Los Angeles [US], January 25: In a deeply personal revelation, the late comedian Paul Reubens, best known for his iconic Pee-wee Herman character, came out as gay in the posthumous HBO documentary Pee-wee as Himself. The two-part documentary, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 23, features Reubens’ final interviews before his passing from cancer in July 2023 at the age of 70.
For the first time, Reubens shared his truth about his sexuality, something he had kept private throughout his career. “I was out of the closet, and then, I went back in the closet,” he admitted, reflecting on his decision to conceal his identity while building his career as Pee-wee Herman.
The documentary also explores Reubens’ relationship with a man named Guy from Echo Park, Los Angeles, whose quirks influenced some of Pee-wee’s signature catchphrases, like “Mmmm! Chocolatey!”—which was inspired by Guy’s own phrase, “Mmmm! Buttery!”
Reubens opened up about the struggles he faced, including self-doubt and the fear that revealing his true identity could negatively impact his career. “I hid behind an alter ego. I spent my entire adult life hiding that I was a huge weed head. I was secretive about my sexuality, even to my friends, [out of] self-hatred or self-preservation,” he confessed. “Fame was way more complicated.”
Reubens shot to fame in the 1980s with the beloved character of Pee-wee Herman, debuting the childlike persona with the Groundlings comedy troupe in 1981. His career reached new heights with memorable appearances on Late Night with David Letterman and the release of the hit film Pee-wee’s Big Adventure in 1985.
Reubens passed away on July 30, 2023, after battling cancer privately for several years.