The Unlikely Comeback Of Paul Reubens: From Scandal To Stardom

By the fall of 1991, it looked like the end of Paul Reubens and his beloved persona, Pee-wee Herman. After his highly publicized arrest that July on charges of indecent exposure at an adult movie theater in Sarasota, Florida, Reubens had become a national laughingstock, and the actor had retreated entirely from the public view.

CBS immediately pulled syndicated episodes of Pee-Wee’s Playhouse and refused to air the final four episodes of the series, for which production had ended the previous year. Toys-R-Us removed all Pee-wee toys from their shelves. Reubens would eventually plead no contest to the charges, but in the court of public opinion, many believed his career was over.

Instead, Reubens—who died of cancer on Sunday, at age 70—pulled off one of the most unlikely and unexpected comebacks in show business history. And he did it with five words: “Heard any good jokes lately?” he asked a cheering crowd after walking onstage during the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards.

The self-deprecating one-liner drew a standing ovation from the crowd, received glowing media reviews, and helped salvage Reubens’ post–Pee-wee career. But the memorable moment came only after weeks of discussions and deliberations, as well as Reubens’ own doubts about whether to take the stage at all and what to say once he got there.

Table of Contents

• Biography of Paul Reubens
• MTV's Pitch for the Comeback
• A Nervous Pee-wee
• The Comeback Begins
• Final Thoughts

Biography of Paul Reubens

Paul Reubens was born on August 27, 1952, in Peekskill, New York. He is best known for his character Pee-wee Herman, a childlike man with a unique personality. His career took off in the 1980s with the release of Pee-wee's Big Adventure, directed by Tim Burton. The character quickly became a cultural icon, known for his distinctive style and humor.

MTV's Pitch for the Comeback

In the weeks leading up to the VMAs ceremony on September 5, 1991, MTV executives had considered several possible ideas to kick off the show, according to Doug Herzog, the network’s senior vice president of music programming. “It was part of regular MTV brainstorming,” Herzog said. “We were sitting around thinking of what interesting things we could do with the show, and we just came up with the idea of Pee-wee opening the show.”

MTV contacted Bender, Goldman & Helper, the Los Angeles-based publicity firm Reubens hired to manage media relations following his arrest. The firm had already been considering how, if at all, Reubens might make his public comeback, and they quickly agreed the VMAs were an excellent opportunity.

A Nervous Pee-wee

Goldman said Reubens’ long-standing relationship with MTV, and his high regard for the network, was another factor in his decision to participate. “After the incident, they showed their support, which he appreciated,” Goldman said. “When we started thinking about what we could do to let his fans know he’s fine and doing well and he’s on his way back, appearing on the MTV awards was a natural. That audience is his audience, and he’s comfortable with them.”

Still, Reubens was extremely nervous the day of the show. He was snuck into a private holding area below the stage through a back door, because “if people knew about it, he wasn’t going to show up,” Frattini said. Only a small handful of crew members even knew he was there, and one of them saw him pray before taking the stage, according to the Sentinel.

The Comeback Begins

After the show, Reubens was “elated” by the enthusiastic crowd response, according to the Sentinel. Critics were equally effusive. MTV called it “one of VMA history’s biggest moments,” and Entertainment Weekly wrote, “Proving he had the gumption to poke fun at himself… Pee-wee had escaped from the stigma of being a punchline.”

The moment kicked off a modest comeback for Reubens, whose career had been on life support just days earlier. He went on to appear in a variety of films throughout the 1990s, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Batman Returns, and The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Final Thoughts

Paul Reubens' journey from scandal to a triumphant comeback is a remarkable tale in show business history. His ability to embrace his mistakes and connect with his audience once again serves as a reminder of the importance of resilience and humor in the face of adversity. Today, he is remembered not just for the controversies but for the joy he brought to millions with his iconic character, Pee-wee Herman.