Pee-Wee's Big Blog!

Occasionally, the TVCU will discuss a character whose origins are a little askew of the norm.  Pee-Wee Herman did not start off in some film or tv storyline, like most of our characters discussed.  If anything, he falls in the ranks with such an assortment of characters as Father Guido Sarducci, Kermit the Frog, Jose Jiminez, Elvira and mostly, the Shadow.

1912 to Present--Santa has appeared on screen since 1912, in over a thousand films and television shows. Not all are TVCU canon. Of those that are, some are of the “real” Santa and some are just a man in the suit, but it’s a TVCU concept that anyone wearing the suit can become possessed by the Christmas Spirit, a magical tulpa like aspect of Jesus. Some of those appearances from the TVCU (or Television Crossover Multiverse) are: BABES IN TOYLAND, ROAD TO UTOPIA, SANTA AND THE FAIRY SNOW QUEEN, I LOVE LUCY, THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM, RUDOLPH, THE RED-NOSED REINDEER, THE FLINTSTONES, THUNDERBIRDS, BATMAN, MISTEROGERS, THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, FROSTY THE SNOWMAN, BEWITCHED, THE BRADY BUNCH, SANTA AND THE THREE BEARS, ADAM-12, MISTER ROGERS’ NEIGHBORHOOD, THE FIRST EASTER RABBIT, RUDOLPH’S SHINY NEW YEAR, MCCLOUD, A FLINTSTONE CHRISTMAS, LOU GRANT, RAGGEDY ANN AND ANDY IN THE GREAT SANTA CLAUS CAPER, ALL IN THE FAMILY, BENJI’S VERY OWN CHRISTMAS STORY, LAVERNE & SHIRLEY, RUDOLPH AND FROSTY’S CHRISTMAS IN JULY, BUGS BUNNY’S LOONEY CHRISTMAS TALES, THE LITTLE RASCALS’ CHRISTMAS SPECIAL, A FAMILY CIRCUS CHRISTMAS, CASPER’S FIRST CHRISTMAS, ALICE, YOGI’S FIRST CHRISTMAS, A CHIPMUNK CHRISTMAS, LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH, DIFF’RENT STROKES, GLORIA, A CHRISTMAS STORY, T.J. HOOKER, TRANCERS, WHO’S THE BOSS?, ST. ELSEWHERE, THE FALL GUY, BABAR AND FATHER CHRISTMAS, THE GOLDEN GIRLS, D.C. FOLLIES, JAKE AND THE FATMAN, THE FACTS OF LIFE, CHEERS, NIGHT COURT, THE CHARMINGS, 3-2-1, HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN, CHRISTMAS AT PEE WEE’S PLAYHOUSE, PUNKY BREWSTER, ERNEST SAVES CHRISTMAS, SCROOGED, A VERY BRADY CHRISTMAS, SANTA BARBERA, THE REAL GHOSTBUSTERS, MACGYVER, HOME ALONE, A DIFFERENT WORLD, RED DWARF, KNOTS LANDING, INSPECTOR GADGET SAVES CHRISTMAS, MARRIED WITH CHILDREN, HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET, THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, BONKERS, PICKET FENCES, EEK! THE CAT, FAMILY MATTERS, MARTIN, THE NANNY, THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR, THE SANTA CLAUSE, LOIS & CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN, MURPHY BROWN, BEVERLY HILLS 90210, A.J.’S TIME TRAVELLERS, V.R. TROOPERS, MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS, THE TICK, SISTER SISTER, FREAKAZOID!, NEWSRADIO, ELMO SAVES CHRISTMAS, SONIC CHRISTMAS BLAST, CAROLINE IN THE CITY, 3RD ROCK FROM THE SUN, ROSEANNE, THE MUNSTERS’ SCARY LITTLE CHRISTMAS, THE DREW CAREY SHOW, EARLY EDITION, MEEGO, STEP BY STEP, OPERATION BUGS BUNNY, RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER: THE MOVIE, SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH, THE NEW ADDAMS FAMILY, RECESS, BARNEY’S NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, FUTURAMA, GRANDMA GOT RUN OVER BY A REINDEER, FRASIER, PROVIDENCE, RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER & THE ISLAND OF MISFIT TOYS, BIG WOLF ON CAMPUS, JOHNNY BRAVO, SPIN CITY, THE HUGHLEYS, THE PARKERS, ROSWELL, THE LOBO PARAMILITARY CHRISTMAS SPECIAL, EASTENDERS, THE SANTA CLAUSE 2, THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, FRIDAY AFTER NEXT, RUGRATS, JACKIE CHAN ADVENTURES, BECKER, THE HEBREW HAMMER, THE POWERPUFF GIRLS: ‘TWAS THE FIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, CAILLOU'S HOLIDAY MOVIE, ELF, STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE: BERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS, THE ADVENTURES OF JIMMY NEUTRON: BOY GENIUS, FELIX THE CAT SAVES CHRISTMAS, MICKEY’S TWICE UPON A CHRISTMAS, SEED OF CHUCKY, LAX, AMERICAN DRAGON: JAKE LONG, THE GRIM ADVENTURES OF BILLY & MANDY, THAT ‘70S SHOW, FOSTER’S HOME FOR IMAGINARY FRIENDS, MY LIFE AS A TEENAGE ROBOT, THE SANTA CLAUSE 3: THE ESCAPE CLAUSE, BLACK CHRISTMAS, HOGFATHER, CHRISTMAS IN WONDERLAND, MY FRIENDS TIGGER AND POOH - SUPER SLEUTH CHRISTMAS MOVIE, A DENNIS THE MENACE CHRISTMAS, SHREK THE HALLS, ER, ELMO’S CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN, SOUTH PARK, A MUPPETS CHRISTMAS: LETTERS TO SANTA, THE FAIRLY ODDPARENTS, BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD, A MISER BROTHERS’ CHRISTMAS, HANNAH MONTANA, FAIRY TALE POLICE, MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE, IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA, SANTA BUDDIES, BACK AT THE BARNYARD, DORA THE EXPLORER, PHINEAS AND FERB, PREP & LANDING, THE MIDDLE, CSI: NY, 30 ROCK, PREP & LANDING STOCKING STUFFER: OPERATION SECRET SANTA, THE PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR, CRAZY DRACULA SPRING BREAK WEEKEND, A VERY HAROLD & KUMAR 3D CHRISTMAS, ICE AGE: A MAMMOTH CHRISTMAS, PREP & LANDING: NAUGHTY VS. NICE, DAN VS., RISE OF THE GUARDIANS, SANTA PAWS 2: THE SANTA PUPS, SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, REGULAR SHOW, THE LOONEY TUNES SHOW, LES MISERABLES, THE SIMPSONS, SCARY MOVIE 5, INTO THE WOOD, CHASING FAIRY TAIL, MISTER SCROOGE TO SEE YOU, THE AMAZING WORLD OF GUMBALL, GLEE, THE NOSTALGIA CRITIC, GRUMPY CAT’S WORST CHRISTMAS EVER, ELF: BUDDY’S MUSICAL CHRISTMAS, TWO AND A HALF MEN, THE LIBRARIANS, DOCTOR WHO, FAMILY GUY, AQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE, BOB’S BURGERS, POWER RANGERS DINO CHARGE, MARVEL SUPER HERO ADVENTURES: FROST FIGHT!, and CORONATION STREET. (And I’m sure I’ve forgotten some still.)

