Pee-wee Herman’s Rise & Fall: The New Doc Paul Reubens Shot Before His Death

The world knew him and loved him as Pee-wee Herman, but under the suit, beyond the quirky facade, was the real man himself — Paul Reubens.

Now, two years after his death, he's speaking out from beyond the grave in a revealing new documentary.

In the doc, Reubens says, “I kept who I was a secret for a really long time. I hid behind an alter ego.”

As for the birth of Pee-wee, he said, “Out of nowhere, Pee-wee Herman popped out of me,” adding, “The audience ate it up and went crazy.”

He created this insane character and entertained the world for 40 years in TV shows and movies.

Paul won two Emmys as Pee-wee, becoming a worldwide phenomenon.

The actor died in July 2023 of lung cancer, but just months before his death told his own story in his own words, filming his final on-camera appearance to celebrate his legacy and his funny alter ego in the new HBO Max two-part documentary “Pee-wee as Himself.”

Director Matt Wolf told “Extra” at the L.A. premiere, “I didn’t know he was in poor health. That is something he kept to himself.”

Knowing his health was failing, Paul spilled it all in the doc and dove deep into his lowest point… his 1991 arrest for indecent exposure in a Florida adult film theater.

He says in the show, “I lost control of my anonymity then. It was devastating.”

It would be 16 years later before Pee-wee would make his next appearance.

Wolf said of working with Reubens on the project, “It was challenging, I’m not going to lie. He's someone who lost control of his story in the media and wanted control of his documentary and we found our way… We found a path.”

Paul says in the doc, “Death is just so final. To be able to get your message in at the last minute is incredible.”