The Miz on Pee-wee Herman: ‘Becoming Friends was Very Special’

A year after Paul Reubens’ passing, The Miz reflects on his friend

Pour one out for Pee-Wee.

One year ago, Paul Reubens passed away. Best known as Pee-wee Herman, the talented actor was also known for his extraordinary kindness.

And since everything in the world connects to professional wrestling, it is no surprise that Pee-wee made a few cameos in the WWE.

In 2010, Reubens guest starred on Raw. Just as he began familiarizing himself with the crowd at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, he was interrupted by The Miz and Alex Riley.

“That’s my dad’s favorite thing I’ve ever done in WWE,” said Mike “The Miz” Mizanin. “It’s not main-eventing WrestleMania, it’s not winning the WWE championship–not once, but twice. It’s me getting in the ring and getting in a verbal argument with Pee-wee Herman.”

If the crowd was initially skeptical of Pee-wee, they weren’t by the end of the segment. Reubens mocked The Miz in endearing fashion, playing his greatest hits at The Miz’s expense.

Behind the curtain, that was exactly how it was designed. The architect of that segment? None other than The Miz.

“Earlier that day, his publicist said that he wouldn’t come out as Pee-wee and that Paul would be himself,” said Mizanin. “I was like, ‘I can’t believe this.’ So I found him and asked, ‘Can we please do Pee-wee?’ And he said, ‘Of course.’ Then I was all fired up. I asked, ‘Can we do ‘I know you are but what I am? And the secret word?’ I knew it would work, especially if I was the bad guy playing the gag.

“That was my childhood. I grew up watching Pee-wee, I wore the suit. I knew it would be so great.”

Reubens would make a couple of other returns to WWE, and his friendship with Mizanin lasted for over a dozen years.

“Becoming friends was very special,” said Mizanin. “Every birthday, he’d send me a video. It wasn’t a quick birthday message, it was really meaningful. He’d say how much our friendship meant to him and what a great friend I was, that he hoped I’d smile all day.

“Paul was a really wonderful person and a great friend.”