Editing Paul Reubens (section)

=== 1991 arrest ===
In July 1991, Reubens was arrested in [[Sarasota, Florida]], for [[indecent exposure]] while watching a film at a [[porno theater]].<ref name="sympathy">{{cite magazine |last=Burr |first=Ty |date=August 14, 1991 |title=Pee-wee Herman' and Sympathy |url=https://ew.com/article/1991/08/16/pee-wee-herman-scandal/ |url-status=live |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090130030459/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,315140,00.html |archive-date=January 30, 2009 |access-date=October 12, 2008 }}</ref> During an unexpected police inspection, a detective detained Reubens, along with three others, as he was preparing to leave. When detectives examined his driver's license, Reubens told them "I'm Pee-wee Herman" and offered to perform a children's benefit for the sheriff's office "to take care of this".<ref name="report">{{cite news |date=August 4, 1991 |title=Reports says Pee-wee offered benefit |work=The Victoria Advocate |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xocLAAAAIBAJ&pg=4829,843709 |url-status=dead |access-date=October 12, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728073738/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xocLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WFYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4829%2C843709 |archive-date=July 28, 2020 |via=[[Google News]] }}</ref> The next day, after a local reporter recognized Reubens's name, Reubens's attorney extended the same offer to the ''[[Sarasota Herald-Tribune]]'' in exchange for withholding the story.<ref name="report" /> On the night of the arrest, Reubens traveled to [[Nashville]], where his sister and lawyer lived, and then to New Jersey, where he stayed for the following months at his friend [[Doris Duke]]'s estate.<ref name="vanityfair" />

This was Reubens's third arrest in the county. In 1971, Reubens had been arrested in the same county for loitering and prowling near an adult theater, though charges had been dropped. His second arrest occurred in 1983 when Reubens was placed on two years of probation for possession of marijuana, although [[adjudication]] was withheld.<ref name="no contest">{{cite news |date=November 8, 1991 |title='Pee-wee Herman' Pleads No Contest |newspaper=[[The Seattle Times]] |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19911108/1316042/pee-wee-herman-pleads-no-contest |access-date=October 12, 2008 |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509213323/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19911108&slug=1316042 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The 1991 arrest was widely covered and Reubens became the subject of late-night talk show ridicule.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Zinoman |first1=Jason |date=July 31, 2023 |title=In Pee-wee Herman, Joy and Fun Got Flat-Out Weird |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/31/movies/pee-wee-herman-paul-reubens.html |access-date=August 1, 2023 |quote="Late-night hosts pounced, and so did the news media."}}</ref> [[Disney's Hollywood Studios|Disney-MGM Studios]] suspended a video from its studio tour that had shown Pee-wee explaining how [[voiceover]] tracks are produced. [[Toys "R" Us]] removed Pee-wee toys from its stores.<ref name="sympathy" />

Reubens released a statement denying the charges.<ref name="Us Weekly">{{cite news |date=October 1999 |title=The Us Weekly Interview: Paul Reubens |work=[[Us Weekly]] |url=http://www.paul-reubens.net/article/1999_10_the_us_paul_reubens/1999_10_the_us_paul_reubens.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090729120441/http://www.paul-reubens.net/article/1999_10_the_us_paul_reubens/1999_10_the_us_paul_reubens.htm |archive-date=July 29, 2009}}</ref> On November 7, 1991, he pleaded [[Nolo contendere|no contest]]. The plea avoided a charge on Reubens's record but obligated him to 75 hours of community service. As part of his service, he created, produced, and financed two antidrug [[public service announcement]]s.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Rohter |first=Larry |date=November 8, 1991 |title=Pee-wee Herman Enters a Plea of No Contest |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE1DB163EF93BA35752C1A967958260 |magazine=Time |access-date=October 12, 2008}}</ref>

Despite the negative publicity, many artists who knew Reubens, such as [[Cyndi Lauper]], [[Annette Funicello]], [[Zsa Zsa Gabor]], and [[Valeria Golino]], voiced support.<ref name="speaking" /><ref name="sympathy" /> Others who knew Reubens, such as ''Pee-wee's Playhouse'' production designer [[Gary Panter]], [[S. Epatha Merkerson]], and ''Big Top Pee-wee'' director [[Randal Kleiser]], also spoke in support.<ref name="twenty" /><ref name="speaking" /> Reubens's fans organized support rallies after CBS canceled the reruns, picketing in Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco.<ref name="sympathy" /><ref>{{cite episode |title=Pee-wee Herman |series=[[E! True Hollywood Story]] |airdate=June 21, 1998 |season=2 |number=42}}</ref> The television news magazine [[A Current Affair (American TV program)|''A Current Affair'']] received "tens of thousands" of responses to a Pee-wee telephone survey in which callers supported Reubens by a nine-to-one ratio.<ref name="sympathy" />

Although Reubens did not offer interviews or appear on talk shows after his arrest,<ref name="bigger-Stein" /><ref name="Us Weekly" /> he did appear in character as Pee-wee Herman at the [[1991 MTV Video Music Awards]] on September 5,<ref>{{cite web |title=VMA 1991 – MTV Video Music Awards |url=http://www.mtv.com/vma/1991 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625061818/http://www.mtv.com/vma/1991 |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 25, 2016 |access-date=August 11, 2017 |publisher=MTV}}</ref> asking the audience, "Heard any good jokes lately?" He received a standing ovation. Reubens appeared as Pee-wee only once in 1992, when he participated in a ''[[Grand Ole Opry]]'' tribute to [[Minnie Pearl]].<ref name="limelight" /><ref name="twenty" />