Wow, Paul Reubens is a freaking genius. He had just barely started his comedy career, and he had that audience eating out of the palm of his hand! By the way, I hope you all realize that this is likely his first ever recorded performance of doing the iconic tequila dance, from the movie " Pee-wee's Big Adventure." This footage is a valuable piece of comedic history, and the perfect example of why the Pee Wee Herman character is so iconic, and why Paul Reubens is going to be remembered as a comic Legend. Paul Rubens well deserves a place in the Comedy Hall of Fame.
Came here because I just heard the news today of Mr. Reuben’s passing. May he RIP. Thank you for putting smiles on our faces and laughter in our voices.
This is pure...this is amazing. He's doing this to a room of adults...nobody had seen anything like this ...Paul Reubens was a true innovator or comedy
Wow I’m in tears. He looks like he had been doing this for years. Totally unique act. Complete control of himself and the audience. Just an amazing performance. 😂😂😂. Part of the Genius is he is just doing and saying completely ordinary and juvenile stuff and it is hilarious due to the delivery and context. Pure comedic genius.
Well… not to spoil the fun but he *had* been doing this act/character for years at this point. The whole original gimmick of the Pee-Wee character was meant to be a send-up of the stand-up format. He was pretending to be this intentionally “bad” and inexperienced comic who was just starting out (hence the bit about him only having weeks of experience). In actuality he’d already been doing this character with The Groundlings for years in front of audiences.
RIP PeeWee...we will miss you as one of the best things of the 80s! Still gives me great laughs today watching the clips etc. Great Talent that blessed us with the best medicine-laughter!
I didn't think he was cringey until I read his obituary and learned that he had been arrested in 2002 for possession of child pornography and agreed to plead out to a lesser charge. He was definitely a very talented comic but as a person, a real POS.
@@invisibleink2644I’m certainly not defending his behavior, but it was said he’d buy “erotica” in large collections. Claims he never knew the stuff was in there. Take that with a grain of salt I guess. Again… definitely not defending his actions.
I’ve never seen this before and it’s impressive and really funny. Part of his special talent was that at the beginning he’s practically channeling a 10 y.o. boy trying to do stand up comedy, then he transitions into something a little more mature, then walks the edge between the two for the rest of the set. Just brilliant.
OMG I had tears in my eyes😂. I first saw Pee Wee on his HBO special in the 80's and thought he was brilliant. Later I bought the VHS tapes of his TV show for my 3 yr old daughter in the 90's. She loved it. When she got a little older we watched Pee Wee's Big Adventure together, which we also loved. Try to think of another comedian who was actually playing to adults, acting like a kid, and was loved by both. The man was genius! From all accounts I've seen, in real life he was a caring, thoughtful and sweet friend to those he knew. Search for Conan's tribute to him recently on YT. RIP Paul Reubens.
@@mrchopsticks3 Me: ooh, only one reply to the top comment, my Andy Kaufman comment will be perfect here, as surely that ONE other person isn't talking about Kaufman. [checks comment] Me: D'oh!
I guess im randomly asking but does someone know a trick to log back into an Instagram account? I stupidly lost the password. I appreciate any assistance you can offer me
I think a lot of people forget just how good Pee Wee is at stand up. The idea of being pissed off and bothered at the audience reaction to his own comedy is a genius move. Pee Wee and Letterman were always a great combo, too. I could never tell if David was really thrown off by Pee Wee's antics, or not (that was the genius of David Letterman, as well), and, combined with Pee Wee's awkwardness, it always made for good television.
Pretty sure Letterman was in on it and knew it was Paul Rueben's from the LA improv group the Groundlings...Carl Reiner above shows it after he brings him back for a bow. the Kaufmann/Jerry Lawler slap Dave was in the entire Joaquin Phoenix interview dave was in. Dave just never broke the 4th wall like Carl Reiner did by letting the audience in on the character.
@Bebtelovimab Letterman was interviewed once and asked who his favorite guests were and Paul was the first he mentioned. Said always unbelievably professional and prepared - all he had to do was sit back and enjoy the show.
Genius! I was in college when he showed up on the scene. We would take time out from our sometimes packed schedules to watch his whole show, Peewees Playhouse on HBO i think. Iconic characters. Captain Carl, Jambie, Cherry? The cbair. I remember more of Peewee than any course content from that time.
Fantastic set. When he gave them that first SHHH!! and sneer, he owned that audience from there on. Then he goes right to the loudest person in the crowd and gets them to participate in a gag. Brilliant showmanship. Pee Wee was such a great character. He could get away with a lot of stuff in that character that a normal comedian couldn't.
You got that right! He didn't break character until 1991, a whole decade, where everyone thought he really was Pee-wee. If you asked a dozen people during the 80s who Paul Reubens is, I doubt anyone would know...but they'd sure be able to identify who PWH is! Very few have so completely inhabited a character that the lines between character & performer were blurred. Barry Humphries as Dame Edna, Jim varney as Ernest P. Worrell, or more recently, Daniel Whitney as Larry the Cable Guy come to mind; but no one took it as far as Reubens. I hate to bring it up, but I think that's what was so shocking about his arrest. His mugshot was so far removed from PWH that some fans felt legitimate betrayal.
