Pee Wee Herman And The Queen

Today's secret word is: Birthday! Paging Mr. Herman! Paging Mr. Herman! Paul Reuben's character 'Pee Wee Herman' has been entertaining us for 30 years! What a snazzy guy! Can you believe it? So many years of smiles! I love the P-man! Yes indeed, I certainly must, as I placed him on the same shelf with a photo of my awesome husband Ben, and Beldar Conehead from France! Because of Pee Wee Herman I will never hear the song 'Tequila' again, and not think of white platform shoes tilted upright under Pee-Wee on a biker bar! Pee Wee is such a rebel. Dottie knows that.

Like many others, my two children were raised on the child-like charming grey suited character named 'Pee Wee Herman.' We loved watching him everyday! Although what we enjoyed was not the kids TV program you are thinking about. This show we watched was my homemade video of the original HBO special 'The Pee Wee Herman Show - Live At The Roxy Theater', a 'Groundlings' play that was created for adults. It was hilarious, colorful, quirky, and oh so fab-fabulous! Reminded me of the Honfest world. My children could not get enough of it, and thankfully the adult humor went right over their heads... until they were in their teens. I certainly never got tired of listening to Mr. Herman and his remarkable cast of characters nearly every day. As a single mom I can remember making dinner and hearing Jambi singing  "This is my Last Trance...Last Trance...Peeeeeee Weeeeee."  

We had every line memorized from the entire show! Miss Y-vonne was sublime as the most beautiful woman in Puppetland, Captain Carl was perfection as the cranky shy fisherman, and that 'Sly and The Family Stone' tribute with Pee Wee and the wacky neighbors 'The Jelly Donuts,' was out-of-this-world! Go watch a clip here! Who can forget naughty Jambi and "Hands? Hands? Did somebody say Hands?....."  Well you know the rest.

The Pee wee Herman Broadway play is based on this original and unique HBO special, but many of Phil Hartman's skits are not included, so you simply must buy the DVD that finally came out a few years ago. It is one of my  prized processions, as I was worried my old video tape from the TV would finally disintegrate, and I would lose this awesome comedy forever. Kudos to HBO for releasing the old show again on DVD! Whew!



Did you know there is a new Pee Wee Herman movie somewhere out there in production. I hope they have lots of campy details like the video clip above from Pee Wee's Big Adventure. That's the coolness I love along with him talking and thinking like a nerdy kid.

I bought my kids the Pee Wee Playhouse in the eighties. Truth be known I was the one who really wanted that kookie dollhouse. I also got "them" the Pee Wee Colorforms. Oh look there is the old box in my office today...along with Jambi on the shelf below. How did they get there? "I know you are...but, what am I?" That crazy Globey is lurking around here somewhere!

Happiest of Birthday's Pee-Wee and Paul Reuben! Thanks for all the laughs! My kids turned out to be fantastic wonderful people with a wicked sense of humor! Now my grandchildren know who Pee-Wee is too, and they enjoy watching the silliness! "Made you look!"

Visit the Official Pee-Wee website full of fun stuff, and you can follow 'Pee-Wee' on his Facebook page. Now get working on that giant foil ball! ....

Credits: Pee Wee Herman images from Peewee.com, Frames - Raspberry Road Designs, Objects - Paula Kesselring, Photos and art created by Crystal Visions Art