Pee-Wee's Playhouse was a favorite Saturday morning show back in the late 80's and early 90's for kids, teens and some adults. It's back on Adult Swim and I'm loving it. Here are the top ten reasons I love Pee-Wee's Playhouse.
1. Today's Secret Word
Possibly the most famous and most memorable feature of
Pee-Wee's Playhouse is the secret word. "You all know what to do when anyone says the secret word, right? Scream!" In every episode, Pee-Wee asks Conky, the robot, "What's today's secret word?" Conky obligingly prints out a word -- such as there, what, okay, or year -- and then, well, you get it. So if Miss Yvonne or Reba the Mail Lady happens to say the secret word, everyone screams while an alarm dings in the background. That fun game alone has bonded my 4-year old son with me, my husband, his grandparents and pretty much anyone who remembers the show.
2. Penny Cartoons
In almost every episode (the newer ones don't always include one) Pee-Wee or Clocky will instruct the boys and girls at home that it's time for a Penny cartoon. Then Penny, a little stop-motion animated clay girl with pennies for eyes, tells everyone a story that's not really a story, but more a stream of consciousness. She will expound on wanting her own room, or her grandmother, or how her friend ate all kinds of food one time. The wacky imagery perfectly marries the cute ramblings of a little girl.
3. Theme Song and Opening Credits
I love the island vibe of the opening song of
Pee-Wee's Playhouse. It's mellow and funky, and then a woman's voice softly announces the name of the show. The animation that accompanies the theme song starts with squirrels in the woods, and opens onto the playhouse itself. My favorite part is when the Sphinx sways its head to the beat of a drum. The entire opening sets the mood for the surreal fun you're about to have.
4. Jambi
The second most famous part of
Pee-Wee's Playhouse has to be the incantation of Jambi, the genie head in a box. "Mekka lekka hi mekka hiney ho. Mekka lekka hi mekka chahny ho." My favorite Jambi moment is during the Christmas special, when Jambi asks Pee-Wee to repeat a variation on his usual incantation, saying, "Mekka lekka hi mekka ho ho ho." Jambi always has wisdom and jokes to share. Occasionally we follow the bouncing Jambi head to sing a song. But always, Jambi is bright green, bodiless and sage.
5. Miss Yvonne
Miss Yvonne is elegant, graceful, the most beautiful woman in Puppetland, and possibly a slut. In early episodes, her dresses weren't as fitted and she had the look of a girl attending a prom in the 1950s, including the beehive hairdo. In later episodes her dresses were more couture and she flirted much more. She gave Mrs. Steve a beauty makeover, telling her she was already beautiful being herself. She played secretary to Pee-Wee's boss. And she flirted with Cowboy Curtis, Ricardo and even Jimmy Smits as the Conky repairman. Through it all she delivers lines combining childlike innocence and grown-up allure.
6. Captain Carl
Captain Carl is the gruff sailor played by the late Phil Hartman. His eyebrows where bushy and his skin glowed with a tan acquired under the unblinking sun out to sea. He played along with Pee-Wee's games such as restaurant, and attended Pee-Wee's magic show. My favorite Captain Carl moment came when he gave Pee-Wee a telescope. He laughed like a maniac after the "Why don't you marry it?" joke. Captain Carl appears it be a little more grown-up than other Playhouse mates, but he's still a lot of fun.
7. Mrs. Rene
Mrs. Rene is the new neighbor, introduced in the episodes that were filmed after the gang moved to L.A. from New York. She has a deep voice, a thick New York accent and she's Jewish. More than anything, she's a lot of fun. My favorite Mrs. Rene moment is when she sees a painting by Pee-Wee and he insists she take it. Her repitition of his name in a deeper and deeper voice kills me. Eventually, she hugs the painting, creating a masterpiece out of her t-shirt, which then sets a trend at the mall.
8. Closing Credits
In every episode, just before the closing credits, Pee-Wee says good-bye to everyone, slipping the secret word in, and then climbs onto his scooter to take off through a hidden door in the Playhouse. Then, his scooter bounces along various roads, showing scenery such as mountains, the sea and possibly a monument. It's just a fun way to end every episode, a relaxing denouement after the crazy antics of the Playhouse.
9. Dinosaur Family
Inside a mouse hole in the Playhouse lives the Dinosaur Family. They seem to be a combination of
Flintstones and
Leave It to Beaver. The two kids act up, one time squirting a free sample of toothpaste on mom and pop. The pet dinosaur eats his bones from his bowl. And pop even smokes a stogie. During the Christmas episode, Mrs. Rene's dreidel spins into the mouse hole and they play with it, later chomping on their chocolate coins. The animation is fun and holds up even in today's world of cutting edge effects.
10. Cool Cat, Chicky Baby and Dirty Dog
The poetry corner includes Cool Cat, Chicky Baby and Dirty Dog, three beatnik puppets who talk in slow, rhyming speech, even though they seem to down a lot of coffee. Their poems don't always make sense, but they are always cool.
