Yes, and The Groundlings is mentioned in the article. I think anybody can be in the wrong place at the wrong time. That history doesn’t bother me one bit.
What he brought to the show in L.A. was completely fresh. HBO has a knack for being right there when something great in comedy happens. I, too, like Alan, laughed my head off. Just as I did with Roseanne Barr’s “domestic goddess” and Eddie Izzard’s “executive transvestite.” I think the respect of his fellow comics says more about his talent than anything that I could add. Kriby > On Feb 16, 2016, at 3:18 PM, Alan Adler <m...@charter.net> wrote: > > > Back in the late 1970’s I apprenticed the troupe and was a manager for the > Groundlings Theater in LA on Friday nights. > > Paul Reubens initiated a new character - a naive kid who just got off the bus > - who in the storyline eventually evolved into a comic. > All of LA was mythic and eye-opening to this character and he had a way of > making you see the fairy tale of it all through his eyes. > > This was the first appearance of Pee-Wee and on successive Friday nights he > would appear and hone the character - change things here or there - draw in > the audience more and more - Until he finally put together Pee-Wee’s > Playhouse - the stage production - with other members of the Groundlings > group - truly brilliant comic talents. > > The movies were fun, I thought - > But, all I can say is that in person in those early days and through the > development of Pee-Wee’s stage show - > I have seen few things funnier or laughed at fewer things harder that I did > that show. > > Rubens would come out tossing candy to everyone, dancing on his tip toes, > engaging the audience. > I don’t know what it was - but he definitely tapped something both mythic and > absurd - a wonderful and unusual combination. > > Paul was always a very kind and gentle person, even quiet, and it was a shame > he hit the Hollywood Babylon skids as he did. > We all have our feet of clay - > But in the old days - when it was fresh and never seen before - his act was > nothing short of scream out loud riotous - you literally couldn’t get the air > out of your lungs fast enough. > > Jeez, I’d love to see something that funny once again! > > Alan > > > To unsubscribe from the MoPo-L list, click the following link: > https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L&A=1 > <https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L&A=1> Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: lists...@listserv.american.edu In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
