I was a pre-teen when Pee Wee's Playhouse started airing, but I was instantly drawn to this show. It was supposedly aimed at kids, but there was a hilarious subtext to it all that slayed me. I watched Pee Wee's Playhouse every Saturday, waiting for the secret word, awaiting visits from Miss Yvonne, Cowboy Curtis, Reba the Mail Lady and The King of Cartoons.
Those characters were played by some big time talent. Laurence Fishburne was Cowboy Curtis, Phil Hartman was Captain Carl and S. Epatha Merkerson was Reba the Mail Lady.
When Paul Reubens was arrested for indecent exposure in a movie theatre in 1991, this show quickly bit the dust. It's a damn shame because it was totally quirky, irreverent and smart, with eye candy that would give your retinas cavities. Here's the awesome introduction. Yes, that's Cyndi Lauper doing the singing.
