The Pee-wee Herman Show (1981)

This is just a hilarious and unique thing, a filmed act that Paul Reubens was doing in the early 80s that could be described as theater or stand-up or whatever you want to call it. Essentially it's like an adult or R-rated version of what he later did with "Pee Wee's Playhouse" -- it's a ribald satire of 1950s and 60s local access kiddie shows, and seems to take place in an alternate universe from one of Captain Kangaroo's nightmares. Reubens' Pee Wee act never was better, because he's really cut loose and crazy. This reminds me more of his famous David Letterman appearances and so forth as opposed to some of the more toned down stuff he did later on when he figured out you could make even more money from actually catering to kids and not just spoofing them.One of the other great joys in this little filmed sketch is Phil Hartman in a hilarious bit as Kap'n Karl, whose love for Miss Yvonne (Lynne Marie Stewart) forms whatever plot this hourlong sketch has to offer. Hartman was such a joy in these kinds of roles, and it's great to have this video on hand whenever I get nostalgic for his talent.If you watch this movie sober, by the end of the movie you will feel like you just ingested LSD or some other mind altering drug. The graphics and the whole style of thing is brilliantly stylized and carried out with perfection, never once with a wink or a nod towards the audience. And going on with the drug metaphor, compared to the excellent show and even Tim Burton's wonderful Pee-Wee film, this little video (which I first saw on HBO in the early 90s) is the uncut and undilluted stuff. Fans of Pee-Wee Herman and of sketch comedy in general will want to seek it out, and watching it might just generate some new fans as well.

There must have been a laugh track to this HBO special, or the audience was high or something, because they were laughing at almost every little thing Pee-Wee did It was surprising to see a stage-version of what would essentially become Pee-Wee's Playhouse, with more adult situations (like Pee-Wee looking up a girl's skirt with mirrors on his shoes, to which the girl notices and says to his dismay, "I'm not wearing panties") Some of the characters from the TV show are here, including a raunchy Captain Carl, a somewhat psychotic Miss Yvonne, and Jambi!!!!!!!!!!!! Some of the antics were only mildly amusing, but there was nothing that was laugh out loud funny in the entire show. It's amazing to see these people in the crowd laugh uproariously at what you would have to force yourself to laugh at, or just snort a bit.All in all, it was fun to see Pee-Wee's Playhouse with an adult spin to it, but it wasn't at all very funny

the first time I saw this, I nearly died laughing. It's not Pee Wee for kids, and it is SO funny! my dad laughed at it and he laughs at nothing. I would highly reccomend this to anyone...whatever your sense of humor is, you will find something funny in it from the songs, to the Mr. Bungle Sketch, to Captain Carl, you will laugh so hard.

I've always thought that "Pee Wee's Playhouse" was geared toward adults more than kids, but "The Pee Wee Herman Show" is unquestionably adult-oriented comedy. I first saw this show on HBO in the early 80's, and watched a dozen times before tears from laughing so hard began to slow. This well-written, fast-paced, well-performed "play" lays the ground work for Reubens' subsequent films and tv shows.