Paul Reubens, known best by his character name Pee-wee Herman, died Sunday after a private six-year battle with cancer. He was 70.
“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” Reubens wrote on an Instagram message posted today. “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 post’s caption, written by his estate, reads: “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. Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit. A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy...
“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” Reubens wrote on an Instagram message posted today. “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 post’s caption, written by his estate, reads: “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. Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit. A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy...
- 7/31/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The beard was longer and whiter, but it was the same old Dave when David Letterman returned to Late Night on Monday to mark the show’s 40th anniversary.
“If it weren’t for your kind invitation, I would not have known that this is the 40th anniversary,” the former host told NBC’s current man behind the desk, Seth Meyers. Letterman then recalled the hubris with which he and his compatriots approached TV at the time of the show’s launch.
“When you’re young, one of the nice complementary features of being young is being dumb,” explained Letterman. “We all thought, ‘Television is the way television is because we’re not there yet. When we get to television, it’ll be fine.’ We were wrong about that and many, many other things.”
After a failure on daytime TV, Letterman said he went to “the back of the line...
“If it weren’t for your kind invitation, I would not have known that this is the 40th anniversary,” the former host told NBC’s current man behind the desk, Seth Meyers. Letterman then recalled the hubris with which he and his compatriots approached TV at the time of the show’s launch.
“When you’re young, one of the nice complementary features of being young is being dumb,” explained Letterman. “We all thought, ‘Television is the way television is because we’re not there yet. When we get to television, it’ll be fine.’ We were wrong about that and many, many other things.”
After a failure on daytime TV, Letterman said he went to “the back of the line...
- 2/2/2022
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
David Letterman will bid farewell to his Late Show tonight with a surprise-filled (and Foo Fighters-featuring) finale, but before the late-night legend says goodbye to airwaves, take 45 minutes to remember Letterman at the onset of his 33-year career. Decider unearthed Letterman's incredible debut episode of his Late Night NBC program from February 1, 1982, which featured guests Bill Murray and Donald "Mr. Wizard" Herbert.
The episode opened up with actor Calvert DeForest, or Larry "Bud" Melman as he was known on the show, delivering a spooky prologue inspired by actor Edward Van Sloan...
The episode opened up with actor Calvert DeForest, or Larry "Bud" Melman as he was known on the show, delivering a spooky prologue inspired by actor Edward Van Sloan...
- 5/20/2015
- Rollingstone.com
Over more than 30 years on the air, David Letterman went from the class clown of late night to one of its most respected icons.
In the '80s, Letterman's Midwestern snark and ironic sensibilities were considered groundbreaking in the comparatively staid world of Johnny Carson and Tom Snyder; now they've provided the groundwork for many of today's mainstream comedy trends.
Now that Letterman has officially said farewell to late night, let's look back at the 10 best things Letterman gave us. (Could it have been any other number?)
10. Memories Galore
Leading up to his final broadcast, Letterman, 68, fulfilled a fan's request...
In the '80s, Letterman's Midwestern snark and ironic sensibilities were considered groundbreaking in the comparatively staid world of Johnny Carson and Tom Snyder; now they've provided the groundwork for many of today's mainstream comedy trends.
Now that Letterman has officially said farewell to late night, let's look back at the 10 best things Letterman gave us. (Could it have been any other number?)
10. Memories Galore
Leading up to his final broadcast, Letterman, 68, fulfilled a fan's request...
- 4/5/2014
- by Tom Gliatto AND Nate Jones
- People.com - TV Watch
Over more than 30 years on the air, David Letterman went from the class clown of late night to one of its most respected icons. In the '80s, Letterman's Midwestern snark and ironic sensibilities were considered groundbreaking in the comparatively staid world of Johnny Carson and Tom Snyder; now they've provided the groundwork for many of today's mainstream comedy trends. (Check out Letterman's 9 Most Unforgettable Late Show Moments.) As Letterman prepares to step away from the desk for good in 2015, here's a look back at the 10 (could it have been any other number?) best things Letterman gave us: 1. Top 10 lists...
- 4/5/2014
- by Nate Jones
- PEOPLE.com
The Masturbating Bear is dead.
