Paul Reubens, more famously known for his character of Pee-wee Herman, is an American actor, comedian, and children's entertainer.
Reubens was one of the most popular actors of the 80s, and his portrayal of Pee-wee Herman became a cultural staple of the era. Before his television and movie fame, he was an improvisational comedian and stage actor.
His big break came after he began showing a character in shows from 1980 onward called Pee-wee Herman. He soon gave the character its show, the Pee-wee Herman show, which ran for five sold-out months.
The character became an instant cult figure following an HBO special about it. What helped was that Reubens was wholly committed to the character and did interviews and press releases like Pee-wee.
This success led to a feature film, Pee-wee's Big Adventure, directed by Tim Burton in 1985, a sequel called Big Top Pee-wee in 1988, and a Saturday-morning children's program called Pee-wee's playhouse that ran from 1986 to 1990.
Why Was Paul Reubens AKA Peewee Herman Arrested?
Paul Reubens, also known as Peewee Herman, was unfortunately arrested for indecent exposure in an adult theater in 1991.
Following the overwhelming success of Pee-wee throughout the 80s, in 1990, after the end of Pee-wee's playhouse, Reubens decided to take a break from the character for an unannounced amount of time. A year later, in Sarasota, Florida, Reubens was arrested in July 1991 for indecent exposure during a film at an adult theater after being caught in a random police inspection.
As he was being arrested, Reubens told the authorities that he was Pee-wee Herman and tried to stop the arrest by offering to do a children's benefit show. When the Sarasota Herald-Tribune found out about the story, Reubens' attorney made the same offer. In both cases, these offers only made the situation worse.
Following Reubens' arrest, it came to attention that Reubens had been arrested twice. Once, in 1971, for loitering and prowling near an adult theater, and the second time, in 1983, when he was placed on two years probation for marijuana possession. In both cases, charges were eventually dropped.
When the news became public, the previously beloved Reubens was vilified and ridiculed by the media and the public. Disney-MGM studios canceled a video starring Pee-wee from its studio tour, Toys "R" Us removed any Pee-wee toys, and it was also widely thought that his children's show was canceled due to the arrest, although it had ended a year before.
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Reubens retreated from the public eye after the whole debacle after pleading no contest on November 7, 1991. The charge was kept off Reubens' record through the plea, and he was obligated to spend 75 hours of community service.
However, he wasn't without his supporters though. Many artists who knew Reubens personally came forward and spoke out in his support.
Unfortunately, Reubens was arrested again in 2002 for possession of child pornography. However, these charges were dropped for a lesser misdemeanor obscenity charge, and Reubens was adamant with the public that he was not a pedophile.
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Where Is Paul Reubens Now?
Following his controversy in the 90s, Reubens kept a low profile.
However, he returned to the screen in the mid-90s with recurring roles on TV shows, the most prominent being Murphy Brown which earned him an Emmy nomination, his only non-Pee-wee one. This success led to him working again with darker roles such as South of Heaven, West of Hell, and Blow.
Following his controversy in 2002, Reubens spent the next two years caring for his terminally ill father, who passed away in February 2004. He spent much of the 2000s appearing steadily in files but never helming his own. Most of his roles were either cameos or bit parts.
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It wouldn't be until the end of the decade that Reubens would hint something involving Pee-wee would be returning. He announced his return in August 2009 and ran all of 2010.
Most recently, Reubens released a third movie bearing Pee-wee's name called Pee-wee's big holiday in 2016. This movie was received with welcome enthusiasm and was the topic of many conversations on Pee-wee's sexuality.
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What Is Paul Reubens's Net Worth?
Paul Reubens has a net worth of $5 million.
His net worth reflects his intense chokehold on American culture in the 1980s. However, due to his many controversies, it is not as high as many people on his level of fame.
However, following his redemption in the public eye, he will earn more in the future. The future is looking bright for Paul Reubens.