Artforum Worldwide

PAUL REUBENS, who died on July 30, aged seventy, was not simply an American unique, entertainer, actor, mischief-maker, and mensch, however an important artist. His most well-known creation was, after all, Pee-wee Herman, the adorably bonkers, puppy-dog-eyed anarchist in pink bowtie and grey plaid go well with who took TV off right into a wild and fantastic dreamscape completely past anyplace (or something!) it had been earlier than. A CalArts alumnus (pupil of Allan Kaprow; classmate of David Hasselhoff), Reubens mentioned, “I all the time felt [Pee-wee] was conceptual artwork however nobody knew that besides me.” Yup, he bought proper into the Reagan-era mainstream when issues had been hideous to the max and created every kind of hallucinogenic chaos. Behold his masterpiece, Pee-wee’s Playhouse (1986–91): On the top of the AIDS disaster, queer royalty came visiting each Saturday morning: Little Richard! Sandra Bernhard! Grace Jones! His adventures, lair, and friends had been wholly harmless and extraordinarily subversive, an outrageous celebration of creativeness and otherness run amok at a time when that was severely endangered. No different present (nominally “for teenagers”) has ever been louder or extra delighted about being Artwork, a concurrently freaky and intensely heartwarming carnival excessive by itself psychedelic rollercoaster aesthetics, stuffed with nonstop chaos. It was a neon reward and a gateway drug for tons of youngsters who grew as much as be artists. Gathered beneath, a mourning refrain of mates, collaborators, and devotees give only a trace of the magical singularity of his skills and affect—and of how deeply he’ll be missed.

—Charlie Fox

Pee-wee Herman is true up there with Howdy Doody and Lassie on the Best Characters in American TV checklist. Paul Reubens was a loyal good friend, a gentleman, and a scholar of the pleasant. Even trend won’t ever be the identical with out him. Didn’t Pee-wee come earlier than Thom Browne?

—John Waters

Within the late ’90s, I visited his home and he and I had been having a dialog in regards to the disappearance of road hustlers in Hollywood. “Most are gone besides the one on Santa Monica close to Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, large muscled dude, wears solely shreds of what should’ve as soon as been silk health club shorts and a pink bikini prime.” “Oh, you have to imply Reggie. You understand I’ve been questioning the place my favourite bikini prime had wandered off to.” I sort of “oh golly” believed him for a second.

—Richard Hawkins

Paul Reubens is in heaven now with all these Final Want youngsters he mentioned goodbye to way back. He cared tremendously that every one youngsters discover their manner.

—Gary Panter

I keep in mind my mom would get upset if she caught me watching Pee-wee’s Playhouse on TV after I was a toddler as a result of she thought it was ‘perverted.’ Maybe she was proper; nevertheless, generally issues which might be perverted are additionally actually good.

—Sam McKinniss

the world sucks ass!!!! it’s not a spot i wish to be on a regular basis. pee-wee’s playhouse is the universe i wish to stay in. it was the proper paradise all us freaks wished we might go to as youngsters and stays the place we nonetheless want we might go as adults. i didn’t simply “watch” pee-wee’s playhouse as a child: i went to FREAK PARADISE!!!! i used to be invited there!!!! i used to be allowed in!!! it was the best hangout on the town!!!!! it was so fucking actual to me and that i had all these loopy mates who lived contained in the fridge and the fishtank and i used to be surrounded by lovely artwork made by the very best freak weirdo artists and musicians and comedians. 

in pee-wee’s playhouse, people and puppets and cartoons alike spoke a shared language that impressed us and made us chuckle. it’s the place sweetness and camp and REAL humor and pure, unadulterated JOY reigned supreme. it reworked the way in which many people create artwork: what if our artwork may very well be the playhouse you may teleport into when every thing fucking sucks and is complete crap and shit!!!!!!!! every thing i ever make is in pursuit of recreating the expertise of going to the playhouse, of capturing that feeling of first being despatched on a magic rocket ship trip by the claymation woods, by the pink entrance door, and into that room with speaking home windows and magic screens and the little weirdo within the little grey go well with. 

it’s laborious to speak about paul reubens. how am i able to ever put into phrases the that means of the singular artist and comic who formed my total worldview and confirmed me what artwork makes attainable? the person who created an entire world and deserved a lot greater than he bought? life was boring, after which paul confirmed up and made it thrilling. and greater than that, he confirmed us that the joy was proper there all alongside, ready to be coaxed out. to me? that’s godlike habits.

—Sarah Sherman (aka Sarah Squirm)