On July 31, 2023, the news of Reubens' death came as a shock to documentary filmmaker Matt Wolf, who had spent a year trying to convince him to make the ambitious two-part documentary “Pee-wee as Himself,” now streaming on HBO Max, and over 40 hours interviewing him on camera.

Pee-wee as Himself,' a two-part documentary directed by Matt Wolf premiering Friday on HBO, supplies a vivid portrait of Paul Reubens, who receded behind his character.

Paul Reubens’s performance as Pee-wee Herman gave fans “license to be weird.” At an underground cabaret, he cheered on his community of renegades.