Paul Reubens seemed to accept the controversy that became part of his career. He told Stone Phillips in 2004 (via NBC News): "They may think I'm crazy or anything that anyone wants to think about me. That's all fine. As long as one of the things you're not thinking about me is that I'm a pedophile. Because that's not true."
In the same interview he spoke about the nature of his character: "I always viewed Pee-Wee Herman as somebody with a really good heart, but like, you know didn't have a clue about a lot of things. Somebody who was truly naive and was trying to do the best he could do, but it didn't always come out like that."
In 2020, Reubens spoke to The Hollywood Reporter and suggested he could step away from the character of Pee-wee Herman, even hinting that he would be open to "digital scans" or his likeness used in future projects. "I think actors are going to be obsolete really quick," he said. Regardless, Reubens didn't seem to think the character was going anywhere. "People have argued I've done everything consciously or unconsciously to destroy [the character]," he said. "But it's the brand that won't die. It's still around."
In his later years, Reubens did voice acting for video games and shows and made appearances in various movies and shows. According to Variety, Reubens had two Pee-wee Herman projects in the works at the time of his death: "The Pee-wee Herman Story" and "Pee-wee's Playhouse: The Movie." His final released film was Netflix's 2016 "Pee-wee's Big Holiday," which he co-wrote and starred in.
If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.
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