Paul Reubens Reflects on Controversial Past in Posthumous HBO Docuseries

Paul Reubens, the actor best known as Pee-wee Herman, opens up about his controversial past in the HBO docuseries Pee-wee as Himself. The documentary, which premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, captures Reubens’ reflections on his life, career, and the scandals that shaped his legacy.

Reubens, who passed away from cancer on July 30, 2023, addresses the harsh labels he endured following his arrests. In 1991, he faced charges of indecent exposure in an adult theater, to which he pleaded no contest. A decade later, a raid on his home led to accusations of possessing explicit materials involving minors. Though the case was resolved in 2004 with a plea to a lesser charge, the actor maintained his innocence throughout.

“The reason I wanted to make this documentary was to let people see who I really am and how painful it was to be labeled something I wasn’t,” Reubens says in the series. “The moment I heard someone call me a pedophile, I knew it would change everything—past, present, and future.”

The documentary, directed by Matt Wolf, explores Reubens’ groundbreaking work in the 1980s with Pee-wee’s Big Adventure and the beloved TV series Pee-wee’s Playhouse. It also delves into how his legal troubles and the resulting media frenzy were compounded by alleged bias against him for being gay.

“This was a homophobic witch hunt,” claims publicist Kelly Bush Novak in the series, referencing the second arrest.

The film offers a raw look at Reubens’ struggles to reclaim his narrative. While he distanced himself from the project before his death, he recorded a final audio message, saying, “I wanted to talk about what it’s like to be labeled a pariah… Sometimes, where there is smoke, there isn’t fire.”

The docuseries is described as “the definitive story” of Reubens and his iconic alter ego. It highlights the kaleidoscope of influences behind his work and the personal battles he faced to continue as an artist.