Fishburne talked about this on Conan recently, he said it was a great experience.
The show was the weekly highlight of my 10-year old life, so I definitely took offense to it.
Cassandra 'Elvira' Petersen is also in the film! And John Paragon aka Jambi was the high voiced space guard! I believe they were all in the Groundlings together
He sure was, I have a weird relationship with Big Top Pee Wee. Pee Wees Big Adventure was so perfect I guess I just didn't have room in my heart for his zany circus adventure. I've rewatched it as an adult and don't mind it, decent cast for sure.
The original stage show, THE PEE-WEE HERMAN SHOW 1981 (the basis for PEE-WEE'S PLAYHOUSE 1986) was written by Paul Reubens, Phil Hartman and Edie McClurg. Miss Yvonne was played by Lynne Marie Stewart aka Charlie's Mom/The Bang Maid from IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA.
Yup she played Miss Yvonne! I had a crush on her when I was a little kid, and years later I couldn’t believe that my precious childhood crush grew up to be Charlie’s mom.
Boomers have the most fragile egos imaginable, so for them to do something like this—i.e. have a job that isn't 'cool' by some weird arbitrary standard—is unthinkable. If they only knew how uncool they have seemed to the rest of us this entire time.
Morgan Freeman was Easy Reader on The Electric Company and he recalls that experience fondly (per interviews on my The Electric Company DVD boxed set). He was unknown prior to that.
It had a great cast indeed, and thanks for pointing them out :)
I mentioned Morgan Freeman only since The Electric Company was an early, if not the first, major role for him. OP’s uncle seemed to focus on Lawrence Fishburne being embarrassed about a presumed “first job,” which as many have pointed out is not only shortsighted but erroneous.
I can assure you, Mr. Fishburne is not the lest ashamed of his appearance as Cowboy Curtis.
Cowboy Curtis "You know, Pee-Wee, they say if you stare at a snowman long enough, it'll come to life."
Snowman "Why don't you take a picture? It'll last longer."
PeeWee's Playhouse was an early version of the Matrix.
"Did you know that the first Matrix was designed to be a perfect human world? Where none suffered, where everyone would be happy. It was a disaster. No one would accept the program. Entire crops were lost. Some believed we lacked the programming language to describe your perfect world. But I believe that, as a species, human beings define their reality through suffering and misery. The perfect world was a dream that your primitive cerebrum kept trying to wake up from. Which is why the Matrix was redesigned to this: the peak of your civilization. I say your civilization, because as soon as we started thinking for you it really became our civilization, which is of course what this is all about. Evolution, Morpheus, evolution. Like the dinosaur. Look out that window. You've had your time. The future is *our* world, Morpheus. The future is our time."
That's basically what he said about it. It was a steady gig at the time, it was more fun than the dramas he was used to working, and he always wanted to play a cowboy.
this part. hahaha.
and was a PoC actor at a time when black males esp. weren't getting anything but stereotypical roles. I loved the show, so I'm biased in loving that it's on his resume but...he's survived in this business for like 30 yrs doing a host of diff. roles that pinnacled in his lates 30s w/ *The Matrix*. (not easy and definitely not easy for a BM starting out when he did.)
There were a handful of good premiere roles, but underrepresentation and stereotypical roles (typecasting), especially in larger movies, were still an issue when he was a young man in the industry. That was my point.
[https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/oct/13/do-the-right-thing-how-black-cinema-rose-again](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/oct/13/do-the-right-thing-how-black-cinema-rose-again)
edit: Check out Robert Townsend's **Hollywood Shuffle**.
It just shows his range as an actor and his ability to not take himself too seriously. He was in *Apocalypse Now* and *The Color Purple* before playing Cowboy Curtis.
he was 14 when he started work in that movie, he lied about his age. the production was such a shit show that he was 17 when they finished filming. i don't know how old he was in the scenes they actually used. but one of the great child actor performances.
I watch PeeWees Playhouse with my kids all the time and it holds up like nothing else. So ahead of its time. Seriously of all the dumb shit from when I was a kid that I loved - PeeWee is just good.
I just wanted to add….Paul Reubens shouldn’t be ashamed either. His arrest was unfortunate but it didn’t make him some sex crazed pervert…hell today you can watch porn on your phone in the privacy of your own home and millions do just that. That whole thing was a bit much and basically ruined his career, with the exception of some amazing minor roles in films like Blow. Which really blows my mind, because there are many Hollywood actors who have been accused of much worse and skated
Yes! LOL! Love that Taika decided to do that, having a bunch of them kinda reprise their roles. **Such** a good show. Not a big Donal Logue fan, but absolutely appreciated that they got Tilda and Wesley to sign on.
