I could write an entire essay about Pee-Wee Herman. About all three films, the HBO specials, the TV show, the television and other film cameos (you ever see Back to the Beach?) and equally about Paul Reubens himself. I shall keep this short though and use the words from my two tweets on the subject (although with one small additional paragraph):
Feeling slightly numb over the passing of Paul Reubens. Pee-Wee was childhood, letting adults be children, holding on to the nonsense and never let it go. Paul also was just a fine actor and one of the few to ever play the same role in a Batman vehicle twice. A master comedian.
Obviously I adored Pee-Wee. Chairy was life, but it was this moment in Buffy The Vampire Slayer in which Paul Reubens broke out pure improv that was so good that the Kuzuis kept it in. Movie (or legacy) wouldn’t have the same magic without it.
Roles like Buffy are just part of an amazing amout of roles that cement that he be remembered as Paul Reubens in whole. His turns on Murphy Brown, a prolific voice acting career, dramatic turns in the film BLOW and the tv series The Blacklist as well as HBO’s Mosaic. Paul Reubens created an instituitional character that should be forever part of our mental ether while also developing an amazing career. Also, he co-starred in this David LaChappele directed Elton John video as John Reid to Justin Timberlake’s Elton.