July 27, 1991 marked a turning point in the life of Paul Reubens, the man behind the beloved character Pee-wee Herman.
The incident took place the previous day when undercover detectives raided an adult movie theater in Sarasota, Florida called the South Trail Cinema.
Among the lineup of explicit films being shown that evening, the officers apprehended three men for indecent exposure.
However, their attention quickly turned to a fourth individual who was openly engaging in lewd behavior.
To everyone's surprise, it was none other than Paul Reubens himself.
The arresting officers were initially unaware of Reubens' alter ego as Pee-wee Herman until he revealed his identity.
Having recently concluded his popular Saturday morning series, “Pee-wee's Playhouse,” on CBS, Reubens hoped that his celebrity status would help him avoid legal repercussions.
He even offered to perform as Pee-wee for a children's benefit if the charges of “Exposure of s**ual Organs” were dropped.
Unfortunately for him, the authorities declined his proposal.
Consequently, news of his arrest broke on this day 32 years ago.
While law enforcement in Sarasota might not have immediately recognized Reubens, the rest of the world certainly did.
Shortly after his arrest, a Florida reporter discovered his mugshot on an arrests sheet and his image appeared in newspapers and magazines nationwide.
On July 29, Reubens released a statement denying the charges, while his lawyer, Dan Dannheiser, expressed concerns about the impact on his client's career.
The Sarasota Herald-Tribune quoted Dannheiser saying, “He does a lot of things with kids over the world, and his career will be over when the story runs.”
Media outlets also weighed in on the scandal with sensational headlines.
Joel Achenbach of The Washington Post wrote, “Paul Reubens is living out every man's and every boy's worst nightmare.
He is alleged to have been seen touching himself.”
The equation of fame combined with an alleged s** crime generated immense public interest, leading to the exposure of the entire story.
The aftermath of Reubens' arrest was swift and severe.
CBS immediately pulled reruns of “Pee-wee's Playhouse” from its schedule, while Toys “R” Us removed Pee-wee Herman toys from their stores nationwide.
Even a tape featuring Pee-wee's voice was removed from a studio tour at Florida's Disney-MGM Studios.
It seemed that Pee-wee's adventures had come to an abrupt halt.
However, fans rallied to support Reubens and his iconic character.
“Free Pee-wee” rallies took place in Los Angeles and New York, with celebrities like Cyndi Lauper, Joan Rivers, and Robert Klein publicly defending him.
Even some members of the Sarasota police expressed hope for his vindication.
In an unexpected turn, Bill Cosby also commented on the situation, claiming that it had been blown out of proportion.
Encouraged by the outpouring of public support, Reubens gradually returned to the spotlight.
In September, he made a triumphant appearance as Pee-wee Herman at the MTV Video Music Awards, receiving enthusiastic cheers from the audience.
Reubens maintained his innocence throughout the legal proceedings, eventually entering a no contest plea to the indecent exposure charges in November.
The resolution included a small fine and a commitment to community service.
Since his arrest, Reubens has continued to work in various movies and TV shows, including appearances in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Mystery Men,” “Murphy Brown,” and “Everybody Loves Raymond.”
He officially revived his beloved character at the 2007 Guys Choice Awards and went on to star in a Broadway stage show and the 2016 Netflix film, “Pee-wee's Big Holiday.”
Reflecting on the incident in a 2004 interview with NBC News, Reubens admitted that he had not anticipated the consequences of his actions.
He maintained his innocence, emphasizing that he did not consider it a crime at the time.
Reubens candidly shared his vulnerability, stating, “I'm a professional comedian.
I've never claimed to be able to take it as good as I dish it out…
I mean, I'm just sensitive.”