As a deal nears for Conan O'Brien's exit from NBC, one thing is certain: The characters and recurring comedy bits O'Brien originated during his 16-plus years on "Late Night" and "The Tonight Show" will not follow the host when he leaves NBC.
The Peacock owns the intellectual property behind such popular O'Brien characters as Pimpbot 5000 and Conando, as well as recurring segments such as In the Year 3000 and Desk Driving. Sources involved in the settlement negotiations say NBC is keeping the copyrighted and trademarked elements of O'Brien's shows as part of the deal. That means the bits and characters will likely never be seen after O'Brien's "Tonight" ends its run Jan. 22.
While the vast majority of the characters O'Brien introduced are said to owned by NBC, it's unclear who controls Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, the crass canine puppet that is perhaps O'Brien's most popular recurring bit.
As a deal nears for Conan O'Brien's exit from NBC, one thing is certain: The characters and recurring comedy bits O'Brien originated during his 16-plus years on "Late Night" and "The Tonight Show" will not follow the host when he leaves NBC.
The Peacock owns the intellectual property behind such popular O'Brien characters as Pimpbot 5000 and Conando, as well as recurring segments such as In the Year 3000 and Desk Driving. Sources involved in the settlement negotiations say NBC is keeping the copyrighted and trademarked elements of O'Brien's shows as part of the deal. That means the bits and characters will likely never be seen after O'Brien's "Tonight" ends its run Jan. 22.
While the vast majority of the characters O'Brien introduced are said to owned by NBC, it's unclear who controls Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, the crass canine puppet that is perhaps O'Brien's most popular recurring bit.
- 1/16/2010
- by By Matthew Belloni and Nellie Andreeva
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW YORK -- Calvert DeForest, known to millions of Late Night With David Letterman fans as the raspy-voiced Larry "Bud" Melman, died Monday at age 85 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Long Island, N.Y., after a long illness.
DeForest appeared on the first Late Show With David Letterman on NBC in 1982 and appeared dozens of times on the New York-based show through its run on NBC until 1993. He often did goofy things on the show, including giving hot towels to commuters at the Port Authority bus terminal.
When Letterman left NBC in 1993, DeForest moved with him. The only thing that changed was the character's name, which became Calvert DeForest with the CBS show because NBC claimed ownership over the Melman name. His last appearance was in 2002 on his 81st birthday.
"Everyone always wondered if Calvert was an actor playing a character, but in reality he was just himself, a genuine, modest and nice man," Letterman said Wednesday. "To our staff and to our viewers, he was a beloved and valued part of our show, and we will miss him."
DeForest was born July 23, 1921, in Brooklyn to a doctor father who died when DeForest was 16 and a mother who once worked in theater.
DeForest appeared on the first Late Show With David Letterman on NBC in 1982 and appeared dozens of times on the New York-based show through its run on NBC until 1993. He often did goofy things on the show, including giving hot towels to commuters at the Port Authority bus terminal.
When Letterman left NBC in 1993, DeForest moved with him. The only thing that changed was the character's name, which became Calvert DeForest with the CBS show because NBC claimed ownership over the Melman name. His last appearance was in 2002 on his 81st birthday.
"Everyone always wondered if Calvert was an actor playing a character, but in reality he was just himself, a genuine, modest and nice man," Letterman said Wednesday. "To our staff and to our viewers, he was a beloved and valued part of our show, and we will miss him."
DeForest was born July 23, 1921, in Brooklyn to a doctor father who died when DeForest was 16 and a mother who once worked in theater.
- 3/22/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
American actor Calvert DeForest, David Letterman's former side-kick, has died after a long illness. He was 85. DeForest enjoyed a successful career as a TV character actor, but is most famous for playing oddball Larry 'Bud' Melman on Letterman's TV talk shows from 1982 to 2002. His death in a hospital in Long Island, New York on Monday was announced on the Late Show With David Letterman last night. Letterman says in a statement, "Everyone always wondered if Calvert was an actor playing a character, but in reality he was just himself - a genuine, modest and nice man. To our staff and to our viewers, he was a beloved and valued part of our show, and we will miss him."...
- 3/22/2007
- WENN
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