February 1965--THE MAN FROM UNCLE--"The Bow Wow Affair"--Guido Panzini appears.  Guido Panzini is a fictional character, the creation of comedian Pat Harrington Junior.  He also appears on a lot of comedy-variety shows, but also appears on McHale's Navy and One Day at a time.  This character fits in a certain category of fictional characters that are involved in crossovers, even though they might not have a series of their own.  Others in this type of category include Jose Jiminez, Father Guido Sarducci, Elvira, and Pee Wee Herman.  

1977--THE GROUNDLINGS--Pee-Wee's first appearance was when Paul Reubens was part of this improv group.  The characters was actually co-created by Reubens and Phil Hartman.  

1979--THE DATING GAME--Pee-Wee Herman was a contestant on the show THREE TIMES!!!

Around 1980?--WWWF GRUDGE MATCH--"Pee-Wee Herman vs. Gilligan"--Not canon, but here it is.  

1980--CHEECH & CHONG'S NEXT MOVIE--One of Pee-Wee's earliest widely seen appearances.

1981--THE PEE-WEE HERMAN SHOW--Having failed at his audition for Saturday Night Live's 1980 - 1981 season, Reubens gets a stage show featuring Pee-Wee Herman on L.A., which later aired on HBO.  Characters and writers from this more adult show would later reappear on Pee-Wee's Playhouse.

