Anne and I got to go see The Pee Wee Herman show last night. It was phenomenal, and I realized about 20 minutes into the show that I was sitting on the edge of my seat, grinning and jumping around like a little kid … because that's pretty much how I used to watch Pee Wee's Playhouse.
After the show, we were fortunate enough to listen to Paul Reubens do a Q&A with about 100 people. As much as I loved the show, I would go back every night just to listen to him talk about acting, writing, comedy, and performing.
I asked a question about the scene in Pee Wee's Big Adventure that I talked about on RFB #19. I wanted to know if he improvised that, or if it was all in the script, and hoped that he would just talk about it a little bit, because I think that it's one of the most hilarious, perfect, subtle comedic acting performances I've ever seen.
He said that it was all in the script, confirmed that it was tremendously fun to do, and then told us how he did a show at the Groundlings a few years ago where he used that scene as inspiration. The show was a fake actor's showcase, where all the performers did actual scenes, but they did them the way really bad actors would do them. (The thing about showcases is that actors hope casting people to come see and hire them, but they never do. The audience ends up being friends and family – the same ones who have suffered through all the other showcases you've done – and it's all a little bit depressing.) The only catch was that, to be in the show, you couldn't do the same bad acting bit that someone else was doing. This was a tall order, because the were some extraordinarily talented comedic actors in the show. Paul said that he and Lynne Marie Stewart (Miss Yvonne) did an actual scene from an actual play, and he made the bad acting choice to mouth every single word of dialog she said, just like he did in Pee Wee's Big Adventure. He said that it was the only time in his career that he had to focus and concentrate really hard, so he wouldn't break and end up laughing.
Anne and I also got to meet him very briefly, and I talked with him for about 90 seconds, before I realized we were holding up the other people who wanted to meet him. He was incredibly gracious, humble, and kind. When I thanked him for providing me with a lifetime of joy, he thanked me back, and I could tell that he meant it, and I kind of wanted to hug him.
But all of that isn't the reason I wrote this post. The reason I wrote this post is to share with you a video he mentioned after the show. In a discussion about Jim Nabors and Charo, he told us to go to YouTube when we got home, and search for Charo doing Love Will Keep Us Together. He said it would change our lives.
Well, he was right, and now it is my great honor to change your lives. (You know, paying it forward and all).
Thank you, Pee Wee Herman, for a great show, a lifetime of joy, and changing my life through the magic of Charo.
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Fantastic story, I would have loved to have seen it with you guys!
Enjoyed the post; but can’t say I found Charo life-changing. Maybe in the morning? Wondering if I’m just a sub-standard human being, or if there’s context it should be bouncing off of that I don’t have? 🙂
Wil,
I love that Charo clip, but if you think that’s something, this will ABSOLUTELY change your life. Charo’s version is The Beatles compared to Mae West and Timothy Dalton. The “song” kicks in about :45 seconds in, and you’ll never the same again.
Jeez, man, WARN a brother before making me watch stuff like that.
Actually, you did say Charo was in it. Nevermind.
Very entertaining! And was that Matthew McConaughey on the bongo drums 😉
Sarasota police should be ashamed at themselves for cutting years out of the prime of his career. Jerks. What did they think people did in those theaters, read Shakespeare?
First thing that popped into my head when she sang, “Stop! ‘Cause I rrrrrrreally love you,” was this classic:
Wow. Just Wow. I don’t think her hips ever stopped moving. If one could bottle that energy, it would have to be named “Coochie Coochie Caffeine”. Tag line: Poo poo pi do!
Le holy crap. That was both awesome and horrible. WTF ever happened to variety shows and why aren’t they on television now? I would be much more interested in watching something like that than another Jersey Shore knockoff.
How sad is it that I want Charo’s outfit?
Watching the video I was like, “Yeah, pretty good. not life changing, but a nice watch.” Then, at the very end, “Boop-Boopy-Doop” and that was the moment. I felt it. Charo has changed me forever.
just when you thought no one could be better than neil sedaka, along comes charo! LOHVE-HIT!
the fringe! the fringe! i can’t get the fringe out of my mind!