I would bet it's buried with the legend now; for good comedic measure...(not really) but I could hear Paul Rubens/Pee-Wee Herman in my mind now: "You gave it to me! Finder's Keepers! Nyaaah!" 🤣🤣🤣
he was a comic genius. I agree. The person that said" not". Let's see you come up with an original character... clothes... voice... dance...etc. I know, you can't.
The great thing about telling people that you have been doing stand up comedy for a couple weeks, is you can actually be nervous and it all looks like part of the act. Genius!
YOU REALLY HAVE TO WATCH PEE WEE. The subtlety of his humor is astounding. He is able to reach inside the psyche of his audience to make them feel their childhood. He brings up so many memories. Watch the whole thing, right from the beginning. Transport your self back to the time when you were a kid. Comedians today are using his brand and technique of humor. The freshness of his funniness, at this point in time, is of the scale. Yay Pee Wee. 19Nov19.
What threw the audience off was that he was so original and unexpected that the audience didn't know what to think. He coulda just stood there and had them in stiches but when he started in on them they started peeing their pants laughing and couldnt stop. Love him or hate him it was pure gold and we'll probably never see another original act in our lifetime
This man had talent no one was aware of, he did his job and had a great time. He was a natural and I miss him already(he was and will always be my hero)r.i.p
the entire original show played for 6 weeks at The Roxy in 1981 and is available right here on UA-cam. Many of the cast would go on to stardom such as Edie McClurg and Phil Hartman (RIP).
Others have said it here, too, but when he acts annoyed at the laughter, looks behind himself to see what's so funny, then does the, "stop laughing, let me talk" bit is just on a whole other level.
HILARIOUS 😂🤣😂 R.I.P pee wee Herman 🙏🏻 you made my childhood amazing especially with your pee wee's play house show. Rest in heaven Paul rueben 🙏🏻🕊️🙏🏻🕊️
It's so easy to forget how new and novel his treatment of stand-up was. Knowing him for his later work, watching the genesis (from this and from his Dating Game appearance) is wonderful.
“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” Reubens wrote. “I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.” Rest in Peace, Pee Wee Herman and Paul Rubens who brought him to us.
One of the ALL TIME greatest character comedians ever created! I wish he never had to lay low for so many years as he did after that incident in Fla. I was pulling for Pee Wee back then, and I'm pulling for him now!!! Luv you Pee Wee! The Netflix special was great! More please.....
@@TheRealElvirus Here in Austin, Pulitzer Prize winner Ben Sargent got caught doing the same thing in a porno booth. We called it his "pull it surprise"!
I had to pause this halfway through because I was laughing so hard. He was so cute, and so very funny! :) Paul was my hero, that's for sure. May his memory be a blessing.
It's hilarious watching the audience try to process this strange character they're confronted with, probably not what they were expecting from a night of stand up comedy... How many of them realized they were witnessing genius in the making?
I noticed that too. You can see it on the faces of the people in the crowd, that is exactly what they are trying to do, "process" Paul Reubens comedy, and it is just amazing to watch. He is a comedic genius, that's why the Pee-wee Herman character is so iconic, why he will be remembered as a legend, and why Paul Reubens well deserves a place in the Comedy Hall of Fame.
I mean think about it, he had just barely started his comedic career, had only been on stage of a couple of times in his life, and just had an entire Comedy Club eating out of the palm of his hand. I love Paul Reubens, I'm so glad that the world has finally gotten over that incident back in the 80s. Think about it, he was a grown ass man, who paid money to see a pornographic film, and got in trouble for touching himself during the film. No other human being would have been bothered by that, and thankfully we have moved on to less conservative mindsets, and people are more realistic about the fact that what he did was by no means as horrific as everyone acted at the time. He was just an adult touching himself during an adult film, there's nothing wrong with that. God bless Paul Reubens!
@@godchi1dvonsteuben770 Yes! Sheer genius. I remember when Playhouse first came on TV, I was already an adult, but here was this children's show that was so enjoyable to watch that I wouldn't miss an episode. This was back when children's shows were children's shows, and here was one that kids could watch and enjoy, but also so strange and clever and quirky and artfully done that adults could enjoy it too... Just look at who PeeWee ended up employing, before they were famous: Laurence FIshburne as Cowboy Curtis, Phil Hartmann as Captain Carl... Reba the Mail Lady became a staple of Law and Order for years as Lieutenant Van Buren, Miss Yvonne is now Charlie's mom on It's Always Sunny... PeeWee's first movie was also Tim Burton's first feature length film as director, with musical score provided by Danny Elfman, who would go on to score most of Burton's films as well as writing the iconic theme song for the Simpson's...
....and look at the musicians that contributed the music for Playhouse: Mark Mothersbaugh (co-founder of Devo), The Residents, Todd Rundgren, Danny Elfman, Van Dyke Parks, George S. Clinton, Dweezil Zappa... with the theme song sung by Cyndi Lauper doing a Betty Boop imitation...