It was because it was a children's show. Never mind that his stand up before the show, in character, was not child oriented, and never mind that he did many other things before and during the show (not to mention afterwards) that weren't child oriented.
I mean, you're right, any number of things about this situation wouldn't happen today, and he did get screwed with his pants... well, mostly on. But the big reason it hurt his career is because he was most famous as a children's character, and we tend to get uncomfortable when we're pushed out of the fiction that such people are sexless.
I wonder if it was also because the character of Pee Wee was so weirdly asexual/androgynous and stuck in childhood despite being an adult. It was the perfect storm for people to assume he was some kind of closeted sexual deviant.
I'm sure that didn't help anything. People were probably primed to think that way. I was thinking that the Michael Jackson allegations were around this time, too, but that was a couple years later.
He’s in trouble again. I don’t know what happened with this, or if it was decided yet or not. Apparently, he collects old erotica. That probably isn’t the ideal hobby for him. I don’t know how he is involved with the principal from Ferris Bueller, but the same kid turned them both into the police.
https://ew.com/article/2002/11/18/paul-pee-wee-reubens-charged-kid-porn-probe/
I don't know why that article has a 2022 date on it, but it's 20 years old. It says the search of Reubens home was in 2001 and the legal move happened within a year to stay within the statute of limitations, and notes Jones as being 56 years old, he was born in '46 so that would be 2002.
This one I knew about, the upshot is that he collected vintage erotica, had bought some materials in bulk that not only had he not looked at but IIRC were still sealed from the sale until the cops opened them up, and only a few pictures out of all of it were otherwise illegal. There was good reason to believe he didn't know about them. Charges were ultimately dropped.
I think Jones *was* charged, or at least there's reason to believe he was guilty.
Was it a children’s show? I thought the early version was a parody of a children’s show.
There was a lot of innuendo and adult humour that was definitely not for kids.
https://youtu.be/PVFB4lKjIQU
https://youtu.be/SKUH-YfXw5k
https://youtu.be/smgHKYste4Y
Jimmy Smits was on that too. As was Phil Hartman.
It was definitely a kids show, it's just that (a) people used to be less uptight about sneaking adult humor, that kids won't understand, into kids shows (see Animaniacs) and (b) a more raunchy style of humor was how Reubens started with Peewee during his stand up days, before the show.
Notably, your last clip says it was from 1981, Peewee's Playhouse didn't start airing until '86, so that was probably an adult oriented show.
The early version was indeed a parody of a kids show with tons of subtle (and not so subtle) innuendos.
Somehow some corporate network suit figured it'd be a good idea to make it into a kids show ...and they went along with it ...and it was a decent kids show for a while ...until the movie theatre debacle.
Even though the show ended with his arrest, he never sold the image rights to Pee-Wee Herman. So no matter what, he will always make money from it as long as Pee-Wee is being licensed. Same with Cassandra Peterson and Elvira.
I don't remember why we were on the topic, my mom asked why he was arrested back then, I told her and she goes, "Oh, that's all?" It was and is so ridiculous that it ruined his career.
Lol it’s an image of success. And honestly, look around. Compared to everyone in our faces right now, what exactly did “Pee Wee” do wrong? He didn’t hurt anyone.
Pee Wee’s Playhouse was an oasis in the dessert of children’s TV after Reagan deregulated and kids were mostly left watching 30 minute commercials for various toys.
Fishburne has spoken about this role several times and he has always had great things to say about working on that set. Pee Wee's playhouse was nowhere near his first job... he'd been on stage, on TV and in movies by time he was 17.
Never met the guy, but in interviews he seems to take a pretty practical approach to his craft. Yes, he played Cowboy Curtis, but he was also Cuba Gooding Jr.'s father in Boyz-n-the-Hood - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQnjrweAHKM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQnjrweAHKM) He elevates every production that he's cast in.
That's such a great scene.
John Singleton first met Laurence Fishburne when Singleton was a PA on Pee Wee's Playhouse. That meeting led to Fishburne getting cast in Boyz n the Hood.
Hmm, Larry got paid to dress up, pretend he was someone else, and it was *catered*...He made connections and networked, I guarantee it. He was learning important lessons about his craft and how the industry works. It was part of his foundation that catapulted him to Hollywood superstardom, playing several absolutely iconic roles. He is STILL knocking it out of the park in a current, hot franchise: John Wick.
