Pee-wee as Himself
As far as self-telling and talking head documentaries, “Pee-Wee as Himself” is shockingly vulnerable. To the point it’s wholly redeeming and shames history for lambasting him for such a long time. His arrests were made to be the worst things ever (second felt like a publicity stunt for the DA even with all the info, but whatever). As we’ve aged and seen crazier people get away with worse, he deserved peace and solitude. Among many other things, this documentary sheds light on how accepting and open he was of everybody no matter what; his humor and kindness (in his material) was eons ahead of its time. He kept his personal life buried away from the public until he couldn’t. In the midst of all the news, he struggled with own identity going out as himself and figuring out a comeback. Really, at the end of the day, it seems he just wanted to make people smile and live in private.
It’s admirable, but sad, to watch someone lock up their personal life for so long. His attitude is very brash and blunt here; simply put: he was dying and laid it all out there except for one final interview. Which I kinda get his attitude and instead he made his own recording a day before passing. He puts himself out in the open here, and it is well handled. Anyone who knows me knows Pee-Wee Herman was one of my favorite things as a kid. “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” is still a constant in my adult life. Paul Reubens is one of three comedians- no, celebrities- whose work not only sparked my imagination, but made me feel confident in my myself. Hopefully people can see him as a comedic genius now.