Pee-wee Herman Actor Paul Reubens Remembered By Famous Friends: ‘A True Original’

Pee-wee Herman actor Paul Reubens has passed away following a private cancer battle. On Monday afternoon, a statement was posted to his Instagram page announcing his passing.

“Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer, and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy, and belief in the importance of kindness,” the statement read.

“Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit,” it continued. “A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit.”

A quote from the beloved actor was also shared, reading, “Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years. I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans, and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.”

The statement concludes, “Paul asked that any expressions of sympathy be made in honor of his late parents, Judy and Milton Rubenfeld, to Stand Up to Cancer or organizations involved in Dementia and Alzheimer’s care, support, and research.”

Following his tragic passing, many in the industry took a moment to pay tribute, including "Orange Is The New Black" actress Natasha Lyonne, who made her made her TV debut on Pee-wee’s Playhouse when she was only six years old.

Natasha Lyonne was one of the first to pay tribute to his passing, tweeting, "Love you so much, Paul. One in all time. Thank you for my career & your forever friendship all these years & for teaching us what a true original is."

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel also paid tribute on Twitter, tweeting, "Paul Reubens was like no one else - a brilliant and original comedian who made kids and their parents laugh at the same time. He never forgot a birthday and shared his genuine delight for silliness with everyone he met. My family and I will miss him."

Comedian Dane Cook tweeted, "Paul Reubens was a gifted performer and a nice person. He brought so much joy to people over the years as Pee Wee, my sister and I loved that character. I was privileged to work with him in a film and he was as great in real life as he was on screen. Tough news here."

Late-night host Conan O’Brien tweeted, "No tweet can capture the magic, generosity, artistry, and devout silliness of Paul Reubens. Everyone I know received countless nonsensical memes from Paul on their birthday, and I mean EVERYONE. His surreal comedy and unrelenting kindness were a gift to us all. D*mn, this hurts."

Original “Saturday Night Live” cast member Laraine Newman shared a throwback photo of the actor, tweeting, "Paul and I first met in 1973 at Cal Arts. We remained friends for the next 50 years. Not day to day. Just the kind of friend that you can text out of nowhere or have a 3-hour lunch with. And don't get me started on the birthday texts-he sent them ALL DAY. I feel sick."

David Hasselhoff also paid tribute to the legendary comedian, taking to Instagram to write, “Paul Reubens was a great, great friend. He gave me the muppets for my birthday and never forgot anyone’s birthday from our class. He was in my class at CalArts and room mates! He was always kind to me and to everyone. He will be missed.”

RIP Paul Reubens. You will be missed.