Comedian Paul Reubens, the creator of Pee-wee Herman, faces off with director Matt Wolf over control in the two-part HBO documentary ‘Pee-wee as Himself.’ Released on Friday, the film offers unprecedented access to Reubens’ life and career, despite him cutting off contact with Wolf after a year.
Reubens recorded audio before his death last July, discussing how he made the documentary to let people see his true self and confront his past struggles. The film charts his rise to fame as Pee-wee Herman, from his early days in comedy troupe The Groundlings to his worldwide phenomenon status, with interviews from friends and collaborators like Laurence Fishburne.
However, the documentary also delves into Reubens’ personal life, including his private battle with cancer and two high-profile arrests for indecent exposure and possession of child pornography. His representatives deny these allegations, but Reubens uses the film to explain how the scandals affected him and why sharing his story was difficult.
The documentary balances Reubens’ controlling nature with Wolf’s interviews featuring former employees, offering a nuanced portrait of an artist who rarely revealed himself publicly. ‘Pee-wee as Himself’ provides a touching look at Reubens’ life, both in comedy and personal struggles, before his untimely death.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/05/21/nx-s1-5405463/pee-wee-as-himself-paul-reubens-nine-perfect-strangers-couples-therapy