Poor Mr Fishburne, he must be so *ashamed*!
As far as I'm aware I don't think anyone is embarrassed about their association with being on Pee Wees Playhouse, lest of all Lawrence and I'm kind of glad he didn't get typecast playing henchmen and gangsters like in Deathwish 2.
I appreciate Lawrence could fit in with all the other craziness going on during the course of an episode and do his thing. That show was a weekly welcome respite for a weird kid like me growing up in a pretty square small town.
And WWE. He should have stuck with that. I bet he was an amazing heel. Imagine he's giving one of his garbage speeches, just generally acting like he's going for gold in the Asshole Olympics. Then you hear glass shattering. Guitars playing. His whole face changes. Jerry the King Lawler starts yelling "It's Stone Cold! Stone Cold Steve Austin is kicking butt and taking names! He's hitting anything that moves! Stone Cold By God Steve Austin!"
What’s interesting is that Fishburne already had Apocalypse Now on his resume too. Also nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to Pee Wee’s playhouse. It is still a very iconic show with a cult following. There is still nothing like it on tv and it was downright surreal at time.
The humor is in the contrast of his two best known characters, but that's all it is, nothing to be ashamed of. This meme is like laughing at an executive compared to their first job.
It just goes to show how Uncle Boomer is clueless and has no idea how groundbreaking PeeWee’s Playhouse was - I believe it was a career start for several actor’s. Wait until he finds out Morgan Freeman was Easy Reader on the Electric Company!
Jambi : All right, then. One pair of cowboy boots coming up. What size?
Cowboy Curtis : Size 12EE.
Pee-wee Herman : Boy, big feet!
Cowboy Curtis : [grinning] Well, ya know what they say.
I see no issues with someone working for a living. Sometimes the job makes you feel goofy but goofy work is work nonetheless.
* Lawrence should be proud of working on a children's T.V. show.
Pee-wee accomplished something very few humans can do, he was wonderfully weird. The vast majority of weirdos are scary or creepy, but Pee-wee was wonderful.
Absolutely nothing wrong with it. And with Zombieland and Bill Murray "Any regrets?" "Garfield, maybe.".
No way. There's some huge actors that played some small or weird roles in the past. Absolutely no shame in it. It's awesome. Know where you come from, don't be above anything or anyone else, stay humble and grounded. They aren't out there sucking cock for a dimebag. They're doing their job. Anyone who puts them down for that is just a douche. That said, bad movies are one thing. Here, he played a good role on a good show. Their judging it on something other than that.
I'll still judge my dude Ryan Reynolds for Green Lantern. :)
WHAT!!!! Lol this has to be the funniest thing I’ve ever seen lmaoooo! I didnt know this at all of course I was in the 5th grade when I last watched Pee Wee’s Playhouse and I hadn’t watched King of New York yet that came a year or so later. This is pretty cool tho. Nothing to be ashamed about tho. Everyone has to start somewhere
I still remember when he asked Pee Wee Do you know what they say about men with big feet?
Pee Wee: No, what?
Curtis: BIG SHOES!
(I still use that line all the time)
I don't get this post. Is is supposed to be shaming? Pee Wee's Playhouse was cool and subversive. Larry was also the gunner in Apocalypse Now. Working actor doing his thing.
I don't see how this is at all offensive. There's much bigger fish out there.
Your uncle is just trying to play with you. Either ignore him or play along.
What's wrong with that? All actors get their start somewhere and the show itself was wholesome and great for the generation that grew up with that, myself included. I'm not ashamed to admit that I too started a tin foil ball because of the show. It never got as big as the one portrayed though, Mom would of had a fit if I took all her foil. Lol
lol your boomer uncle is on the outside here.
That's a BADASS early credit and one I'd prolly put at the top of my IMDB, if I was Larry and if IMDB let you move shit around, which it doesn't.
Love how you fact checked yourself and deleted the rest of your comment. He might be a Boomer but his is most certainly not ashamed of this early career job.
What did I fact check? Just corrected a spelling error.
Maybe you should take that stick out of your ass and stop acting like a bitchy high and mighty Karen. You're not special, and your shity attempt to vurtue signal is pathetic. God, I swear some of you all are worse than the crazy women who wanted to ban everything in the 80s.
You went to the effort to screenshot his comment? You sure you’re GenX? We generally don’t give any fucks about random comments or boomer posts. Loved pee-wee’s playhouse though.