1981--MORK & MINDY--Mork meets Pee-Wee!!!

1982--MADAME'S PLACE--Pee-Wee appears and meets Madame.

1982--TWILIGHT THEATER--Mr. T meets Pee-Wee Herman.

1982--LILY FOR PRESIDENT--I don't know what this is, but Pee-Wee appears.  (It's not even a presidential election year.)





1985--PEE WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE--The next movie with a Tarzan is Pee-Wee's Big Adventure.  This isn't a real Tarzan.  Pee-Wee is a fictional character played by Paul Reubins, a lot.  Pee-Wee is in the TVCU, and actually is one of those great characters that connects a lot of series together, and I will discuss him some time in the future in more detail.  But just to make it clear, this appearance of a man posing as Tarzan in Pee-Wee's Big Adventure takes place in the TVCU.   Reformatted to match the format I currently use but hadn't yet adapted when I wrote this blog.

1985--ROCK'N'WRESTLING SATURDAY SPECTACULAR--Pee-Wee crosses with the very fictionalized versions of the WWF wrestlers as they appear in the Saturday morning cartoon.



1985--42ND GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS--Pee-Wee appears.



1986 to 1991--PEE-WEE'S PLAYHOUSE--A kid's show featuring Pee-Wee.  Note that even though Pee-Wee Herman was raised in Florida (with his sister) and most of his adventures occur in the TVCU, the Playhouse exists in Puppetland, a pocket reality that apparently is easily accessible from the TVCU based on the guests that appear on the show.

Summer 1987--BACK TO THE BEACH--Pee-Wee has a cameo, crossing over with this sequel to the classic Frankie and Annette beach movies.

1987--IT'S HOWDY DOODY TIME--This reunion show makes a crossover between Pee-Wee and Howdy Doody.

1987--SESAME STREET--Pee-Wee appears to recite the alphabet.

1987--227--"Toyland"--Pee-Wee appears.

1987--DOLLY--Dolly Parton tried to have a variety show at a time just a few years after variety shows had gone out of style.  Not even Pee-Wee could save the show.

1988--BIG TOP PEE-WEE--Sequel to Pee-Wee's Big Adventure.

1988--MOONWALKER--Pee-Wee appears in this Michael Jackson documentary.

1988--"REALITY"--Pee-Wee Herman, not Paul Reubens, gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!

December 1988--CHRISTMAS AT PEE-WEE'S PLAYHOUSE--Santa appears.

1989--TRAVELS WITH PEE-WEE--A BOOK.

1991--1991 MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS--Pee-Wee Herman appears after his show was recently cancelled, and makes a sly joke regarding his friend Paul Reuben's recently embarrassing public incident....

1992--GRAND OLE OPRY--Pee-Wee appears to pay tribute to Minnie Pearl.  After this, he disappears for some time.  

July 2005--FAMILY GUY--"8 Simple Rules for Buying My Teenage Daughter"--The scene in which Stewie tests his “teleportation pods” and merges with Rupert is similar to one in the 1958 movie The Fly.  While stopping at Goldman’s Pharmacy, Peter imitates an Excedrin commercial and buys several copies of the fashion magazine Marie Claire, only to be disappointed by the physical appearance of actress Kathleen Turner.  In a cutaway, Peter buys a “breakfast machine,” which turns out to be a Rube Goldberg machine which shoots him. The breakfast machine itself is similar to the breakfast machine featured in the film Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. The Danny Elfman music used in the scene was adapted from said film.  One of the people Lois interviews for the babysitter for Stewie is Gloop from the 1967 TV show The Herculoids

October 2006--CHILLER THEATRE EXPO--Pee-Wee Herman returns, appearing at this east coast fan convention.  

2007--GUYS' CHOICE AWARDS--Pee-Wee's return to television!

August 5, 2007--HOLLYWOOD FOREVER CEMETERY--Pee-Wee appears to introduce a screening of the documentary based on his infamous bicycle theft.  

2010--FUNNY OR DIE!--"Pee-Wee Gets and iPad"--Part of Pee-Wee's return.

2010--PEE-WEE GOES TO STURGIS--I don't know anything else about this.

2010--THE PEE-WEE HERMAN STAGE SHOW:  THE RETURN--Live stage show revival of the series that was adapted to HBO in the 1980s and featuring characters from the Playhouse.



January 2011--SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE--Pee-Wee and Andy Samberg hang out and attack Anderson Cooper.

