**********************
r
anger personified), Stiller is in the
midst of filming his first major
Jewish role. He plays a rabbi in
Keeping the Faitk. romantic come-
dy co-starring ienna Elfman and
Edward Norton (who's also direct-
ing). He will then structure a film
around his character Derek
Zoolander; world-famous male
super-model. Garofalo, for one,
thinks Stiller fits the bill: "I think
he's a Jewish Tom Cruise," she says.
But \‘'hat Stiller is most proud of is
the fact that the Museum of Radio and
Television is hosting•a retrospective of
his short-lived sketch comedy program,
The Ben. Stiller Show. Thirteen episodes
were made in 1992 For Fox.
felt vindicated nine months after
the show was canceled when we got a
Writi ng Emmy," he says, "because
networks never ever acknowledge
good stuff If it can make them
money or they can exploit it, they'll
• ,
acknowledge
The reserved, quiet man sitting
next to Stiller gives a thoughtful nod
in agreement. There's nothing spastic
about the 46-year-old Paul Reubens.
But even though he's tanned and
dressed in a nicely Fitting suit, it's still
easy to see Reubens as his immensely
popular alter-ego, Pee-Wee Herman.
\X/bile Stiller is reeling from his
new attention, Reubens is quietly
corning back into the spotlight,
which singed him badly in 1991
after he was arrested for lewd behav-
ior in an adult theater. This highly ,
publicized scandal effectively ended
his career as Pee-Wee Herman. The
child/man character appealed to
both kids and adults in movies like
Pee Wee's Big Adventure and the
influential and beloved children's
program Pee I,ne's Playhouse.
Even though he created the televi-
sion sh ow, and wrote and directed
most of the episodes, Reubens often
felt in the shadow of Pee-Wee, so
much so that he often did press inter-
views in character.
oftentimes thought I should
just change my name," says Reubens,
and say, 'Pee-Wee Herman in ...
whatever.' And it wouldn't be Pee-
Wee Herman anymore, but that
would be my name because most
people think that's [who I am]. I
thought, seriously, that it would just
be smarter to drop the Paul Reubens
thing and be Pee-Wee Herman.
"No, I don't miss him," he contin-
ues, "and if I ever miss [Pee-Wee], I
just turn on the old VCR."
But the inherent playfulness of his
famous character was apparent to
-
-
Reubens co-stars on tlflystely Men,
especially Oscar-winner Geoffrey
Rush, who receives a memorable full-
force dose of The Spleen's power:
incapacitating farts.
"I think something in the ever pre-
sent and ‘vry glint that Paul has in his
eye," says Rush, "has a little touch of
Pee-Wee, because it is very much his
clown persona. There's something
sweet and subversively innocent in
„
that presence.
"He's an imp, that's what he is,"
adds William H. Macy about
Reubens. "He's constantly planning,
there's always something going on.
He's like an aquarium."
Born Paul Rubenfeld in Peekskill,
N.Y., Reubens moved to Sarasota,
Fla., with his family when he was in
fourth grade. Two years later, he won
the role of the preternaturally mature
boy in a local theater production of A
Thousand Clowns, and his career aspi-
rations were set.
"I was a little oddball kid," he says.
"I was really serious and funny both.
I always wanted to perform; I always
wanted to be an actor. I never really
t h oL 1 g„ht about doing comedy until
le
a t r .
Reubens created Pee-Wee Herman
in 1978 when he was a member of
the influential Los Angeles comedy
troupe The Groundlings. A popular
stage show and HBO special led to
movies, television and the eventual
straightjacket of fame.
"I always thought it would be
interesting," Reubens explains, "to
have a seminar in Hollywood when
you're starting to get Famous to just
explain some of the things you might
want to know. It would be great to
have a little manual with some help-
ful tips. There are some people who
love being famous, who really enjoy
it, and I'm not complaining whatso-
ever. I'm just not in that school."
Reubens currently is working on a
film called Meet the Muckles, a come-
dy, in the vein of You Can't Take It
With You, and has just signed with
Disney for The Pee Wee Herman
Story, which he wryly describes as a
"flke autobiography."
When the conversation weaves
back to his television show, Reubens
uses the opportunity to engage Stiller
in a little friendly ribbing.
"Personally, I have three Emmys,"
he says, "and the show won 23. How
many did yours win again?"
"One," replies Stiller, but we only
aired 12 episodes."
"We only did 40," says Ruebens
with a sly grin. "Do the math."
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