Wow! I can’t believe I found this clip. I think this was on HBO and it aired back in either the late 70’s or early 80’s. Carl Reiner hosted a show that introduced new comics. My older sister and I were in tears watching this. Paul Ruben’s act was so original and so different. For days we would crack each other up just by saying “Okay! Okay! Okay!” RIP Paul Rubens Oh, instead of telling jokes or talking, between acts, Carl Reiner gave a part of his favorite cookie recipe. We actually tried his cream cheese cookies.
The guy was just honestly hilarious. I love that look, he gives the audience when hes getting a little angry at them, but in a loving way. Rest i peace you silly guy you will be missed.
@@paulburrell7058 Andy Kaufman was in his own universe. Even he didn't do anything like this. But I get what you're saying. The eighties were loaded with concept comedy: Pee Wee Herman, Larry "Bud" Melman, Chris Elliot -- and Andy Kaufman. The eighties also had their fair share of lunatic stand up comics, like Robin Williams, Howie Mandel -- and Andy Kaufman. Kaufman, like a mighty titan, straddled both of those worlds.
For some reason women can't stop laughing watching Pewee. My wife who never laughed at anything was watching this when it originally come on, and she could not stop laughing. She laughed more during this act then she did in 15 years.
dbsti 300, thanks for your comment....and so very glad that you enjoyed this video....for this was Pee Wee's 1st television appearance....so, you need to click www.imasportsphile.com....where you will currently find 1500+ vintage sports, comedy and music posted....with another 9,000 vintage videos still to come....so, bookmark this page and don't rely on utube....as we will have 100 different channels under different names that we use as weigh stations for our library.....and you will most definitely miss some real treasures if you rely on the tube.
@@Embrachu Really? I remember very little of that on the show, and definitely there were many opportunities for it! I heard Paul Reubens was quite strict about that...
Paul Reubens was one of a kind.. which is a good thing. We could only handle one Pee-wee Herman. He is a comic genius and a master of his craft. He and his work is an inspiration and should be a model for any artist desiring to create a unique expression with integrity…
No one before and no one since has done that. His character, Pee-Wee, was defined and unique. You just saw history being made. R.I.P. Paul. We're gonna miss you, that's for sure.
One of the greatest stand up prop comics and over all genuine hilarious comedians. Little did we know that paul reubens was going to be one of the great comics even with this early show.
This was great, Paul aka Pee Wee Herman character was such a great, funny character for myself n my younger sister as kids in the 80's, this is what ya call "killing" in the business. What a great n respectful crowd. RIP Paul, Pee Wee ✌️💙
Compared to his earlier appearance on The Dating Game, you can see how Paul Reubens had refined and elevated his Pee Wee Herman character. The audience reactions are much stronger, and Paul appears confident in what he's come up with. Brilliant.
One painful reality to bear when you age, is the inevitability of losing those you love and admire ➡️ devoted family, loyal friends, inspiring mentors, loving partners/spouses, beloved animal companions, & extraordinary entertainers and thinkers. Recently, for me, it was singers KT Oslin and Tina Turner. I feel human when they sing. And now Paul Reubens. I feel my carefree, freewheeling, childhood when he performed. I'll also mention Phyllis Diller and Rodney Dangerfield in tickling my funny bone. None of them were perfect or universally loved, but to note, none of them fanned any fires of negativity. They promoted joy and laughter.. God bless them.
This was one of the few times [if not only] he was introduced [afterward] as 'Paul Reubens' along with his character 'Pee-Wee Herman'. Later he would only be Pee-Wee when he was in the suit and in character. He would not respond if you asked for 'Paul'. Oft he would say something like _'Oh, is he here?'_ He was first and foremost an actor who went to CalArts [where he roomed with David Hasselhoff and hung out with Katey Sagal and Cassandra Peterson]. When he, Phil Hartman and John Paragon- _geez, they're all gone now_ -were spitballing ideas in the backroom of the Groundling Theatre for this character of a 12 year-old comic who'd been at it for 'a couple of weeks' he recalled a voice he'd developed for a small role he had in his youth as the irritating friend of the Day's younger child in an adaptation of *"Life With Father".* Paul embraced the character and went on to do nothing but good things with it. After a short hiatus from public view after _the 'incident'_ he went on to a live audience on MTV to ask *_"Heard any good jokes lately?"_* Brilliant.
I remember this HBO special because of the cookie recipe [his wife's] that Carl Reiner is giving to the audience piecemeal and having them repeat at the beginning of this bit. At the end of the show he claims that during his entire professional career he never once cursed on television but decided to exclaim that his wife's recipe made a 'great fucking cookie' and went ahead sharing the cookies asking audience members if it wasn't 'the greatest fucking cookie' they had ever tasted. It was brilliant. I also remember this guy. Pee-Wee Herman who was so good at this imitation of a 12 year old that you almost believe it. The way he keeps turning around as if there's someone behind him doing something funny by possibly mocking him behind his back has always struck me as genuine. Paul went through some very public stuff at the height of his Pee-Wee success which I found to be more a media circus than a teaching moment for all of us and that is a shame. This is one of the funniest debuts [to the national audience] ever!