2011--CYCLOPS # 1--Cyclops steals Pee-Wee Herman's bicycle in pursuit of a super-villain.  See my upcoming article, Marvels in the Television Crossover Universe, in Television Crossover Universe:  Worlds and Mythology Volume II for my take on the X-Men's place in the Television Crossover Universe.  

2011--AFTER THE FACT--Pee Wee is played by Philip Russell.

2011--THE HALLOWEEN PATIENT--Pee Wee appears, though played by Jon Rick.  



February 2012--TOP CHEF--Pee-Wee is a guest judge at the Alamo!  

CABIN IN THE WOODS (FILM)

Release Date: April 13, 2012 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Cabin in the Woods

Horror Crosses: Alien; Half-Life; Evil Dead; Poltergeist; Frankenstein (Universal); Child’s Play; Creature from the Black Lagoon; Corpse Bride; Killer Klowns from Outer Space; Stephen King Universe; Killjoy; Devil’s Rejects; Clownhouse; Drive Thru; Funhouse; Amusement; Circus of Fear; Clown Camp; Demonic Toys; Demons; Night of the Demons; Supernatural; Charmed; Gremlins; Ghoulies; Creeps; Troll; Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; Frankenstein (novel); Dr. Giggles; The Human Centipede; House on Haunted Hill; The Dead Pit; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; The Strangers; Underworld; Attack of the 50 Foot Woman; Troll Hunter; Anaconda; Python; Mega Snake; Snakes on a Plane; Resident Evil; Hellraiser; Cannibal Holocaust; Creepshow; Legend of Sleepy Hollow; Attack of the Jack-O-Lanterns; Pumpkinhead; Frankenfish; The Mummy! Or a Tale of the Twenty-Second Century; The Mummy (Universal); The Hills Have Eyes; Wrong Turn; Chernobyl Diaries; 28 Days Later; Signal; the Works of Quentin Tarantino; Left 4 Dead; Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos; Re-Animator (film); Siren; The Exorcist; The Exorcism of Emily Rose; Reptilicus; Jurassic Park; Abominable Bigfoot; The Legend of Boggy Creek; Ape Canyon; Curse of Bigfoot; Night of the Bloody Apes; Wendigo; Night Beasts; Night of the Scarecrow; Scarecrows; Husk; Scarecrow Gone Wild; The Scarecrows Walk at Midnight; The Town that Dreaded Sundown; The Craft; Witches of Eastwick; Hocus Pocus; Jack Frost; Hellboy (film); Rumplestiltskin; Leprechaun; Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters; Gingerbread Man; The Vampyre; Dracula (novel); Nosferatu; The Wolf Man; An American Werewolf in London; The Howling; Wolf; Texas Chainsaw Massacre; Friday the 13th; Night of the Living Dead; Return of the Living Dead; F.E.A.R.; The Blob; Feast; Horrors of the Wendigo; Frostbiter; Ghost; Bram Stoker’s Dracula (film); The Cyclops; Cyclops Giant; Nightbreed; Leeches!; Attack of the Giant Leeches; Rows of Teeth; The Birds; Killing Birds; Birdemic: Shock and Terror; Silent Hill; Attack of the Killer Lane Gnomes; Alligator; Lake Placid; Them!; Legion of Fire: Killer Ants!; Ants; Empire of the Ants; King Kong; Centipede Horror; The Giant Claw; The Ring; Attack of the Giant Gila Monster; The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms; Tarantula; Eight Legged Freaks; Jaws; Frogs; Lord of Darkness; House of the Dead; The Grudge; Chopping Mall; BlinkyTM; The Kraken; Kraken: Tentacles of the Deep; Octopus; The Beast; Deep Rising; It Came From Beneath the Sea; Tentacles; Eye of the Beast; Mega Shark; Giant Octopus; Castle Freak; Tokyo Gore Police; Septic; Mutants; Ogre; Blood Pool; Legend of the Ogre; Killing Floor; Little Shop of Horrors; The Breed; Hatchet; Phantasm; See No Evil; Thinner; Monster House; Attila; Dead Snow; Frankenstein’s Army; Manhunt; The Monster in the Closet; Killer Eyes; Demomata; CSP-682; Parasite Eve 2; Dead Space; Night of the Lepus; Creature from the Haunted Sea; Tremors; Hostel; The Collection; The Butcher; Dead Rising; My Bloody Valentine; The Exterminator; Willard; War of the Worlds; Signs; Lollipop Chainsaw; Ghost Ship; Curse of the Pirates; Jolly Roger; Lead Soldiers; Vampire Vikings; The Witch; Blair Witch Project; The Village; The Thing; Vampire Breath; Goosebumps; Angel; King Cobra

