Pee-Wee Herman’s Fans Protest Cancellation

Pee-wee Herman supporters gathered Friday in front of CBS television studios in Hollywood to protest cancellation of “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” by the network.

During the 90-minute curbside demonstration, fans deplored what they called the network’s hasty judgment and condemned the media for branding actor Paul Reubens a pervert before conviction in a court. Reubens, who plays the gooney, rubber-faced star of Saturday morning TV, was arrested July 26 for alleged indecent exposure after Sarasota, Fla., police raided an adult movie theater. Reubens denies the charges.

CBS dropped reruns of Reubens’ show after his arrest, and Disney-MGM Studios in Florida pulled a video starring the nerdy, bow-tied Pee-wee from a theme park tour. Forty demonstrators shouting “Pee-wee” stood along busy Fairfax Avenue through the noon hour, some waving signs reading “Wee support Pee-wee,” “Bring back Pee-wee” and “Blame the media, not Pee-wee.”