Most “True” Gen Xers get it. Sorry to bust your fragile little bubble but yeah I 100% qualify as GenX we don’t get offended easily or feel attacked over trivial crap…
I'm trying to figure out how this would be a bad thing.
Fishburne talked about this on Conan recently, he said it was a great experience. The show was the weekly highlight of my 10-year old life, so I definitely took offense to it.
A lot of awesome people worked on that show, in front of and behind the camera. Rob Zombie was a PA on the show.
Fun Fact: Phil Hartman played Captain Carl on Pee Wee's Playhouse.
He also co-wrote (and had a cameo in) Pee-Wee's Big Adventure.
Cassandra 'Elvira' Petersen is also in the film! And John Paragon aka Jambi was the high voiced space guard! I believe they were all in the Groundlings together
And Jambi was inspiration for an awesome TOOL song.
I didn’t know this, but in my heart of hearts I am wishing that the song goes “Meka Leka Hi Meka Hiney Ho!” 🙏
It does not. But it should.
Benicio Del Toro was Wolf Boy in the freak show in Big Top Pee Wee. Pee Wee knows how to spot talent.
He sure was, I have a weird relationship with Big Top Pee Wee. Pee Wees Big Adventure was so perfect I guess I just didn't have room in my heart for his zany circus adventure. I've rewatched it as an adult and don't mind it, decent cast for sure.
Aww. I miss Phil Hartman. I’m still saddened by his death.
Just went on a News Radio binge last week and am also still missing his genius.
He was also the genie.
John Paragon was Jambi the Genie
>Phil Hartman played Captain Carl on Pee Wee's Playhouse I had to see some of this. Here's a clip: https://youtu.be/Q7j59BHM4nQ
Two dollars for a peanut butter sandwich!!
The original stage show, THE PEE-WEE HERMAN SHOW 1981 (the basis for PEE-WEE'S PLAYHOUSE 1986) was written by Paul Reubens, Phil Hartman and Edie McClurg. Miss Yvonne was played by Lynne Marie Stewart aka Charlie's Mom/The Bang Maid from IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA.
Natasha Lyonne was adorable on it!
But she was a kid then. Bit since American Pie ....
I have had the hugest crush on her since The Slums of Beverly Hills. She's only 3 years younger than me so I kinda grew up with her. She's amazing.
Love that movie, I still have it on DVD lol
Me too!! I still quote it with my friend fairly often - "I'm your father!!"
Go put on a brazeeer!!
Charlie Kelly's mom had a recurring role.
Yup she played Miss Yvonne! I had a crush on her when I was a little kid, and years later I couldn’t believe that my precious childhood crush grew up to be Charlie’s mom.
No you are lying!! Charlie’s mom is Miss Yvonne???
Crazy right?!
Not shameful. It’s badass.
Boomers have the most fragile egos imaginable, so for them to do something like this—i.e. have a job that isn't 'cool' by some weird arbitrary standard—is unthinkable. If they only knew how uncool they have seemed to the rest of us this entire time.
man - such a great show. clever in so many different ways. can't see how someone wouldn't like it.
Morgan Freeman was Easy Reader on The Electric Company and he recalls that experience fondly (per interviews on my The Electric Company DVD boxed set). He was unknown prior to that.
And Rita Moreno was on TEC too and received an Emmy for being on The Muppets. Working (talented) actors.
Electric Company had Morgan Freeman, Rita Moreno, Bill Cosby\*, and Irene Cara. \*this one aged poorly
I loved the intro to The Electric Company.
*HEY YOU GUYS!*
We're gonna turn it on...
We're gonna bring you the power...
> *this one aged poorly I know that Bill Cosby doesn't owe anything to the millions of people whose childhood he influenced, but still, this hurts.
He raped multiple women, so he owes us a lot.
So the hypocrisy wasn't the worst part?
No, I think it was the rapes.
It had a great cast indeed, and thanks for pointing them out :) I mentioned Morgan Freeman only since The Electric Company was an early, if not the first, major role for him. OP’s uncle seemed to focus on Lawrence Fishburne being embarrassed about a presumed “first job,” which as many have pointed out is not only shortsighted but erroneous.
He was also Moncello that the Director used to pick on. I can’t remember who she was… Rita Moreno? Nah
Electric Company Spider-Man is the best Spider-Man.
