ExplorerDS6789
Ever wondered what Pee-wee Herman does for Christmas? Wonder no more, thanks to this special Christmas Special. Pee-wee's got himself an all- star cast, as well as some famous people you might know, to help make the season bright. It begins with Pee-wee making out his list for Santa Claus. It ends up running a couple of miles long, and apparently this is one of TWO Christmas lists he's made, because later he tells Reba the Mail Lady to add this one to his other one. Miss Yvonne stops by, showing off a Christmasy dress and hair 'do, complete with a hanging sprig of mistletoe. She gives Pee-wee a gift, the ol' fruitcake. No, I'm not calling HIM a fruitcake. That's what she actually gave him. In return, he gives Miss Yvonne his own special brand of perfume. After that, Whoopi Goldberg calls to see if she can be on the Christmas special, but Pee-wee informs her that he's booked solid for the next two years, but suggests she try again then. Oh, the irony. Then it's virtual fun with the Magic Screen, featuring her cousin, Magic Johnson. When Pee-wee gets back, he realizes he doesn't have any decorations for the playhouse. He wishes for some from Jambi and requests an extra wish for later. Jambi reluctantly grants his request and first wish. Now the Playhouse looks mighty festive. Reba stops by so Pee-wee can give her his second list for Santa, as well as her present: press-on toenails. Reba gives him a fruitcake, as well as a giant crate originally meant for the White House. Inside it is Grace Jones, who sings a swinging rendition of The Little Drummer Boy. Pee-wee next commissions Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello to make him 1,000 Christmas cards. My, but Pee-wee has suddenly become quite the slavedriver. Then, Cher stops by to find out the secret word, which is "year", and then His Royal Majesty, the King of Cartoons visits to play for us a cartoon. From 1936, "Christmas Comes But Once a Year." Grampy, that lovable old Mr. fix-it stops by an orphanage where a group of sad children are stuck playing with broken toys for Christmas. Grampy quickly sets to right that wrong by making new toys out of household objects! So after Billy Baloney tries unsuccessfully to hijack the special, it starts to snow! Pee-wee goes outside to play. Cowboy Curtis stops by and he and Pee-wee build a snowman, then Pee-wee's ice skating double helps Little Richard on the ice. Back inside, an obviously drunk k.d. lang sings Jingle Bell Rock. I'm not trying to be mean, just look at her. Probably had a few too many glasses of egg nog before her song. And by the way, both King and Curtis give Pee-wee fruitcakes too. Then Dinah Shore calls up and sings the 5,000 Days of Christmas, so Pee-wee ducks out of the call just in time for a visit from Ricardo, who brings him a fruitcake and a Pinata. Charo sings Feliz Navidad as Pee-wee busts that sucker open. Man, what more could one ask for in a Christmas special? Songs, cartoons, guest stars, and I know what some people are thinking: some people don't celebrate Christmas. Why focus on just one denomination? Well for those who feel that way, Mrs. Renae visits Pee- wee and gives him 8 fruitcakes, because she's Jewish and celebrates Hanukkah. So for all the Hebrews in the audience, they give a little tribute to the Festival of Lights with a Dreidel song. So as night falls upon the Playhouse, Pee-wee and the gang eagerly await the arrival of jolly ol' Saint Nick. It's then that Pee- wee reveals what he's doing with all the fruitcakes his fans give him-- as somebody just flat out asks him--he's building a Fruitcake Room, made out of fruitcakes. How sweet. The gang pitches in to teach Randy the true meaning of Christmas by reminding him of the birth of Jesus Christ in the manger on that silent night many centuries ago... and now Santa Claus shows up in the Playhouse. Pee-wee presents him a mountain of cookies and asks about his gifts. Santa informs him that because his list was so big, he didn't have enough gifts for all the other children of the world. Great preparation there, Santa. So he requests Pee-wee give up ALL of them...yes, ALL of them...and in return, Santa invites him to help deliver them around the world. Pee-wee gets a heavy dose of Christmas spirit, remembering what he earlier said about what we can do for others, and agrees to Santa's offer. He bids all his friends a Merry Christmas and takes off with Santa in his sleigh.A very fun Christmas special, both for kids and adults. In fact, I think this special in particular may have been more aimed at the adults in the audience, as they're the only ones who will recognize the guest stars and some of the humor I think the adults would find funnier. And by adult humor, I don't mean anything dirty. I mean those types of jokes that family shows USED to have: the kids would mildly chuckle while their parents laugh themselves silly. Namely the fruitcake running gag. Of course, kids will really enjoy this special too. Plus, I think this special does its job very well. It includes a short mention of Hanukkah and it also mentions the true meaning of Christmas. It doesn't leave anything out, it's not JUST Santa Claus. I don't believe he would make Pee-wee give up ALL his gifts. I think he was just testing him, and probably at the end of the night, he gave Pee-wee a choice of ANY *one* gift he wanted. Anyway, if you grew up with Pee-wee and you saw this special once before, see it again. Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year! Aaahh!
moonspinner55
Watching Pee-wee Herman's Christmas special 21 years after it first aired, many thoughts go through the viewer's mind as to what transpired in comedian Paul Reubens' life and career up to this point--and what has happened since (indeed, in his DVD commentary, Reubens is soft-spoken and even contrite concerning the past two decades). Reubens' creation was originally a naughty one-act for grown-ups, his material laced with innuendo, so it has always stumped me why he chose to be a kiddie entertainer. Apparently, his heart was really in it, and the results are there on the screen...yet when hunky construction workers are seen building the fruitcake room, one may sense a wink and a nudge from the old days. Many guests join Pee-wee at his Playhouse to help usher in the Christmas cheer, including a fleeting Cher, a colorful Little Richard, a tormented Frankie Avalon & Annette Funicello, a very young k.d. lang, a scarily elegant Grace Jones, a saucy Charo, and all of Herman's friends from his weekly television program (including co-writer John Paragon as Jambi, with incredible make-up). It's very light and easy, obviously put together rather quickly, and lacking a bit in high-end laughter. Pee-wee's newfound penchant to be educationally sound detracts from the fun, as does the proverbial meaning-of-Christmas speech which comes off a little heavy. Still, it moves along at a merry pace, Pee-wee is occasionally a funny jerk, and the celebrities all seem remarkably in step with the fanciful humor at hand.
melismatica67
Why isn't this available on video or DVD? Fortunately, I taped it when it aired one Christmas when my kids were toddlers. The date above says 1988 which surprises me because I was under the impression it only aired once. My youngest was born in '87 and I'm pretty certain she was older than 1 when we first saw it. The year I taped this, and every year since they have watched it over again, rewinding certain parts to see them played backwards. This was hilarious to them. The Christmas special has the same kitchy, glitzy sets and props of the Saturday morning show with all the regular characters as well as several great drop-ins. Some particular favorites of mine are k.d. lang performing a frenetic "Jingle Bell Rock" and Charo singing "Feliz Navidad". There is even a touching moment when Pee Wee explains the true meaning of Christmas with the aid of an old educational film of children performing a Nativity pageant. We just watched that original tape I made for the gazillionth time. My kids are now 15, 14, and 12 and they catch the sly camp humor that eluded them when they were younger. My copy is old and deteriorating. I can't believe this hasn't been released for purchace by now. Are people still so hung up on that minor picadillo that future audiences will be deprived of ever seeing this truly entertaining, good natured Christmas special? I surely hope not. I don't know how many more viewings my copy will endure.
