In May 2025, HBO Max premiered Pee-wee as Himself, a powerful two-part documentary that finally gives Paul Reubens—better known to the world as Pee-wee Herman—the chance to tell his story on his own terms. Directed by Matt Wolf and produced with the blessing of Reubens before his passing in 2023, this documentary is more than a look back at one of pop culture’s most iconic characters. It’s a touching, unfiltered portrait of the man behind the bow tie.
If you grew up watching Pee-wee’s Playhouse, or if Pee-wee’s Big Adventure was a foundational part of your childhood, this documentary will hit you right in the nostalgic core. But more importantly, it will make you re-examine who Paul Reubens was, what he represented, and why his story still matters in today’s entertainment landscape.
The Legacy of Pee-wee Herman
Before diving into the documentary, it’s essential to understand the cultural weight of Pee-wee Herman. Created in the late 1970s while Reubens was performing with the legendary Los Angeles comedy troupe The Groundlings, Pee-wee was born as a satirical, eccentric man-child—a character so absurd, he couldn’t help but be lovable. What started as an adult comedy sketch quickly evolved into something much bigger.
The breakout moment came with HBO’s The Pee-wee Herman Show in 1981, which introduced mainstream audiences to the quirky persona. Then, with Tim Burton at the helm, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985) launched Pee-wee into cinematic superstardom. It wasn’t long before Pee-wee’s Playhouse arrived on CBS in 1986, cementing Reubens as a household name.
But Playhouse was more than just a kids’ show. It was visually avant-garde, emotionally inclusive, and bursting with subversive energy. It was designed by artists like Gary Panter and Wayne White, and featured a diverse cast that reflected a forward-thinking message of acceptance. For many LGBTQ+ fans, Pee-wee’s Playhouse felt like one of the first places in mainstream media where being “weird” wasn’t just accepted—it was celebrated.
A Documentary Told on Reubens’ Terms
Pee-wee as Himself isn’t just a traditional biographical documentary. It’s an act of self-authorship. Across more than 40 hours of interviews, Paul Reubens guides the narrative, often pushing back against the documentary format itself. He challenges director Matt Wolf, questions editorial choices, and openly expresses his desire to direct it himself. That resistance becomes a storytelling device of its own—this is not a posthumous tribute crafted by outsiders; it’s Reubens constructing his own legacy.
The film is broken into two parts. The first episode traces Reubens’ childhood in Sarasota, Florida—where he was fascinated by circus culture—his time at CalArts, and his early days as a struggling actor trying to carve out something different in the comedy scene. We see how the Pee-wee persona took shape on stage at The Groundlings before exploding into mainstream fame.
The second episode takes a darker turn, exploring the major scandals that derailed his career. The infamous 1991 arrest in an adult theater led to an overnight media frenzy. Although he wasn’t charged with any serious crimes, the impact on his career was devastating. Years later, in 2002, Reubens faced unrelated allegations involving “obscene material,” which were eventually dropped. In the documentary, he speaks about these moments with a clarity and candor he never offered in public before.
He connects the public’s reaction—especially the harsh, moralistic outrage—to societal discomfort with queerness and non-conforming identities. He even speaks, for the first time, about his own sexuality. Posthumously coming out as gay, Reubens details a heartbreaking relationship from the 1970s and explains why he felt forced back into the closet. It’s a moment of raw vulnerability that recontextualizes so much of his work and public persona.
More Than Nostalgia: A Creative and Cultural Legacy
What makes Pee-wee as Himself stand out from other pop culture documentaries is its refusal to settle for nostalgia. Yes, there are plenty of delightful throwbacks: behind-the-scenes clips from Playhouse, early sketches from The Groundlings, and interviews with collaborators. But the doc is also deeply interested in what Pee-wee Herman meant—and still means—in a broader cultural context.
Pee-wee was a celebration of childhood joy, but also a quiet rebellion against conformity. The bright sets and nonsensical characters masked subversive themes about self-expression, identity, and acceptance. The documentary leans into this legacy, showing how Reubens—who was often described as an enigma—used Pee-wee as both armor and art.
There’s also an acknowledgment of the character’s cultural longevity. From Saturday morning cartoons to adult comedy revivals like Pee-wee’s Big Holiday (2016), Pee-wee has consistently re-emerged for new generations. Even his fashion—tight gray suits, red bow ties, and slicked-back hair—has become iconography in its own right.
Critical Response and Cultural Relevance
Since its release, Pee-wee as Himself has received universal acclaim. Rotten Tomatoes lists it with a 100% approval rating from critics, while Metacritic gives it an impressive score of 82. Critics have praised the documentary’s emotional honesty, its thoughtful structure, and the sheer amount of archival footage.
RogerEbert.com called it “a posthumous unmasking,” describing Reubens as both hysterically funny and emotionally complex. Decider referred to it as “a nostalgic yet intimate portrait,” while AP News noted the emotional weight of hearing Reubens’s voice one last time.
For fans of HBO’s acclaimed original documentaries—like Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind or George Carlin’s American Dream—Pee-wee as Himself is a must-watch. But even casual fans of 80s and 90s pop culture will find value in this loving, unflinching portrait of a man who shaped an entire era of entertainment.
Final Thoughts: Paul Reubens Deserves the Last Word
As the documentary nears its end, viewers are treated to a final voicemail left by Reubens. It’s short, funny, and deeply human. “I just hope people know who I really was,” he says.
By the time the credits roll, we do.
Pee-wee as Himself is more than a documentary—it’s Paul Reubens reclaiming his story after decades of being defined by scandal, headlines, and a fictional persona. It offers closure not only to Reubens’s career, but to Pee-wee Herman’s enduring journey through our collective cultural memory.
This is a film about creativity, identity, shame, pride, and the complexity of building a public self in an unforgiving world. For fans, it’s a chance to say goodbye. For newcomers, it’s an invitation to discover one of the most unique voices in modern entertainment history.
Pee-wee as Himself is streaming now on HBO Max. Whether you’re a lifelong Pee-wee Herman fan or discovering his story for the first time, this is one documentary you won’t want to miss.