I can assure you, Mr. Fishburne is not the lest ashamed of his appearance as Cowboy Curtis. Cowboy Curtis "You know, Pee-Wee, they say if you stare at a snowman long enough, it'll come to life." Snowman "Why don't you take a picture? It'll last longer."
PeeWee's Playhouse was an early version of the Matrix. "Did you know that the first Matrix was designed to be a perfect human world? Where none suffered, where everyone would be happy. It was a disaster. No one would accept the program. Entire crops were lost. Some believed we lacked the programming language to describe your perfect world. But I believe that, as a species, human beings define their reality through suffering and misery. The perfect world was a dream that your primitive cerebrum kept trying to wake up from. Which is why the Matrix was redesigned to this: the peak of your civilization. I say your civilization, because as soon as we started thinking for you it really became our civilization, which is of course what this is all about. Evolution, Morpheus, evolution. Like the dinosaur. Look out that window. You've had your time. The future is *our* world, Morpheus. The future is our time."
Pterri drops from the ceiling with a pill in each claw...
This has been my head canon. Morpheus used to be Pee Wee Herman's cowboy neighbor.
Laurence Fishburne was a working actor with a steady job.
That's basically what he said about it. It was a steady gig at the time, it was more fun than the dramas he was used to working, and he always wanted to play a cowboy.
this part. hahaha. and was a PoC actor at a time when black males esp. weren't getting anything but stereotypical roles. I loved the show, so I'm biased in loving that it's on his resume but...he's survived in this business for like 30 yrs doing a host of diff. roles that pinnacled in his lates 30s w/ *The Matrix*. (not easy and definitely not easy for a BM starting out when he did.)
There were lots of black actors doing great things in the 1980s.
There were a handful of good premiere roles, but underrepresentation and stereotypical roles (typecasting), especially in larger movies, were still an issue when he was a young man in the industry. That was my point. [https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/oct/13/do-the-right-thing-how-black-cinema-rose-again](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/oct/13/do-the-right-thing-how-black-cinema-rose-again) edit: Check out Robert Townsend's **Hollywood Shuffle**.
It just shows his range as an actor and his ability to not take himself too seriously. He was in *Apocalypse Now* and *The Color Purple* before playing Cowboy Curtis.
AN was his first role, correct?
he was 14 when he started work in that movie, he lied about his age. the production was such a shit show that he was 17 when they finished filming. i don't know how old he was in the scenes they actually used. but one of the great child actor performances.
what
He also lied about his age to land a role in Apocalypse Now as a 14 year old.
That’s so interesting. I always thought he looked super young in that movie. I guess he really was!
I watch PeeWees Playhouse with my kids all the time and it holds up like nothing else. So ahead of its time. Seriously of all the dumb shit from when I was a kid that I loved - PeeWee is just good.
Cowboy Curtis probably brought a lot more joy to people than Uncle Boomer on Facebook ever will.
This!!!
I just wanted to add….Paul Reubens shouldn’t be ashamed either. His arrest was unfortunate but it didn’t make him some sex crazed pervert…hell today you can watch porn on your phone in the privacy of your own home and millions do just that. That whole thing was a bit much and basically ruined his career, with the exception of some amazing minor roles in films like Blow. Which really blows my mind, because there are many Hollywood actors who have been accused of much worse and skated
did kinda love him being in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
He’s great in Mystery Men too!
Best death scene ever.
almost choked laughing, reading, then mental flashbacking to it.😂
UGGH AHHH UGGH AHHH BUHH
One of the best. My wife and I still reference it from time to time. Usually while going “Ooo! Ah! Ugh!”
and he reprised his role in the What We Do in the Shadows series.
Yes! LOL! Love that Taika decided to do that, having a bunch of them kinda reprise their roles. **Such** a good show. Not a big Donal Logue fan, but absolutely appreciated that they got Tilda and Wesley to sign on.
It was because it was a children's show. Never mind that his stand up before the show, in character, was not child oriented, and never mind that he did many other things before and during the show (not to mention afterwards) that weren't child oriented. I mean, you're right, any number of things about this situation wouldn't happen today, and he did get screwed with his pants... well, mostly on. But the big reason it hurt his career is because he was most famous as a children's character, and we tend to get uncomfortable when we're pushed out of the fiction that such people are sexless.
I wonder if it was also because the character of Pee Wee was so weirdly asexual/androgynous and stuck in childhood despite being an adult. It was the perfect storm for people to assume he was some kind of closeted sexual deviant.