I've been binge watching Pauls videos since his passing. First time seeing this one & he had me laughing till my tummy hurts.... AGAIN! He had this weird mix of innocence, immaturity yet then he'd yell shut or have a little nuance that just kept you captived. True artist in comedic timing, delivery, completely unique and genuine. Simple yet so many layers, that made him a genius of his craft & among his colleagues. He is truly missed and truly a treasure to this world. We love you Pee Wee Herman! ❤❤❤❤ Ps... That lady was such a good sport & lucky! If I'd have been that close to him, I'd have wanted to throw him over my shoulder & take him home. 😉😁❤
I remember watching this episode on HBO while on duty at the old Mom & Pop ambulance service I worked for in the late 80’s. I think I wet myself laughing so hard.
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Wow, Paul Reubens is a freaking genius. He had just barely started his comedy career, and he had that audience eating out of the palm of his hand! By the way, I hope you all realize that this is likely his first ever recorded performance of doing the iconic tequila dance, from the movie " Pee-wee's Big Adventure." This footage is a valuable piece of comedic history, and the perfect example of why the Pee Wee Herman character is so iconic, and why Paul Reubens is going to be remembered as a comic Legend. Paul Rubens well deserves a place in the Comedy Hall of Fame.
Amen!
Chreers for that! Paul is in my Hall of Fame. He will be sorely missed. RIP Pee-Wee!
@@the_teknomads did you just giggle and snort too? And yet sad…cancer sucks. RIP Paul
His comedic recognition is going to come posthumous.
He was on the Dating Game in 1979 and it is astonishing how much the character developed between then and this.
Came here because I just heard the news today of Mr. Reuben’s passing. May he RIP. Thank you for putting smiles on our faces and laughter in our voices.
This is pure...this is amazing. He's doing this to a room of adults...nobody had seen anything like this ...Paul Reubens was a true innovator or comedy
Wow I’m in tears. He looks like he had been doing this for years. Totally unique act. Complete control of himself and the audience. Just an amazing performance. 😂😂😂. Part of the Genius is he is just doing and saying completely ordinary and juvenile stuff and it is hilarious due to the delivery and context. Pure comedic genius.
Well… not to spoil the fun but he *had* been doing this act/character for years at this point. The whole original gimmick of the Pee-Wee character was meant to be a send-up of the stand-up format. He was pretending to be this intentionally “bad” and inexperienced comic who was just starting out (hence the bit about him only having weeks of experience). In actuality he’d already been doing this character with The Groundlings for years in front of audiences.
He was so comfortable. So smart. So funny. Amazing crowd work. Genuinely missed.
Comedy history right here!!! Paul was a true innovator and a natural. RIP Pee-wee thx for showing us how to never stop being a kid at heart.
RIP PeeWee...we will miss you as one of the best things of the 80s! Still gives me great laughs today watching the clips etc. Great Talent that blessed us with the best medicine-laughter!
I used to think he was cringey. But watching this now, his act was brilliant! He innocently captivated the audience
I didn't think he was cringey until I read his obituary and learned that he had been arrested in 2002 for possession of child pornography and agreed to plead out to a lesser charge. He was definitely a very talented comic but as a person, a real POS.
@@invisibleink2644Don't believe everything you hear or read. Pee wee never hurt anyone.
@@invisibleink2644I’m certainly not defending his behavior, but it was said he’d buy “erotica” in large collections. Claims he never knew the stuff was in there. Take that with a grain of salt I guess. Again… definitely not defending his actions.
@@congerz83 Not even FBI was sure wether the models depicted in the three confiscated photos were teenage boys or very young looking men.
The accusations were dismissed as baseless
I’ve never seen this before and it’s impressive and really funny. Part of his special talent was that at the beginning he’s practically channeling a 10 y.o. boy trying to do stand up comedy, then he transitions into something a little more mature, then walks the edge between the two for the rest of the set. Just brilliant.
OMG I had tears in my eyes😂. I first saw Pee Wee on his HBO special in the 80's and thought he was brilliant. Later I bought the VHS tapes of his TV show for my 3 yr old daughter in the 90's. She loved it. When she got a little older we watched Pee Wee's Big Adventure together, which we also loved. Try to think of another comedian who was actually playing to adults, acting like a kid, and was loved by both. The man was genius! From all accounts I've seen, in real life he was a caring, thoughtful and sweet friend to those he knew. Search for Conan's tribute to him recently on YT. RIP Paul Reubens.
When he jumped out and yelled, "Catch me!" I died. Hilarious act.
Incredibly brave performance. A high wire act that could collapse on itself at any moment.
But having experience on the tightrope and trapeze, he was not phased.
Yes!
@isthatatesla7191 he has experience with tight things, just look at his hard drives!
i wonder whats on your internet history@@anactualalpaca7016
It's funny that he looks confused, but he's in total control of that audience.
Just like Andy Kaufman.
@@mrchopsticks3 Me: ooh, only one reply to the top comment, my Andy Kaufman comment will be perfect here, as surely that ONE other person isn't talking about Kaufman.
[checks comment]
Me: D'oh!
I guess im randomly asking but does someone know a trick to log back into an Instagram account?
I stupidly lost the password. I appreciate any assistance you can offer me
He’s a brilliant comedic talent that was screwed over by bigots
Absolute control.
