Pee-wee Herman star Paul Reubens comes out as gay
Paul Reubens created the character Pee-wee Herman in 1977 and debuted it in 1981. (Getty)
Comedian Paul Reubens, best known for playing Pee-wee Herman, has come out in a new documentary filmed prior to his death.
A two-part HBO documentary titled Pee-wee as Himself, which premiered earlier this week at Sundance, showed Reubens discussing his sexual orientation and a relationship with a man named Guy.
Reubens concealed his sexuality for the entirety of his career, revealing that Guy was from Los Angeles and inspired some of Pee-wee Herman’s most iconic catchphrases.
“I was out of the closet, and then, I went back in the closet. I wasn’t pursuing the Paul Reubens career; I was pursuing the Pee-wee Herman career,” he said in the film.
Reubens excelled in his career as Pee-wee Herman, which he debuted in 1981 while performing with the Groundlings comedy troupe, but kept his personal life very private and had “many, many secret relationships”.
“I hid behind an alter ego. I spent my entire adult life hiding I was a huge weed head. I was secretive about my sexuality even to my friends [out of] self-hatred or self-preservation. I was conflicted about sexuality. But fame was way more complicated,” Herman continued.
Herman also revealed that Guy sadly died due to complications to AIDS.
The documentary was filmed before Reubens died in 2023 from cancer at the age of 70.
Like his sexuality, Reubens kept his diagnosis private for many years. A statement was shared on social media confirming Reubens’ death in July.
It read: “Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness.”
“Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit. A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit.”
After his death, many LGBTQ+ fans mourned the loss of Reubens and Herman, who they said was extremely queer-coded.
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