Pee-wee Herman Complete Collection on Letterman, 1982-85 Recut

Note: A copyright claimant blocked the earlier version of this collection due to the song "Fever" aired at the 2:02:41 mark. This recut version mutes the audio during that segment. Paul Reubens was another inspired weirdo who found national attention and an artistic home on Late Night. A cult performer in Los Angeles, he developed the character Pee-wee Herman, a giddy juvenile in a suit and bow tie with the irreverent innocence of a character cut from a 1950s sit-com. Reubens had heard from an agent that Johnny Carson was “uncomfortable with the Pee-wee character,” but he proved popular with David Letterman, appearing frequently in long segments filled with silly jokes, prop humor and quips designed to throw the host off guard. “He made fun of me, but he really did seem to genuinely like me as well,” Reubens said. -- Jason Zinoman, Letterman: The Last Giant of Late Night, p. 88. Dave: "What makes me laugh . . . is that [Pee-wee] has the external structure of a bratty little precocious kid, but you know it's being controlled by the incubus -- the manifestation of evil itself." -- Peter Boyer, "Pee-wee Readies Playhouse," NY Times, September 4, 1986, p. C22. The appearances: 1. September 22, 1982 2. November 18, 1982 3. March 4, 1983 4. May 17, 1983 5. July 5, 1983 6. September 8, 1983 7. October 31, 1983 8. January 3, 1984 (plus cold close with Joe Theisman)* 9. May 24, 1984 10. October 31, 1984 11. July 30, 1985**    • Pee-wee Herman Collection on Letterman, 19...   *The Coca-Cola ad with Mean Joe Green and the kid comes from stiggerpao's upload here:    • Coca-Cola classic ad: 'Mean' Joe Greene [F...   **Clip from "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" edited out due to copyright caution.