I think a lot of people forget just how good Pee Wee is at stand up. The idea of being pissed off and bothered at the audience reaction to his own comedy is a genius move. Pee Wee and Letterman were always a great combo, too. I could never tell if David was really thrown off by Pee Wee's antics, or not (that was the genius of David Letterman, as well), and, combined with Pee Wee's awkwardness, it always made for good television.
I was just going to write the same thing. Him getting irritated by the laughing... I don't think any comedian did that before or since.
Lettermen was never in on it.
Pretty sure Letterman was in on it and knew it was Paul Rueben's from the LA improv group the Groundlings...Carl Reiner above shows it after he brings him back for a bow.
the Kaufmann/Jerry Lawler slap Dave was in
the entire Joaquin Phoenix interview dave was in.
Dave just never broke the 4th wall like Carl Reiner did by letting the audience in on the character.
@Bebtelovimab Letterman was interviewed once and asked who his favorite guests were and Paul was the first he mentioned. Said always unbelievably professional and prepared - all he had to do was sit back and enjoy the show.
Genius! I was in college when he showed up on the scene. We would take time out from our sometimes packed schedules to watch his whole show, Peewees Playhouse on HBO i think. Iconic characters. Captain Carl, Jambie, Cherry? The cbair. I remember more of Peewee than any course content from that time.
Fantastic set. When he gave them that first SHHH!! and sneer, he owned that audience from there on. Then he goes right to the loudest person in the crowd and gets them to participate in a gag. Brilliant showmanship. Pee Wee was such a great character. He could get away with a lot of stuff in that character that a normal comedian couldn't.
Best Friends with Elvira, both do great character humor.
like him or not he is brilliant. he knew how to play off the audience and never once broke character.
You got that right! He didn't break character until 1991, a whole decade, where everyone thought he really was Pee-wee. If you asked a dozen people during the 80s who Paul Reubens is, I doubt anyone would know...but they'd sure be able to identify who PWH is! Very few have so completely inhabited a character that the lines between character & performer were blurred. Barry Humphries as Dame Edna, Jim varney as Ernest P. Worrell, or more recently, Daniel Whitney as Larry the Cable Guy come to mind; but no one took it as far as Reubens. I hate to bring it up, but I think that's what was so shocking about his arrest. His mugshot was so far removed from PWH that some fans felt legitimate betrayal.
Just wonderful. Telling the audience to “shut up” and “I’ll wait”. “Is that your real laugh, ma’am?” No one had ever seen anything…anything…like this
MANY, MANY hours of incredibly wonderful entertainment. THANK YOU and RIP, Paul Reubens!!
I loved him from the first times I saw him in the Cheech and Chong movies!
Rumor has it that man is still trying to get his wallet back from peewee. 😂
I would bet it's buried with the legend now; for good comedic measure...(not really) but I could hear Paul Rubens/Pee-Wee Herman in my mind now:
"You gave it to me! Finder's Keepers! Nyaaah!"
🤣🤣🤣
How you do make "being offended that someone is laughing at you" funny while doing standup? Comedy genius.
Yes, really.
Play at 12:09. That is my answer.
He plays the role of a little 1950's boy to perfection.
he was a comic genius. I agree. The person that said" not". Let's see you come up with an original character... clothes... voice... dance...etc. I know, you can't.
Just curious. Who are you
Paul was the only Hollywood person who ever invited me to work on a project without an audition.
@@MontecitoWealthy Yes. And I was in Montecito yesterday!
Probably one of the most memorable comics to ever grace the stage.
RIP Paul Reubens. Thank you for your laughs, unique humor and childlike charm and demeanor.
There was no one like Pee Wee and its going to be a sadder world without him. Luckily we still have his films and TV appearances.
An endearing, original, peripatetic soul… He deserves to be adored.
Paul Reubens is an American Master. Rest in bliss, Pee Wee. 🕊️🚴♂️🕊️
What a beautiful summation.
The great thing about telling people that you have been doing stand up comedy for a couple weeks, is you can actually be nervous and it all looks like part of the act. Genius!
YOU REALLY HAVE TO WATCH PEE WEE. The subtlety of his humor is astounding. He is able to reach inside the psyche of his audience to make them feel their childhood. He brings up so many memories. Watch the whole thing, right from the beginning. Transport your self back to the time when you were a kid. Comedians today are using his brand and technique of humor. The freshness of his funniness, at this point in time, is of the scale. Yay Pee Wee. 19Nov19.
Now it makes sense why I like him. 😆
The freshness of his funniness, at this point in time, is of the scale.
Words to live by.
What threw the audience off was that he was so original and unexpected that the audience didn't know what to think. He coulda just stood there and had them in stiches but when he started in on them they started peeing their pants laughing and couldnt stop.
Love him or hate him it was pure gold and we'll probably never see another original act in our lifetime
Wow. This is incredible. I loved PW's playhouse, but never saw the character as this genius adult stand up act. Amazing
This man had talent no one was aware of, he did his job and had a great time. He was a natural and I miss him already(he was and will always be my hero)r.i.p
Fun Fact: Paul Reubens created this character while he was doing shows with The Groundlings as the world's worst improviser.
the entire original show played for 6 weeks at The Roxy in 1981 and is available right here on UA-cam. Many of the cast would go on to stardom such as Edie McClurg and Phil Hartman (RIP).
