Pee-wee as Himself
★★★★★
Pee-wee as Himself, the two-part HBO documentary directed by Matt Wolf, is more than just a nostalgic rewind. It’s a moving, funny and quietly radical deep dive into the strange and beautiful life of Paul Reubens—the man, the myth, the red bowtie.
For me, Pee-wee Herman wasn’t just a character. He was my childhood. I was obsessed with Pee-wee’s Playhouse, and I watched Pee-wee’s Big Adventure more times than I can count. I loved his offbeat, sometimes cynical humor and the way he championed creativity, curiosity and pure unfiltered weirdness. But I also remember the moment his world collided with mine in a very grown-up way: in a salon, waiting for my mom to get her haircut, flipping through a magazine with that mugshot. She quickly took it from me and said, “Don’t worry about that.”
And for a long time, I didn’t. But as I got older, I started piecing together how someone who brought so much joy could also become a cautionary tale in the eyes of a conservative culture—especially the one I grew up in.
This documentary doesn’t shy away from that fallout. In fact, what makes Pee-wee as Himself so compelling is its refusal to flatten Reubens into just a punchline or a nostalgic icon. Through audio recordings, interviews and a treasure trove of archival footage, we hear from Paul himself—reluctant, private but deeply thoughtful—as he reflects on fame, scandal, creativity and identity.
The film beautifully explores how Pee-wee Herman wasn’t just a character—he was performance art. Reubens essentially lived as Pee-wee in public for years, shielding his true self even as he delighted audiences with absurdist charm. The documentary dives into that creative paradox and how it took a toll: Pee-wee was beloved, but Paul remained hidden in plain sight.
What struck me most is how subversive Pee-wee’s Playhouse actually was. It was campy and chaotic, sure—but it was also quietly groundbreaking. The show celebrated diversity, queerness and individuality in a way that felt totally normal to us as kids and revolutionary in hindsight. Reubens infused every frame with radical kindness and inclusivity, and this doc gives that work the credit it deserves.
Yes, it’s long—nearly four hours across two parts—but the time flies by. It’s gorgeously edited, emotionally layered and gives Reubens the chance to narrate his story in a way he never had the opportunity to before. It reminded me of the recent Robin Williams and Jim Henson docs—not just for their celebration of brilliant, lost artists, but for the deep emotional imprint they left on generations of kids.
Whether you were a Pee-wee fan or not, Pee-wee as Himself is a must-watch. It’s a story about the cost of being different in a world that doesn’t always know what to do with you—and the power of turning that difference into joy.
We may never get another Pee-wee, and that’s probably the point. But now, at least, we finally get Paul.
