thank you so much for taking your time for this interview. Kevin and I really appreciate it. I hope that we get a chance to interview you again when you sell your 1 millionth copy of the book.
Caseen- You’ll be the first two people I’ll talk to! Thanks for the fun time. You both had great questions. By far this was the most thorough interview I’ve had about the book. I appreciated it! :) KEEP IN TOUCH!!!
Patricia- We certainly will.
Caseen Gaines will be making an appearance next week, February 24th at Quimby’s Bookstore in Chicago, Illinois. For all you Chicago or Illinois residents, head over to Quimby’s and check out the book signing. For more information about the book, check out http://www.insidetheplayhouse.com/.
In the 80's, Saturday morning TV shows for children were nothing but cartoons that mostly focused on selling their products than entertaining their audience. Shows like Transformers, G.I. Joe, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, My Little Pony, and Jem were marketing their toys and action figures with so much gusto, it wasn't funny. This made parents demand for new shows that focused on educating the minds of children and TV executives needing to create something new that would breathe life into an already predictable and tired form of entertainment. On September 13, 1986, one TV show did just that. A show that combined cartoons, puppets, stop motion animation, life lessons, and actual people that would become household names. That show was Pee-wee's Playhouse. For 5 years, Pee-wee's Playhouse was one of the most popular shows that ever graced television. It combined everything that a kid would love; a colorful and visual playhouse, talking furniture, mutant toys, a robot that would give you a secret word for you to scream real loud whenever someone said it, a dinosaur family, and lovable characters, especially Pee-wee Herman. The crazy, snarky, yet appealing man-child played by Paul Reubens, was loved by many people. Kids loved him because he was as energetic, childish, and silly as they were. They loved playing with their toys, hanging out with their friends, using their imagination, and expressing their goofy themselves without anyone caring about others think, just like Pee-wee. Parents loved him because he taught them wonderful life lessons, he taught them to make and eat creative, fun, simple, yet (mostly) healthy foods during snack time, he was reminiscent of children's shows from the 50's such as Howdy Doody and Captain Kangaroo, and the show had some subtle adult jokes that they can laugh and enjoy that would mostly get passed children's heads. It was one of the few shows in the 80's that kids, teenagers, and adults both male and female can enjoy together. However, on July 26, 1991, a day that will live in pop culture infamy, Paul Reubens was arrested for indecent exposure at a XXX theater and the Pee-wee phenomenon disappeared in an instant. The show was off the air, the toys were taken off the stores, and Pee-wee Herman, who was once the jokester, became the butt of everyone else's joke. Paul Reubens, embarrassed by his indiscretion, quit portraying himself as Pee-wee and kept a low profile for years appearing in minor roles in a few movies and TV shows such as Batman Returns, Everybody Loves Raymond, Mystery Men, Blow, 30 Rock, Murphy Brown, Pushing Daisies, Dirt, The Tripper, and Life During Wartime. People thought that the Pee-wee character was officially dead and had moved on with their lives. However, to those who grew up with the show and the movies, had missed Paul Reubens and Pee-wee terribly and wished that, somehow, he could come back and enrich their lives again with laughter and fun, especially in this time of hardships due to a long war, a low economy and unemployment. In 2007, over 15 years after the incident, Paul Reubens came back as Pee-wee Herman in the Spike TV Guys' Choice Awards and in August 2009, he announced that he was opening a stage show in L.A. based on his original 1981 show and Pee-wee's Playhouse around January 2010 and in Broadway in October 2010. The shows in L.A. and Broadway became a huge success; many critics called it "fun", "a joyous event", and that the show was "yummier than chocolate". It was official that Pee-wee Herman was back in our lives. This incredible comeback inspired a young man named Caseen Gaines to look up some information about Pee-wee Herman and some behind-the-scenes stories about Pee-wee's Playhouse. He was surprised to find out that there were no books containing that information, there was even very little information about that in the Internet. So he dedicated a good two years of his life, interviewing over 200 people who had any association with Paul Reubens, the stage show, the movies, and the TV show, and the book Inside Pee-wee's Playhouse: The Untold, Unauthorized, and Unpredictable Story of a Pop Phenomenon was released on November 1, 2011 to closely coincide Pee-wee's Playhouse's 25th anniversary. This book, not only covers the behind-the-scenes of Pee-wee's Playhouse, but it pretty much covers everything from Paul Reubens' early years at the Groundlings to the last day of the Broadway show. Here's my review for this book. Warning: some minor spoilers ahead. You may think that you know the story of Pee-wee Herman, well think again. Even after reading and listening to interviews that Paul Reubens has done over the years, watching the Biography special and the True Hollywood Special of Pee-wee Herman, it only scratched the surface of what I already knew. The first chapter discusses his early years at the Groundlings, how he came up with the Pee-wee character, and the original Pee-wee Herman Show. It showed the hard work and dedication that Paul Reubens had put into his character and the show, but it also showed equal dedication to the cast and crew of the show. People such as Lynn Marie