Yep, I could totally see him as a Groundlings alumnus. Groundlings often emphasizes creating a character whose POV delivers the laughs.
When? Fun fact.
Paul is a legend, and an amazing performer.
RIP brother
Others have said it here, too, but when he acts annoyed at the laughter, looks behind himself to see what's so funny, then does the, "stop laughing, let me talk" bit is just on a whole other level.
HILARIOUS 😂🤣😂 R.I.P pee wee Herman 🙏🏻 you made my childhood amazing especially with your pee wee's play house show. Rest in heaven Paul rueben 🙏🏻🕊️🙏🏻🕊️
I remember watching this when it first came out. Then my kids were raised on Peewees Playhouse. Sad day for my family! R.I.P. Peewee Paul Reubens. 😥
Some people are born to be stars. The love for his character was instantaneous. Truly incredible.
Damn he was killing the crowd
It's so easy to forget how new and novel his treatment of stand-up was. Knowing him for his later work, watching the genesis (from this and from his Dating Game appearance) is wonderful.
2:30 and I'm already dying! hahaha! Every tiny little expression and vocal inflection is PERFECT, the guy is a GENIUS!!!
“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” Reubens wrote. “I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.”
Rest in Peace, Pee Wee Herman and Paul Rubens who brought him to us.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Holy crap, this is brilliant. The laugher is straight up infectious.
Two legends gone 😭
One of the ALL TIME greatest character comedians ever created! I wish he never had to lay low for so many years as he did after that incident in Fla. I was pulling for Pee Wee back then, and I'm pulling for him now!!! Luv you Pee Wee! The Netflix special was great! More please.....
RobinNJ1963 I’m a big fan and was pulling for him as well and he was “pulling” it back then 😂
@@TheRealElvirus Here in Austin, Pulitzer Prize winner Ben Sargent got caught doing the same thing in a porno booth. We called it his "pull it surprise"!
Ken Lieck DEAD! 😂
He got arrested for pulling his pee wee.
STOP PULLING.
The great thing about this is that the audience had no idea WTF this was
exactly!!!
Or what was to come
I had to pause this halfway through because I was laughing so hard. He was so cute, and so very funny! :) Paul was my hero, that's for sure. May his memory be a blessing.
It's hilarious watching the audience try to process this strange character they're confronted with, probably not what they were expecting from a night of stand up comedy... How many of them realized they were witnessing genius in the making?
I noticed that too. You can see it on the faces of the people in the crowd, that is exactly what they are trying to do, "process" Paul Reubens comedy, and it is just amazing to watch. He is a comedic genius, that's why the Pee-wee Herman character is so iconic, why he will be remembered as a legend, and why Paul Reubens well deserves a place in the Comedy Hall of Fame.
I mean think about it, he had just barely started his comedic career, had only been on stage of a couple of times in his life, and just had an entire Comedy Club eating out of the palm of his hand. I love Paul Reubens, I'm so glad that the world has finally gotten over that incident back in the 80s. Think about it, he was a grown ass man, who paid money to see a pornographic film, and got in trouble for touching himself during the film. No other human being would have been bothered by that, and thankfully we have moved on to less conservative mindsets, and people are more realistic about the fact that what he did was by no means as horrific as everyone acted at the time. He was just an adult touching himself during an adult film, there's nothing wrong with that. God bless Paul Reubens!
@@godchi1dvonsteuben770 Yes! Sheer genius. I remember when Playhouse first came on TV, I was already an adult, but here was this children's show that was so enjoyable to watch that I wouldn't miss an episode. This was back when children's shows were children's shows, and here was one that kids could watch and enjoy, but also so strange and clever and quirky and artfully done that adults could enjoy it too...
Just look at who PeeWee ended up employing, before they were famous: Laurence FIshburne as Cowboy Curtis, Phil Hartmann as Captain Carl... Reba the Mail Lady became a staple of Law and Order for years as Lieutenant Van Buren, Miss Yvonne is now Charlie's mom on It's Always Sunny... PeeWee's first movie was also Tim Burton's first feature length film as director, with musical score provided by Danny Elfman, who would go on to score most of Burton's films as well as writing the iconic theme song for the Simpson's...
....and look at the musicians that contributed the music for Playhouse: Mark Mothersbaugh (co-founder of Devo), The Residents, Todd Rundgren, Danny Elfman, Van Dyke Parks, George S. Clinton, Dweezil Zappa... with the theme song sung by Cyndi Lauper doing a Betty Boop imitation...
Not "in the making," he was already a genius, it was his being an icon that was "in the making."
Wow! I can’t believe I found this clip. I think this was on HBO and it aired back in either the late 70’s or early 80’s. Carl Reiner hosted a show that introduced new comics.
My older sister and I were in tears watching this. Paul Ruben’s act was so original and so different. For days we would crack each other up just by saying “Okay! Okay! Okay!”
RIP Paul Rubens
Oh, instead of telling jokes or talking, between acts, Carl Reiner gave a part of his favorite cookie recipe. We actually tried his cream cheese cookies.
