Not long after the news broke about the death of Paul Reubens, the comedian best known for portraying his creation Pee-wee Herman on the big and small screen, celebrities took to social media to mourn his death.
Reubens died at 70 after a battle with cancer.
A “shocked and saddened” director Tim Burton posted to Instagram a picture of him and his lead on the set of their 1985 hit Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. “I’ll never forget how Paul helped me at the beginning of my career. It would not have happened without his support,” Burton added, saying he will miss the “great artist.”
Natasha Lyonne had a similar expression of gratitude: The Poker Face star was just a kid when she appeared on Pee-wee’s Playhouse. Her Instagram story reposted her tweeted throwback photos and the message, “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.”
Jimmy Kimmel called Reubens “a brilliant and original comedian who made kids and their parents laugh at the same time.” He added, “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 called him a “gifted performer and a nice person” who was “as great in real life as he was on screen.”
Conan O’Brien said, “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.” Conan added, “His surreal comedy and unrelenting kindness were a gift to us all. Damn, this hurts.”
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