Is Pee-wee Herman Hollywood's Next Comeback Kid?
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Actor Paul Reubens is reintroducing Pee-wee -- his alter ego and 1980s cult character. (AP)
Pee-wee Herman (aka Paul Reubens) is one of those pop culture figures who has gone through every up and down that fame can bring - and then inflict on - you.
In 1985, Reubens had one of the year's smash comedies with the now-classic movie "Pee-wee's Big Adventure," grossing over $40 million on a $6 million budget.
Then on July 26, 1991, he was busted in Sarasota, Fla., for masturbating in an adult theater.
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Pee-wee was no longer deemed suitable entertainment for children. CBS stopped airing the kids' show "Pee-wee's Playhouse," and Toys "R" Us removed Pee-wee toys from its stores.
For years, Reubens didn't work in Hollywood.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}But now, Pee-wee may be poised for a comeback. He is currently high on the hog at Sturgis -- the world's biggest motorcycle rally, where he is re-introducing his Pee-wee character, and a Broadway run of the "The Pee-wee Herman Show" begins Oct. 26, based in part on "Pee-wee's Playhouse," the Associated Press reports.
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Pee-wee said he never intended to be a children's entertainer anyway -- he toned down his original stage act geared toward adults -- so this might finally be his chance to make it as a grown-up star. Or is Reubens just another '80s has-been trying desperately for a comeback?
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}As Pee-wee might say, "I know you are, but what am I?"
So what do you think - can Pee-wee Herman make a comeback?