The guy was just honestly hilarious. I love that look, he gives the audience when hes getting a little angry at them, but in a loving way. Rest i peace you silly guy you will be missed.
Seeing the tequila dance without the music - we had no idea how much better this was going to get!!❤ Godspeed, Paul.
I remember seeing this when it was broadcast live, I think in '82. There had never been anything like this in the history of the universe.
Charles Schleicher NEVER! Hahahahaha!!! 🤜🏾🤛🏼💯😂
Charles Schleicher Andy Kaufman
@@paulburrell7058 Andy Kaufman was in his own universe. Even he didn't do anything like this. But I get what you're saying.
The eighties were loaded with concept comedy: Pee Wee Herman, Larry "Bud" Melman, Chris Elliot -- and Andy Kaufman.
The eighties also had their fair share of lunatic stand up comics, like Robin Williams, Howie Mandel -- and Andy Kaufman. Kaufman, like a mighty titan, straddled both of those worlds.
It's an anomaly.
I have one to compare, in a way, and it's Tiny Tim. He blew us away in a kind of similar way.
Too late , I appreciate this guy
Never realized his bit worked so well outside of children's shows, Rubens was a true comic genius.
Always loved him. Didn’t realize it was that long ago when he got started! He was brilliant more ways than one. RIP Paul
I love it. It’s peewee before he fully polished his character.
evidently he polished it pretty good
No Malarkey Make no mistake, he fully polished his character, it was just the character in his pants that he was polishing!
... or his knob publicly.
In his defense, that’s what people did in porn theaters at the time. Could have been set up, same as George Michael.
Two Words.... CO CAINE!@!!!
He was INSTANTLY loved!!!
Jesus Christ, his commitment to the character is amazing.
Not sure why you think blasphemy is an acceptable means of garnishing your comment.
Be careful, you fool! The gods will smite us all for your insolence 😬
@stegokitty
Paul Reubens is Christ so I don’t see an issue.
@@puertoriconnect4611 bingo
This was when people were truly original and had ideas! Fantastic set and unique 🎉
For some reason women can't stop laughing watching Pewee. My wife who never laughed at anything was watching this when it originally come on, and she could not stop laughing. She laughed more during this act then she did in 15 years.
Women are motherly, and when you see a guy acting like a little kid it brings out the mom in them.
Yea right
She did who in 15 years? 👀
Women can’t drive either
Your wife sounds like a psycho.
He came out to Super Mario World fast stage music in the 80's! Talk about being ahead of his time!!
Every Saturday morning. Pee Wees Playhouse. For so long I thought he was really like that when I was a kid. Thanks for this upload.
dbsti 300, thanks for your comment....and so very glad that you enjoyed this video....for this was Pee Wee's 1st television appearance....so, you need to click www.imasportsphile.com....where you will currently find 1500+ vintage sports, comedy and music posted....with another 9,000 vintage videos still to come....so, bookmark this page and don't rely on utube....as we will have 100 different channels under different names that we use as weigh stations for our library.....and you will most definitely miss some real treasures if you rely on the tube.
i taped that shit god pee wee's playhouse's was a delight
@@Embrachu Really? I remember very little of that on the show, and definitely there were many opportunities for it! I heard Paul Reubens was quite strict about that...
@@Embrachu That stuff honestly went right over my head when I was a kid. It wasn't until later that became aware of it. Much like Bugs Bunny etc.
A star is born! Complete original! Great work!!
I really wasn't expecting to laugh so hard at this.
Just had to smile.. hard to believe he’s gone now. We are just a flash in time.
paul reubens said a week later he got his red bow-tie.
iblackfeathers I was wondering about that! He’s just not quite peewee without it!
I miss you so much!!! Paul Reubens/Pee Wee August 2,2023 😇💙❤💜🧡🙏🏼👏🏼
"Listen to this one"
He really is like a big child trying to impress his classmates
Yes folks.. we lost an absolute legend! RIP my friend!
A master at work, every little nuance, was perfect... He was like a thunderbolt out of the blue...
omg I have been looking for this entire special for years now!
Wow, that was fantastic. So great to see this many years later. I love me some Pee Wee Herman!
Classic Pee Wee. Love and miss him!
This is comedic genius! That's what made Peewee a legend..he really didn't need to crack jokes to entertain people. He is awesome!
NO HE’S NOT , ok , Ok , Ok , ok ?
Rest in peace, Paul. Thank you sincerely for all the laughs.
It is a major shock that this man is no longer with us and may his soul rest in eternal peace Paul Reubens🕊️👼🌄💔💔
Pretty sure this was around 1980 just before he got his Pee Wee Herman Show HBO special. When his show aired he was wearing his signature red bow tie.
Not only was this before the HBO special, this was even before the Roxy Theater stage show
after his arrest many of believed he was done. thankfully, he gave it a lot of time and eventually made a comeback. it was so good to see. RIP Paul.
Outstanding shipmate. Press on in Heaven. USS Kitty Hawk CV-63. Jan 1980 to July 1983. Bob Hope would be proud of you.
I love this human being so much!