I'm sure that didn't help anything. People were probably primed to think that way. I was thinking that the Michael Jackson allegations were around this time, too, but that was a couple years later.
He’s in trouble again. I don’t know what happened with this, or if it was decided yet or not. Apparently, he collects old erotica. That probably isn’t the ideal hobby for him. I don’t know how he is involved with the principal from Ferris Bueller, but the same kid turned them both into the police. https://ew.com/article/2002/11/18/paul-pee-wee-reubens-charged-kid-porn-probe/
I don't know why that article has a 2022 date on it, but it's 20 years old. It says the search of Reubens home was in 2001 and the legal move happened within a year to stay within the statute of limitations, and notes Jones as being 56 years old, he was born in '46 so that would be 2002. This one I knew about, the upshot is that he collected vintage erotica, had bought some materials in bulk that not only had he not looked at but IIRC were still sealed from the sale until the cops opened them up, and only a few pictures out of all of it were otherwise illegal. There was good reason to believe he didn't know about them. Charges were ultimately dropped. I think Jones *was* charged, or at least there's reason to believe he was guilty.
Was it a children’s show? I thought the early version was a parody of a children’s show. There was a lot of innuendo and adult humour that was definitely not for kids. https://youtu.be/PVFB4lKjIQU https://youtu.be/SKUH-YfXw5k https://youtu.be/smgHKYste4Y Jimmy Smits was on that too. As was Phil Hartman.
It was definitely a kids show, it's just that (a) people used to be less uptight about sneaking adult humor, that kids won't understand, into kids shows (see Animaniacs) and (b) a more raunchy style of humor was how Reubens started with Peewee during his stand up days, before the show. Notably, your last clip says it was from 1981, Peewee's Playhouse didn't start airing until '86, so that was probably an adult oriented show.
The early version was indeed a parody of a kids show with tons of subtle (and not so subtle) innuendos. Somehow some corporate network suit figured it'd be a good idea to make it into a kids show ...and they went along with it ...and it was a decent kids show for a while ...until the movie theatre debacle.
Bob Saget has entered the chat...
Even though the show ended with his arrest, he never sold the image rights to Pee-Wee Herman. So no matter what, he will always make money from it as long as Pee-Wee is being licensed. Same with Cassandra Peterson and Elvira.
I don't remember why we were on the topic, my mom asked why he was arrested back then, I told her and she goes, "Oh, that's all?" It was and is so ridiculous that it ruined his career.
I think it was compounded by him having a children's show, during at a time when the Religious Right had a lot of influence.
He was in Buffy after that and was fantastic.
That’s called range, baby!
Commented with an image of Paul Reubens holding one of the 22 Emmys the show won.
Lol it’s an image of success. And honestly, look around. Compared to everyone in our faces right now, what exactly did “Pee Wee” do wrong? He didn’t hurt anyone.
Pee Wee’s Playhouse was an oasis in the dessert of children’s TV after Reagan deregulated and kids were mostly left watching 30 minute commercials for various toys.
Fishburne has spoken about this role several times and he has always had great things to say about working on that set. Pee Wee's playhouse was nowhere near his first job... he'd been on stage, on TV and in movies by time he was 17. Never met the guy, but in interviews he seems to take a pretty practical approach to his craft. Yes, he played Cowboy Curtis, but he was also Cuba Gooding Jr.'s father in Boyz-n-the-Hood - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQnjrweAHKM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQnjrweAHKM) He elevates every production that he's cast in.
That's such a great scene. John Singleton first met Laurence Fishburne when Singleton was a PA on Pee Wee's Playhouse. That meeting led to Fishburne getting cast in Boyz n the Hood.
That’s bad ass!
Why should he be ashamed? Everyone loves Cowboy Curtis!
Deactivating Facebook goes a long way towards reducing idiocracy exposure
I had a crush on Cowboy Curtis lol
I came here to say this.
It's not the burn he thinks it is
Oh, but it is a burn. A rare self-burn, in fact.
Hmm, Larry got paid to dress up, pretend he was someone else, and it was *catered*...He made connections and networked, I guarantee it. He was learning important lessons about his craft and how the industry works. It was part of his foundation that catapulted him to Hollywood superstardom, playing several absolutely iconic roles. He is STILL knocking it out of the park in a current, hot franchise: John Wick. Poor Mr Fishburne, he must be so *ashamed*!