Charo is actually a serious and accomplished performer; an award winning Flamenco Guitarist and a pupil of Andrés Segovia. She was a HUGE nightclub performer in the 1960s and 70s, and very famous right below the media’s radar for many years except various game shows, character parts in sitcoms, and of course, variety shows. She was also married to the mega-hit bandleader Xavier Cugat for many years. In the 1970s, she was reportedly being paid as much as Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles or Dean Martin for Vegas performances.
But people will always remember her as the “cuchi cuchi” girl with the big boobs.
If by life changing you mean “scarred for life” then I am with both of you on these two clips. Eesh!
All I could think of while watching this clip was all of the bad variety shows I suffered through as a young child of the 70’s. Even at the tender age of five, I knew I was watching simply awful television. I did, however, watch the hell out of Pee-Wee Herman’s HBO special in the early 80’s. I don’t know why, but I was completely drawn to it. I was 10 when it first saw it in 1982, and my parents were cool enough to let me watch it. I knew I was watching something that was kind of taboo, yet it was still funny to me.
That fringe was hypnotic. I think it must have been trying to send a message through time that said “Shakira ain’t got nothin’ on these hips.”
You know, I remember Pee-Wee as a larger integral part of my childhood, so much so that I don’t even really associate the Paul Rubens that created a happy, cheerful, if not slghtly warped manchid with the Paul Rubens who spent time in jail for lewd acts. To me, the latter is some drone created to infiltrate and destroy childhood dreams by some East Martian syndicate.
I wish we had more Playhouse time these days, especiallyso we could have big adventures and scream and wiggle around when someone says “stairway” (and not have it turn overtly sexual). Nowadays we have kids growing up too fast and wanting to be older than they have any right to be. I mean an 8 year old designing kiddie lingerie and getting fame because her older sister is a pre-fab role model (and a defective one at that). I’m glad that at least Paul/Pee-Wee are back to show us a glimpse of good insanity.
Paul Rubens is quite a good actor and I wish he’d do more serious rolls.
Charo – OMG! I used to amazed how such a person could get on Merv Griffin. But then, pretty much anyone in show biz got on his show. and regardless of how horrible I thought it was, it was very entertaining, which is the point, isn’t it?
So, was she intentionally doing parody of bad signing, dancing or just naturally over the top? WHO CARES! And, yes, if you ever saw her play guitar, she was quite good at times.
i’m think I’m going schizo!
Re. Charo – was it just me or do those silhouetted things in the background (which I guess are supposed to be parrots? Which is a bit wtf anyway) kinda look like hanged/dead people? Or does Charo’s singing just make my mind go to very dark places?
Well, in my defense, I did say you’ll never be the same again. I remember watching that flick on Showtime back in the day, and it’s still in my Top 10 Most Bizarre Film Experiences.
wow, five conga players. That’s really my only comment on the video. Five. And they’ve got three congas each. So that’s fifteen congas on one stage.
And to think that Charo got her hair to look that fantastic without the benefit of a Bumpit…..
Oh yah.. change my life will you… well.. right back at you!!
mawahahahahaha
Lol!
Oh, Charo! Such a classy dame! Not only was she lip-syncing, the guys around her were bongo-syncing. I thought there were hanged men in silhouette in the background until I realized it was only stuffed parrots in silhouette… beautiful plumage, the Norwegian Blue!
OMG! Wonderful! I was lucky enough to meet Pee Wee years ago when he had his show… I so wish I could make it out to see him again!
As far as Charo is concerned… I am selling all my possessions and joining a convent. Bye!
wow.
http://www.mojvideo.com/video-charo-on-hollywood-palace/ceb756ffc71800f73637
you learn something new every day… thanks, Punkwalrus!
Actually, I have a new respect for Charo now. Lipsyncing or no, the only real humor about her voice is the accent- otherwise it wasn’t that bad, especially on the “amor”s. It was a good performance- she hit every turn and faced the camera dead on every time. The lipsyncing was well done, too. It’s actually hard to do well, and she was moving the whole time. She even rocked the fringe, not stood there as if to apologize for it. There was a lot of hard work in this performance!