Paul Reubens was one of a kind.. which is a good thing. We could only handle one Pee-wee Herman. He is a comic genius and a master of his craft. He and his work is an inspiration and should be a model for any artist desiring to create a unique expression with integrity…
No one before and no one since has done that. His character, Pee-Wee, was defined and unique. You just saw history being made. R.I.P. Paul. We're gonna miss you, that's for sure.
Imagine if 'okay' had been the secret word.
Just for fun, let’s all *Scream real loud!*
*extremely frustrated OKAY!!!!*
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHH"
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!
laughed so hard tears ran down my face. Brilliant and entertaining!
Always loved Pee-Wee, he’s awesome. 👏
One of the greatest stand up prop comics and over all genuine hilarious comedians. Little did we know that paul reubens was going to be one of the great comics even with this early show.
This was great, Paul aka Pee Wee Herman character was such a great, funny character for myself n my younger sister as kids in the 80's, this is what ya call "killing" in the business. What a great n respectful crowd. RIP Paul, Pee Wee ✌️💙
Compared to his earlier appearance on The Dating Game, you can see how Paul Reubens had refined and elevated his Pee Wee Herman character. The audience reactions are much stronger, and Paul appears confident in what he's come up with. Brilliant.
One painful reality to bear when you age, is the inevitability of losing those you love and admire ➡️ devoted family, loyal friends, inspiring mentors, loving partners/spouses, beloved animal companions, & extraordinary entertainers and thinkers.
Recently, for me, it was singers KT Oslin and Tina Turner. I feel human when they sing. And now Paul Reubens. I feel my carefree, freewheeling, childhood when he performed. I'll also mention Phyllis Diller and Rodney Dangerfield in tickling my funny bone. None of them were perfect or universally loved, but to note, none of them fanned any fires of negativity. They promoted joy and laughter..
God bless them.
Pee-wee forever! Loved the show and loved his character! He will always be one of a kind.
This was one of the few times [if not only] he was introduced [afterward] as 'Paul Reubens' along with his character 'Pee-Wee Herman'. Later he would only be Pee-Wee when he was in the suit and in character. He would not respond if you asked for 'Paul'. Oft he would say something like _'Oh, is he here?'_
He was first and foremost an actor who went to CalArts [where he roomed with David Hasselhoff and hung out with Katey Sagal and Cassandra Peterson]. When he, Phil Hartman and John Paragon- _geez, they're all gone now_ -were spitballing ideas in the backroom of the Groundling Theatre for this character of a 12 year-old comic who'd been at it for 'a couple of weeks' he recalled a voice he'd developed for a small role he had in his youth as the irritating friend of the Day's younger child in an adaptation of *"Life With Father".*
Paul embraced the character and went on to do nothing but good things with it. After a short hiatus from public view after _the 'incident'_ he went on to a live audience on MTV to ask *_"Heard any good jokes lately?"_*
Brilliant.
THANKS DUDE 🫡🤘
An absolute comedic genius
I miss him already, those were good times. Just him showing up on stage was 😅😅
I remember this HBO special because of the cookie recipe [his wife's] that Carl Reiner is giving to the audience piecemeal and having them repeat at the beginning of this bit. At the end of the show he claims that during his entire professional career he never once cursed on television but decided to exclaim that his wife's recipe made a 'great fucking cookie' and went ahead sharing the cookies asking audience members if it wasn't 'the greatest fucking cookie' they had ever tasted. It was brilliant.
I also remember this guy. Pee-Wee Herman who was so good at this imitation of a 12 year old that you almost believe it. The way he keeps turning around as if there's someone behind him doing something funny by possibly mocking him behind his back has always struck me as genuine.
Paul went through some very public stuff at the height of his Pee-Wee success which I found to be more a media circus than a teaching moment for all of us and that is a shame.
This is one of the funniest debuts [to the national audience] ever!
the teaching moment was "don't trust the media or tolerate their continued behavior"
sadly we haven't learned that lesson yet.
I've been binge watching Pauls videos since his passing. First time seeing this one & he had me laughing till my tummy hurts.... AGAIN! He had this weird mix of innocence, immaturity yet then he'd yell shut or have a little nuance that just kept you captived. True artist in comedic timing, delivery, completely unique and genuine. Simple yet so many layers, that made him a genius of his craft & among his colleagues. He is truly missed and truly a treasure to this world. We love you Pee Wee Herman! ❤❤❤❤
Ps... That lady was such a good sport & lucky! If I'd have been that close to him, I'd have wanted to throw him over my shoulder & take him home. 😉😁❤
RIP!!! this is just pure comedy. Hilarious!
…..the ability to make people laugh, priceless
Oh my gosh, when being silly was so much fun and accepted as a stand up comedian. I’m sure Mr Reubens hears all the accolades. RIP PWH! 🙏🏾🙏🏾
I was born in 84 and this is what I remember watching as kid
I hadn't seen this since it was televised and someone recorded it on a VCR. Carl Reiner is a genius too.
I remember watching this episode on HBO while on duty at the old Mom & Pop ambulance service I worked for in the late 80’s. I think I wet myself laughing so hard.
It must have been so satisfying to have been in the live audience and see this out of left field talent take off