The HBO Max documentary Pee-wee as Himself earned three Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special during the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday night. Earlier, at the Creative Arts Emmys on Sunday, Sept. 7, director Matt Wolf won for Directing and Damian Rodriguez for Picture Editing. The film also received nominations for Sound Editing and Sound Mixing.
The documentary traces the life and legacy of comedy legend Paul Reubens (Theater BFA 73), who served as executive producer and narrated the film in his own words. Best known for creating the iconic character Pee-wee Herman, Reubens passed away on July 30, 2023, after a private battle with cancer. Before his death, he opened his personal archives to the production team, providing hours of footage and thousands of photographs that offered unparalleled insight into his life and career.
“Paul was my dream subject,” Wolf told Deadline. “I pursued it for many years but Paul was an incredibly private person. People knew Pee-wee but they knew very little about the creator’s alter ego. … Pee-wee Herman was a super avant-garde character that came from a performance art scene in the 1980s that hit the mainstream, and I’m interested when experimental people become mainstream and what happens.”
By convincing Reubens to tell his story, Wolf helped preserve the legacy of a figure who was both elusive and influential. That legacy was honored on Sunday night in bittersweet fashion, as the Emmy marked Reubens’ first Primetime win following three earlier nominations. He previously earned two Daytime Emmys for Pee-wee’s Playhouse in 1988 and 1991.
Pee-wee as Himself is now streaming on HBO Max.