I see it now, she is so much more than the humorous image. To be even minorly successful in a time when few latinas were such in this country is worth respect, even if she had to sell herself short to do it. Charo, I salute you!
I am so, so, so glad I got to attend the live show and that you did too, Wil. I know EXACTLY how you feel. I’m still kind of bummed we went to a two show day for our meet and greet since it was only a Q&A for us, but it was still incredible and I did get to talk to Pee-Wee briefly. That video reminds me of the sheer awesomeness that was the Pee-Wee’s Playhous Christmas Special!
Thanks for sharing the Charo video, Wil. I’ve had a really bad week but that put a smile on my face with it’s absurdity.
This brought back soooo many memories from when I was young. I was also lucky to have grown up in the days of Pee Wee. I am so glad I came of age during those times, and not these times. How different everything is now. The shows, movies, music….don’t make them like that anymore, that’s for sure. Just will never be times like that again.
I loved Pee Wee’s Big Adventure! I will never forget the part with that old woman in the truck, Large Marge was it?? Anyway that part gave me the weirds. That movie is now a cult classic. Anyone ask him if he got to keep the bicycle? Always wondered what came of it.
I bet you were ecstatic getting to meet him! That had to be so awesome!! Oh yes, love Charo. She sure had a thing for the wiggles…LOL:) Have a great weekend, Wil.=]
Your big adventure with Pee Wee tops the Family Guy party in my universe. Soooo cool!
Wow, that’s a nice set of curves, thank you!
In other news, check out @astro_soichi who is tweeting from space! The ISS to be precise. He’s also tweeting photos of various cities. Awesome. Well worth following.
My dh asked why I was watching such a video.
Because…when Pee Wee Herman tells Wil Wheaton (who tells us) to watch a video, you better watch the video!
I guess I’ve seen too many female impersonators do Charo because I kept thinking, “Hey, he’s not too bad.”
I really loved Pee Wee as a child, and yes, I even loved Paul Reubens in “Buffy The Vampire Slayer.” Even though I’m jealous you got to see/meet him, I’m even more happy for you. What a thrill!
The Charo video was… Eh. It didn’t really change my life.
But you, Tully Moxness, with your link to the video of Mae West and Timothy Dalton is “Sextette,” you are just a bad person.
And YOU, Lunar Vixen! With your link to the video of … I’m going to guess it was a Live Feed from the depths of Hell, if Hell is run by Arians in Space. And you’re obviously Satan, hiding behind the lens of the camera, directing it all. And posting links to it for unsuspecting link-clickers such as myself.
Aside from those things, I enjoyed this update. 🙂
One summer I worked for a ticket broker and had front row tickets for Pee Wee at Universal Amphitheater. I think this was probably before the 1st movie and TV show.
Was this an indstry event that you attended with the Q&A or is it part of the show he does every night?
I saw it, I can’t unsee it…
Brought back many memories of watching TV in the 70s.
o_O My eyes, my ears! ARGH!
Wow! Pee Wee! There is a name I haven’t heard of in a very long time! I watched that all the time when I was young…my mom was “concerned” and was more “concerned” later with some of his issues, but back then it was all innocent and fun!
I don’t want Charo’s outfit, but I do want my hips to move like that!
That video makes me feel weird… but also good!
Well, I admit it. That video changed me forever. But not for the better.
She actually has a pretty decent voice behind that bogus accent.
Honestly, I don’t know how this video was supposed to change much of anything. I suspect we got subtly Rick-rolled.
It wasn’t just you.
A few years ago, I saw Charo perform live at a state fair and really enjoyed her performance. She may come off kooky to some, but she really does have presence. That video reminded me of how she throws herself into what she’s doing, and how I respect that.
Matthew McConaughey? Nah, that HAD to be Mick Fleetwood.
I hope she gets a chance to do Love Will Tear Us Apart. That would make the perfect bookend.
That's a lotta congas, baby.
Full.of.Awesome.
That is all.
Hey a better video to link to…
Go to You Tube and search on Ramone Azteca.
Not only was John Paragon JAMBI on the Playhouse but he played Ramone Azteca at Knotts Halloween Haunt for many years.
He was always REALLY funny.