There is no overestimating the importance of Pee-wee Herman to the cultural landscape of the 1980s. This may sound like hyperbole but it’s not. Weirdness, queerness and Mr. T Cereal-ness were his love languages, and it’s all because of his real-life alter ego, comic actor Paul Reubens. And because Reubens’ magical character — a persona built on stage with Los Angeles’ Groundlings comedy group — first gained national exposure on an early ’80s HBO special, it’s only fitting that HBO would become the home to a two-part documentary film about Reubens and his career. To be directed by Matt Wolf (“Spaceship Earth”), the film will be produced by “Uncut Gems” directors Josh and Benny Safdie, Sebastian Bear-McClard and “Joker” producer Emma Tillinger Koskoff. This will be a rare moment in the career of the extremely private Reubens that he allows the outside world to enter his life; longtime fans are going to love it, and probably want to marry it.
