The 10 Queerest Moments From Pee-wee's Playhouse

Paul Rubens, best known for creating the character Pee-wee Herman, passed away on Monday at the age of 70, leaving behind an enduring legacy of queer acceptance.

Pee-wee’s sexuality may never have been discussed openly on Pee-wee’s Playhouse or in the subsequent movies — Rubens was famously mum about his own sexuality as well — but there was an undeniable queerness imbued in the characters and the setting that made a huge impact on LGBTQ+ kids and adults.

Not only was the show full of campy characters and colorful over-the-top set design, but Pee-wee himself was often read as either an asexual man-child or an effete, gay man. The way that masculinity was portrayed on the show was transgressive — especially in the '80s when the character first graced our screens.

Everything about Pee-wee's Playhouse was unquestionably gay without ever saying the words out loud. From the campy comedy to queer guest stars to Pee-wee even cross-dressing in Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, the show has left an imprint on queer culture that can’t be overstated.

So let’s celebrate the life and work of Paul Rubens and take a look back at the ten queerest moments from his career as Pee-wee Herman.

Jambi the Genie

Jambi the Genie, portrayed by the late John Paragon, usually appeared once per episode to grant Pee-wee a wish. The blue-faced genie is considered to be a drag queen by most and if you peep the make-up and styling we can see why!

​'Pee-wee Playhouse Christmas Special' Guest Stars

1988’s Pee-Wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special included a list of guests full of gay icons like Cher, Grace Jones, Little Richards, Joan Rivers, Whoopi Goldberg, Zsa Zsa Gabor and even k.d. lang.

The Never-Ending Fruit Cakes

During Pee-Wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special, Pee-wee receives a fruitcake from every guest that comes through his door and eventually admits to using them to add a new room onto the Playhouse. We are then treated to a glimpse of the muscular construction workers, one of whom is wearing a tank top and the other is shirtless — the queerness is really right there on the surface once you start to look.

Miss Yvonne

Miss Yvonne was a frequent guest at the Playhouse whose '50s aesthetic was so campy she would have looked at home in a John Waters’ film

Crossdressing in 'Pee-wee's Big Adventure'

In the movie Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Pee-wee crossdresses ignorer to elude the cops.

The Time Pee-wee Marries A Fruit Salad

On one episode of Pee-wee’s Playhouse, Pee-wee marries a fruit salad as a play on the frequent “if you love X so much, why don’t you marry it” joke — very subtle!

The Show's Adult Jokes

Adult jokes were peppered throughout the show, often with queer overtones. Like on the short-lived HBO’s The Pee-Wee Herman Show when Jambi the Genie — who is a disembodied head — receives hands in the mail and says, “I’ve had something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.”

The Hot Lifeguard

Roland Rodriguez plays a lifeguard on Pee-wee's Playhouse who shows off his chiseled physique while wearing short shorts and at one point appears in nothing but tiny gold shorts and gold bow-tie — it's hard to get gayer than that!

The Queer-Coded Ending Of 'Pee-wee's Big Holiday'

In 2016 Rubens appeared in his final feature-length role as Pee-wee Herman in Pee-wee's Big Holiday. In it, Pee-wee meets Joe Manganiello (as himself) and then leaves his small town to travel to New York to celebrate Joe's birthday. The whole film is often read as a coming out story, but it's really the end of the movie that sells it for us. Pee-wee and Joe exchange friendship bracelets and then ride off into the sunset together on Joe's motorcycle. So sweet!

The 'Magic Mike' Joke

In Pee-wee's Big Holiday we get yet another example of a quip that adults would enjoy, but would sail right over kids heads, when Joe Manganiello asks Pee-wee if he’s seen “Magic Mike.” Pee-wee responds, “Ha! You’d think so, but no.”