The HBO Original two-part documentary Pee-Wee as Himself, directed by Matt Wolf (HBO’s The Stroll), debuts FRIDAY, MAY 23 (8:00 p.m.-11:20 p.m. ET/PT). Both parts will air back-to-back on HBO and will be available to stream on Max.

Driven by a soul-baring interview with Paul Reubens, the man behind the iconic character Pee-wee Herman, Pee Wee as Himself  is the definitive portrait of the comedic performer, and a window into his never before discussed personal life. Determined to correct the record and tell the factual story of his life, Reubens excavates his kaleidoscopic influences, origins in the circus and avant-garde performance theater, and career choices, while reflecting on the reasoning behind, and the consequences of, severing his beloved alter ego from his authentic self.

Woven together from over 40 hours of interview footage filmed before Reubens’ premature death in 2023, 1,000 hours of archival footage, and tens of thousands of never-before-seen photographs from his personal collections, the film chronicles Reubens’ influences, from growing up in the circus town of Sarasota, Florida to his avant-garde theater training at the California Institute of the Arts. Combining his love of performance art and comedy, Reubens joined the legendary Groundlings improv group, where he created Pee-wee Herman, the impish character that would come to define his career. Becoming a cultural touchstone of the 1980s with his hit film “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure,” and his sweetly subversive Emmy®-winning children’s television series “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” Reubens chose to never be photographed or interviewed publicly as himself — an artistic choice to present Pee-wee Herman as a real person not to be confused with his creator. From the “Dating Game” to regular appearances on “The David Letterman Show,” Reubens never broke character, living his dream of doing performance art in mainstream pop culture. When Reubens was arrested at an adult movie theater in 1991, his anonymity was destroyed and he fell prey to the media’s growing appetite for salacious and spurious takedowns.

Occasionally sparring with the documentary’s director over creative control, Reubens speaks candidly, and sometimes warily, about his personal and professional challenges before and after his arrests. Alongside interviews with artists and actors from “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” and prominent figures in his life, Reubens openly discusses further legal battles, his exoneration, his ultimate resurrection as a public figure, and the apotheosis of Pee-wee as an adored and enduring cultural icon. The result is a revealing, hilarious, and complex portrait of Reubens, and a celebration of the enormous and indelible legacy he leaves behind.

Part one details Reubens’ childhood and desire to be an actor, inspired by such television shows as “Howdy Doody,” “Captain Kangaroo,” and “I Love Lucy.” He finds acceptance at CalArts, where he hones his performance art skills. At the Los Angeles improv group The Groundlings, Reubens creates the alter ego of Pee-wee Herman and puts on a live late-night show that becomes a cult sensation and evolves into a popular tour. The hit 1985 film “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” makes him a global sensation. Subsuming himself into the character of Pee-wee, Reubens hides his personal life, and recognizes too late that fame makes for a complicated companion.

Reubens’ profile continues to grow with an Emmy®-winning weekly Saturday morning television show “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” which unabashedly celebrates diversity and nonconformity. The episode explores the casting, production design, and creative process of the show that ran for five seasons. Reubens talks candidly about his fame as a pop culture icon and the lows he endured as he faced rumors, vilification, and the vitriol of the media. Reemerging as a cult figure with cameo roles in films and TV shows, a Broadway revival of his Pee-wee stage show, and a final Pee-wee film, Reubens refuses to have his legacy be defined by media scandals based on false rumors. He shares final words with the public, reinforcing his lifelong dream to bring joy, creativity, and acceptance to everyone.

Interviews include sister Abby Rubenfeld, artists Gary Panter and Wayne White, actors Lynne Stewart, John Moody, Alison Mork, Natasha Lyonne, S. Epatha Merkerson, Laurence Fishburne, Debi Mazar, David Arquette, Laraine Newman, and Cassandra Peterson, and filmmakers Tim Burton and Judd Apatow

HBO Documentary Films presents PEE-WEE AS HIMSELF, an Elara & First Love Films Production. Directed and executive produced by Matt Wolf; produced by Emma Tillinger Koskoff; executive produced by Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Ronald Bronstein, Eli Bush, Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie, Paul Reubens, Candace Tomarken, and Kyle Martin. For HBO: executive producers, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, and Sara Rodriguez.