‘Pee-Wee Herman’ Star Paul Reubens Posthumously Comes Out As Gay In New Documentary

Paul Reubens was famous for his alter-ego Pee-wee Herman in his lifetime, after which he opened up about his sexuality following years of speculation. In the new two-part docuseries Pee-wee As Himself, he admitted that he was gay, to the surprise of many.

Filmmaker Matt Wolf worked closely with Reubens on the docuseries and confirmed that the actor had chosen to come out publicly via the film despite having kept his sexuality a private matter for most of his life. According to Wolf, Reubens wanted to share his experiences as a closeted gay person, allowing him to tell his story authentically, and he did so with grace.

Why did Paul Reubens hide that he was gay?

Reubens admits in the documentary that he believed coming out as gay would negatively impact his career. He explains that, for years, he hid his sexuality, choosing professional success over his personal life. The actor shares how he tried to live openly as gay early on but retreated into the closet due to the pressures of maintaining his career.

Reubens also shared his experience while in a relationship with a painter named Guy, whom he lived with in the 1970s. Their bond was beautiful but was cut short by death, and Reubens visited his late lover before his death. Guy died from AIDS, and Reubens reflected on the emotional weight of those final moments.

Paul Reubens was involved in sexual controversies

While Reubens’ career was defined by his eccentric characters, he was also in the middle of public controversies. The documentary explored some of these issues, including his arrest in 1991 for indecent exposure after an incident at an adult movie theater.

Although he pled no contest to the charge, it sparked a significant public backlash. The most significant legal issue came in 2001 when police raided Reubens’ home and discovered materials involving minors, leading to a misdemeanor charge for possessing child pornography. He later turned himself in, but the charges were relaxed in 2004.