"Pee-wee as Himself" - it was never going to be a straightforward documentary was it? And so it proves. Pee-wee's creator Paul Reubens wanted to make it himself but made the uncharacteristic decision to cede control to director Matt Woolf although his fingerprints are all over it...
Here's how you can watch "Pee-wee as Himself" online around the world and from anywhere with a VPN.
"Pee-wee as Himself" premieres on HBO/Max with both parts of the doc running back-to-back on Friday, May 23 from 8 p.m. ET/PT.
• U.S. — HBO/Max/Max via Amazon Prime
• CAN — Crave
• AUS — Max
• Watch anywhere — try NordVPN 100% risk-free
With over 40 hours of interviews (including a final word the day before his death in July 2023), thousands of unseen photos and hours of archive footage, part of the arc of this two-part 200 minute film is the struggle with Woolf to maintain control.
It ducks nothing. The elevator to the top floor in the 1980s when it felt that success and excess would never stop and then a 1991 bust for indecent exposure, the infamous mug shot and "the loss of my anonymity."
And then the fight for redemption which revealed a huge love for his tortured man-child after ego. Is it an honest portrayal of Paul Reubens' authentic self or is Pee Wee Herman still pulling the strings? Either way, he's still asking, "But what am I?"
Read on and discover how you can watch "Pee-wee as Himself" online with all the streaming details you need below.
How to watch 'Pee-wee as Himself' online in the U.S.
Max is no. 1 on our best streaming services list for its vast, high-quality library, including all of HBO’s prestige series like "Game of Thrones", "The Last of Us" and "Succession", plus recent offerings among the best Max shows such as "House of the Dragon", "True Detective: Night Country" and "The White Lotus".
Watch 'Pee-wee as Himself' from anywhere in the world
If you're traveling overseas and "Pee-wee as Himself" isn't airing where you're currently located, that doesn't mean you have to miss the show while you're away from home. With the right VPN (virtual private network), you can stream the show from wherever you are.
We've evaluated many options, and the best VPN you can get right now is NordVPN. It meets the VPN needs of the vast majority of users, offering outstanding compatibility with most devices and impressive connection speeds. You can try it risk-free for 30 days if you take advantage of NordVPN's no-quibble money-back guarantee.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're visiting the U.K. and want to view a U.S. service, you'd select a U.S. server from the location list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the show. Head to your streaming service app — so Max, for example — and watch "Pee-wee as Himself" online from wherever you are in the world.
How to watch 'Pee-wee as Himself' online in Canada
You can watch "Pee-wee as Himself" in Canada on the Crave streaming service. Both parts land on Friday, May 23 at 8 p.m. ET/PT .
Crave subscriptions start at $11.99/month for its Basic plan (720p video, includes ads).
Those on vacation away from Canada will need one of the best VPNs to log in back home to use Crave. We recommend NordVPN.
Can you watch 'Pee-wee as Himself' online in the U.K.?
There is no release date for "Pee-wee as Himself" in the U.K. yet but it is likely to end up on Sky Atlantic very soon.
Not a Sky subscriber? Plans currently start from £31/month.
How to watch 'Pee-wee as Himself' online in Australia
Aussies can catch "Pee-wee as Himself' when both parts of the doc premiere on Max (now available Down Under) on Friday, May 23.
Plans start at $9.99/month.
Not at home? Don't panic. You can still watch the show from your usual domestic streaming platform with a VPN. We recommend NordVPN.
Official 'Pee-wee as Himself' trailer
'Pee-wee as Himself' - Episode guide
"Part One": Reubens' childhood and desire to be an actor, inspired by such television shows as "Howdy Doody," "Captain Kangaroo," and "I Love Lucy." He finds acceptance at CalArts, where he hones his performance art skills. At the Los Angeles improv group The Groundlings, Reubens creates the alter ego of Pee-wee Herman and puts on a live late-night show that becomes a cult sensation and evolves into a popular tour. The hit 1985 film "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" makes him a global sensation. Subsuming himself into the character of Pee-wee, Reubens hides his personal life, and recognizes too late that fame makes for a complicated companion. (Friday, May 23)
"Part Two": Reubens' profile continues to grow with an Emmy-winning weekly Saturday morning television show "Pee-wee's Playhouse," which unabashedly celebrates diversity and nonconformity. The episode explores the casting, production design, and creative process of the show that ran for five seasons. Reubens talks candidly about his fame as a pop culture icon and the lows he endured as he faced rumors, vilification, and the vitriol of the media. Reemerging as a cult figure with cameo roles in films and TV shows, a Broadway revival of his Pee-wee stage show, and a final Pee-wee film, Reubens refuses to have his legacy be defined by media scandals based on false rumors. He shares final words with the public, reinforcing his lifelong dream to bring joy, creativity, and acceptance to everyone. (Friday, May 23)
'Pee-wee as Himself' contributors
- Abby Rubenfeld (sister)
- John Moody
- Alison Mork
- Laraine Newman
- Cassandra Peterson
- Tim Burton
- Judd Apatow.
- Laurence Fishburne
- Lynne Marie Stewart
- S. Epatha Merkerson
- Natasha Lyonne
- David Arquette
- Debi Mazar
'Pee-wee as Himself' FAQ
What was Paul Reubens' cause of death?
Reubens died on July 30, 2023 aged 70 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The immediate cause of death was acute hypoxic respiratory failure. He had been diagnosed with both myelogenous leukemia and metastatic lung cancer.
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