The Pee-Wee Herman Episode That Upset Fans (And Got Censored)
"Pee-wee's Playhouse" was a staple of television from 1986-1990, both for kids who loved the silly talking chair, puppets, and silly scenarios, and for adults who loved the tongue-in-cheek humor. Sadly, Paul Reubens, who hosted the show as Pee-wee Herman, has died at the age of 70. The beloved comedian had a huge career, including roles in "The Blacklist," "Portlandia," "The Smurfs," "Pushing Daisies," "Blow," and the movie "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," as well as a very meta appearance in "What We Do in the Shadows." Still, his Pee-wee Herman persona is what Reubens is best known for, returning to the role in 2016 in "Pee-wee's Big Holiday," which he also wrote and produced.
"Pee-wee's Playhouse" is remembered as being incredibly smart and innovative for a children's show and boasted some big acting names like S. Epatha Merkerson, Phil Hartman, and Laurence Fishburne. There were a lot of rather mature jokes in there, though for the most part, CBS, which aired the series, didn't give Reubens any trouble in terms of censorship ... except for one particular line that Reubens spoke about in an SXSW video from 2011.
'Somebody wrote in and said they thought it was inappropriate'
The line involved a fire breaking out in the Playhouse and something one of the recurring characters said to a fireman. It's pretty mild now, and, frankly, barely registered as "inappropriate" even back then. Reubens explained in the video:
"The only thing they asked me to do is, we had an episode — 'Fire in the Playhouse' episode, and Miss Yvonne (Lynne Marie Stewart) says to the firefighter — he says 'You should have a smoke detector in every room.' And she says, 'I have a smoke detector in my bedroom over the bed.' [laughter]
"And it aired. It aired once, and CBS didn't say one word about it, but they got one letter. Somebody wrote in and said they thought it was inappropriate, and so in the subsequent three airings — and her lips aren't moving the same way — but she says, 'I have a smoke detector in my kitchen over the sink.'"
There is always that one person who spoils everything, but when a show is as beloved as "Pee-wee's Playhouse" still is, the unmatched dialogue/lip movement sort of adds to its charm. The series won a whopping 15 Emmy Awards over its four-season run. It's definitely worth a rewatch in honor of Paul Reubens (rest in peace).
"Pee-wee's Playhouse" is currently available for purchase on Apple TV.