Stewart, who played Ms. Yvonne, John Paragon, who played Jambi the Genie and Pterri the Pterodactyl, Phil Hartman, who played Captain Carl, Gary Panter, who designed the set and puppets for the stage show and Pee-wee's Playhouse,and most of all, Dawna Kaufmann, the original producer of the stage show. The second chapter covers the Pee-wee Herman tour, his late night talk show appearances, and Pee-wee's Big Adventure. There were a few instances in which the movie was very close to not being made, especially since Paul Reubens was very picky on who was going to be the director. It wasn't until he saw a short film called Frankenweenie by Tim Burton. Right away, he knew that Tim was the one to direct Pee-wee's Big Adventure. Throughout the chapter, there were a few struggles with money and agreements about certain scenes between Paul and Tim, but mostly, it ran quite smoothly and the movie was a big success. It's a movie that's still regarded to this day as a classic. When it comes to Tim Burton movies, Pee-wee's Big Adventure is one of my top 5 favorites. The third chapter covers the beginnings of Pee-wee's Playhouse, the behind-the-scenes action on how they did the animation, the introduction, the song lyrics, the origins of the characters, and many more. In this chapter, it talks about a lot of tensions that happened during the early beginnings of the show, how Paul Reubens almost refused to do the TV show, and some shocking disagreements between Paul and Phil Hartman, as well as John Paragon. It also covers the beginnings of Big Top Pee-wee and some of the ideas that Paul incorporated in the movie that didn't work well in the end, such as Pee-wee falling in love and planning to marry a girl named Winnie and the 3 minute kiss between Pee-wee and the circus performer Gina. The fourth chapter is dedicated to the Christmas Special that was released in 1988. After the failure of Big Top Pee-wee, Paul Reubens and John Paragon wrote this special in 3 days to get things back on track. It also talks about how they were able to get the effects done and the plethora of celebrities that had appeared on the special. The Christmas Special was the also the first to incorporate a Hanukkah segment in a holiday special, a good 10 years before Rugrats would do it. It also mixes in the Nativity Scene and Santa Claus at the same time, something that I rarely see in a holiday special. I enjoy this Christmas Special very much, however I would have liked it if they would have balanced some of the celebrities that they wanted and that kids would have wanted. If the Muppets, Michael Jackson, or maybe some characters from Sesame Street would have made an appearance, that would have been awesome. But trust me, when comparing it to other holiday specials from popular shows and movies from the 80's, such as the Star Wars Holiday Special, The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Christmas Special, and the He-Man and She-Ra Christmas Special, Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special holds up quite well and is still fun to watch. Chapter 5 covers the last two seasons of Pee-wee's Playhouse and how Paul Reubens became exhausted of rigorous hours of starring, writing, producing, and co-directing the show. He finished his last two seasons in less than a year and was able to take some time off, however, it didn't turn out the way he planned. This chapter covers "the incident" and for the first time, it talks on the perspective of the CBS producers and his co-workers on how they feel about it. Chapter 6 covers Paul Reubens' other movie and TV roles after Pee-wee's Playhouse, his comeback as Pee-wee Herman, the behind-the-scenes of how the stage show in L.A. happened, the upcoming movies he has planned for Pee-wee Herman, including one being produced by Judd Apatow, and the reactions of the fans seeing Pee-wee again after almost 20 years of being secluded from the world. I admit it that this is one of my favorite chapters in the whole book and I actually got a bit emotional at the end. I am beyond happy that Paul Reubens is finally getting the love and support that he deserves, since he has made many children happy with his movies and shows, especially Kevin and myself. The book finishes with an episode guide, how some of the people who worked with Paul Reubens feel about Pee-wee's Playhouse, and the Broadway show releasing on DVD for those who weren't able to see it. To conclude my review, I have to say that this book is highly recommended to Pee-wee fans or any fans of pop culture. Caseen Gaines did an excellent job in getting the fascinating, yet shocking story of one of the greatest pop culture phenomenons of all time. Whether you like Pee-wee or not, you have to admit that he has left a huge impact on the entertainment world. Without the existence of Pee-wee's Playhouse, shows wouldn't be as artistic or creative as it is today. Shows such as Blue's Clues, Yo Gabba Gabba, Adventure Time, or SpongeBob SquarePants wouldn't exist. If it wasn't for his idea of implicating subtle adult humor on kids' shows, probably shows like Ren and Stimpy, Rocko's Modern Life, or pretty much anything in Adult Swim wouldn't have been fathomed either. Reading this book has made me appreciate Paul Reubens, Pee-wee Herman, his stage shows, his movies, and Pee-wee's Playhouse more than ever. If this review has gotten you inspired to purchase the book and read it for yourself or to know more information about it, head over to this awesome website www.insidetheplayhouse.com. That's it for today, thanks for reading and I hope to catch you around the Old School Lane pretty soon. -Patricia P.S. Sometime this week, Kevin and I are going to be interviewing Caseen Gaines. If there are any questions that you have regarding the book or anything Pee-wee related, post it in the comments and I'll pick out a few for him to answer.