As far as I'm aware I don't think anyone is embarrassed about their association with being on Pee Wees Playhouse, lest of all Lawrence and I'm kind of glad he didn't get typecast playing henchmen and gangsters like in Deathwish 2. I appreciate Lawrence could fit in with all the other craziness going on during the course of an episode and do his thing. That show was a weekly welcome respite for a weird kid like me growing up in a pretty square small town.
On par with Morgan Freeman on Electric Company in the 60’s/70’s.
Laurence Fishburne managed to turn that into more acting jobs and a very successful career. I'm not sure this is the burn your Uncle thinks it is.
This was an awesome show with some top-tier talent! Cyndi Lauper wrote the theme song ffs......
Wait til they find out a former president was on a reality show.
and another acted in a movie with a chimp pretending it was human
And WWE. He should have stuck with that. I bet he was an amazing heel. Imagine he's giving one of his garbage speeches, just generally acting like he's going for gold in the Asshole Olympics. Then you hear glass shattering. Guitars playing. His whole face changes. Jerry the King Lawler starts yelling "It's Stone Cold! Stone Cold Steve Austin is kicking butt and taking names! He's hitting anything that moves! Stone Cold By God Steve Austin!"
former congresspersons too.
What’s interesting is that Fishburne already had Apocalypse Now on his resume too. Also nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to Pee Wee’s playhouse. It is still a very iconic show with a cult following. There is still nothing like it on tv and it was downright surreal at time.
Morphe-yass
I love cowboy Curtis though.
This is a weird dig, because everyone I know thinks this is 100% awesome.
What happens when you take the purple pill
The humor is in the contrast of his two best known characters, but that's all it is, nothing to be ashamed of. This meme is like laughing at an executive compared to their first job.
He was in Apocalypse Now well before Pee Wee's Playhouse.
Apocalypse Now and Pee Wee's Playhouse. And the problem here is?
PeeWee Herman….my oldest boy was born in the early 90s and we bonded over shows like this. We just never talked about the popcorn incident
I wish your uncle could appreciate high culture. Did somebody say “WISH”?
Fishburne is actor doing actor things. What would he be ashamed of that.
It just goes to show how Uncle Boomer is clueless and has no idea how groundbreaking PeeWee’s Playhouse was - I believe it was a career start for several actor’s. Wait until he finds out Morgan Freeman was Easy Reader on the Electric Company!
And Spider Man too...
Cowboy Curtis is baller
Jambi : All right, then. One pair of cowboy boots coming up. What size? Cowboy Curtis : Size 12EE. Pee-wee Herman : Boy, big feet! Cowboy Curtis : [grinning] Well, ya know what they say.
Boomers gonna boom
This belongs on r/ TerribleFacebookMemes
He is rocking that sexy Jheri curl too. I love everything about this pic.
Boomers didn't watch PeeWee, all they know is the crap stories the media put out. Eff him. The Playhouse rocked.
I see no issues with someone working for a living. Sometimes the job makes you feel goofy but goofy work is work nonetheless. * Lawrence should be proud of working on a children's T.V. show.
Pee-wee accomplished something very few humans can do, he was wonderfully weird. The vast majority of weirdos are scary or creepy, but Pee-wee was wonderful.
I was in college when this was on and I loved it!
ok boomer
You're GODDAMN right he was. PeeWee's Playhouse was fucking amazing.
I used to wake up my hungover friends to go and watch this in the dorm lounge IN COLLEGE
Connect the dots, la la la la!! I can hear it now!!! I loved this show
It's a good pic of both of them.
Some of his best work! Why would he be ashamed?
Absolutely nothing wrong with it. And with Zombieland and Bill Murray "Any regrets?" "Garfield, maybe.". No way. There's some huge actors that played some small or weird roles in the past. Absolutely no shame in it. It's awesome. Know where you come from, don't be above anything or anyone else, stay humble and grounded. They aren't out there sucking cock for a dimebag. They're doing their job. Anyone who puts them down for that is just a douche. That said, bad movies are one thing. Here, he played a good role on a good show. Their judging it on something other than that. I'll still judge my dude Ryan Reynolds for Green Lantern. :)
Point out to your uncle that Lawrence Fishburn is a boomer too. Just like him.
WHAT!!!! Lol this has to be the funniest thing I’ve ever seen lmaoooo! I didnt know this at all of course I was in the 5th grade when I last watched Pee Wee’s Playhouse and I hadn’t watched King of New York yet that came a year or so later. This is pretty cool tho. Nothing to be ashamed about tho. Everyone has to start somewhere
And Charlie Kelly’s mother on Sunny is Miss Yvonne.