Non-Horror Crosses: Harry Potter; Wizard of Oz; Great Expectations; Batman; Labyrinth; Land of the Giants; The Wrath of Paul Bunyan; Dreamscape; Last of the Mohicans; Blood Meridian; Scalps; Savage Sam; Sin City; Kevin Spencer; We Need to Talk About Kevin; Jacob’s Ladder; Doctor Who; Black Swan; Pan’s Labyrinth; Nutcracker; Blade Hunter; The Chronicles of Narnia; Time Bandits; The Princess and the Frog; Pirates of the Caribbean; Futurama; The Incredible Shrinking Man; Pee-Wee’s Playhouse; Red Planet; Terminator; Zathura; Hardware; Robot Wars; Bacterial Contamination; Firefly; Clash of the Titans; Team Fortress; Man from Planet X; Starship Troopers; Silence of the Lambs/Hannibal; Twisted Metal

The Story: A group of teens head out for a weekend in a cabin in the woods, not knowing that they have been chosen as sacrifices to an ancient deity in order to save the world from his wrath.

Notes: This film exposes the secret truth behind modern horror. Behind it all is a secret organization, chosen to sacrifice youth to ancient gods. All of the above named crossovers have been linked in this film, and revealed to be part of this secret conspiracy. Most of the crossovers above come from the monsters and artifacts contained in the facility. While some of the monsters and artifacts are clearly from certain films above, many are based on certain types of horror films, in which case I included the more well-known of these film types. I recommend the well-researched Cabin in the Woods Wiki for a more detailed listing of the monsters and their inspirations. Note that I included in the above crossovers some monsters that only appeared in the official novelization and the official Universal Theme Park attraction tie-in. With this film, I break one of my major rules of crossover connecting. Though some of the crosses are direct crosses, like Evil Dead and Left 4 Dead, most of them are only connected because the films represent the more well-known films of the trope from which a certain monster comes. Normally, I would not count something that is “like something from”, but there is dialogue within the film that makes me break my rule. In one scene, referring to the monsters, security officer Daniel Truman says “They’re like something from a nightmare.” Lin, a head scientist, responds, “No, they’re something nightmares are from.” She goes on to explain that these monsters are the creations of the Ancient Ones, having been around since the beginning, and different cultures have told stories that interpret them in different ways. Thus, in the instance of this film, “like” is enough because of the author’s intent. And thus my love/hate relationship with Joss Whedon, for expanding the Horror Universe dramatically but making me do a lot of work to write this entry. Note that this film ends with the start of an apocalypse, so the end must veer into a divergent timeline. We must presume in the main Horror Universe, the virgin shot the fool. And if you haven’t seen the movie, that last sentence probably seems very bizarre. This film has been referenced as fictional in South Park, The Cinema Snob, Scary Movie 5, and Doc of the Dead. It is also paid homage to in Red Dawn when Chris Hemsworth and his friends once more wind up in a cabin in the woods. The film has also been spoofed in Robot Chicken and Scary Movie 5.



2012--KNFR FROM 7:00 - 7:30--Pee Wee appears, though voiced by show regular Vincent Gargiulo.

2013--COMEDY BANG BANG--"Pee-Wee Herman Wears a Halloween Costume"--Pee Wee is the guest on this sort of fake talk show.

December 2015--PEE-WEE'S BIG HOLIDAY--Pee-Wee's real triumphant return in this highly watched Netflix film.

In the Not Too Distant Future--Pee-Wee's Playhouse: The Movie--Reubens has been planning this film for a while, in which someone from the Playhouse disappears, and the other characters venture off on a road trip throughout Puppetland to find him. Reubens has expressed his top choice to play Pee-Wee would be Johnny Depp (who is interested), but if he can't do it, then Reubens will reprise the role. Even if recast, it will still be in the same canon as the original series. Reubens also hopes to get Justin Bieber to appear.

Then--THE PEE-WEE HERMAN STORY--This is meant to be a Judd Apatow project that would be a documentary or reality show following Pee-Wee becoming a musical star.

ALTERNATE REALITIES--

ROBOT CHICKEN UNIVERSE--Pee-Wee has appeared three times on Robot Chicken. Voiced by Seth Green.

Skitlandia--Click here.