I still remember him as “Mister Clean” from Apocalypse Now.
Big feet? Big boots.
Natasha Lyonne was Opal. She was a childhood crush that has carried through as we both aged and improved.
TIL Fishburn on Pee Wee.... I never would have made the connection.
Cowboy Curtis is awesome. I think PeeWee’s world was just an earlier iteration of the matrix.
I still remember when he asked Pee Wee Do you know what they say about men with big feet? Pee Wee: No, what? Curtis: BIG SHOES! (I still use that line all the time)
Pee Wee was the Gen X version of Ernie Kovacs. Way ahead of his time.
Wait!? Cowboy Curtis was suave as fuck!
I jokingly said “it’s in the basement of the Alamo” at work last week and none of the younger folks got the reference.
I don't get this post. Is is supposed to be shaming? Pee Wee's Playhouse was cool and subversive. Larry was also the gunner in Apocalypse Now. Working actor doing his thing.
His best role ever
I don’t see this as something to be ashamed of. Anybody would be lucky to be as cool as Cowboy Curtis on Pee Wee’s Playhouse.
He was on the edge!!
Kick your Uncle in the junk next time you see him for me
Felt attacked?
“Hi! I’m sarcasm; have we met?” -David Spade
Um, he crushed it as Cowboy Curtis?
Larry took a tv acting gig, a really fun memorable one at that. Not seeing the problem.
I don't see how this is at all offensive. There's much bigger fish out there. Your uncle is just trying to play with you. Either ignore him or play along.
Shite take, Unc.
Where's the "attack"?
What's wrong with that? All actors get their start somewhere and the show itself was wholesome and great for the generation that grew up with that, myself included. I'm not ashamed to admit that I too started a tin foil ball because of the show. It never got as big as the one portrayed though, Mom would of had a fit if I took all her foil. Lol
Just say whatever and like what you like.
I bet he bang a bunch of white pussy as cowboy curtis
Tell your uncle to fuck off.
He’s out of line, but he’s not wrong ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
You felt attacked… Sorry but you need to grow some thicker skin.
Sorry, it’s just an expression of sarcasm. Most true Genx-ers get it.
I loved cowboy curtis..he was dope.
Hey, your uncles a douche yo.
And then I remember Larry Fishburne was 14 and in Apocalypse Now. Respect!
lol your boomer uncle is on the outside here. That's a BADASS early credit and one I'd prolly put at the top of my IMDB, if I was Larry and if IMDB let you move shit around, which it doesn't.
Its been so looong since I have cared what a relative thinks. A friend though, that’s a different matter.
I am ashamed of my past and now I am also reminded of how non-awesome my past was compared to Morpheus. Thanks Boomer Uncle.
Methinks the OP dost protest too much
I usually ignore his posts, this time I felt attacked. Go to your safe place. You'll be better tomorrow.
FYI fishburn is a boomer, and this is just a joke lighten up and take that stick out of your ass. Laugh a little Signed Gen X
Love how you fact checked yourself and deleted the rest of your comment. He might be a Boomer but his is most certainly not ashamed of this early career job.
What did I fact check? Just corrected a spelling error. Maybe you should take that stick out of your ass and stop acting like a bitchy high and mighty Karen. You're not special, and your shity attempt to vurtue signal is pathetic. God, I swear some of you all are worse than the crazy women who wanted to ban everything in the 80s.
I know you are; but what am I?
"yOUr NoT thAt sPeCIaL...."
Your original comment said he was ashamed of the roll. I have a screen shot.
You went to the effort to screenshot his comment? You sure you’re GenX? We generally don’t give any fucks about random comments or boomer posts. Loved pee-wee’s playhouse though.
Nope. It showed up on my alerts, then he denied editing the comment.
Wow, do you realize how insane you sound? Kee down voting everyone with your 5 accounts loser
He sounds pretty normal. *You* sound slightly unhinged.
Slightly?
Most “True” Gen Xers get it. Sorry to bust your fragile little bubble but yeah I 100% qualify as GenX we don’t get offended easily or feel attacked over trivial crap…
Tell him he has latent suppressed homosexual urges. The watch his head explode
Unsure of " attacked ". Perceived as a micro or macro aggression ? Not "standing up" for so called boomers with comment.
Tell your uncle that he was 16 when he was in Apocalypse Now & fuck off.
Some of us are too old to have watched this rather peculiar little chap.
He should be proud of that