90s Free Pee Wee Herman Secret Word t-shirt Extra Large

Chest 23.5 in.

Length 27 in.

Content: 100% Cotton

Tag Brand: Oneita

This humorous vintage tee is a remnant from one of the most shocking celebrity scandals of the early 90s. The shirt features a portrait of beloved children's television actor Paul Reubens as his iconic character Pee Wee Herman, and it also makes reference to Reuben's show Pee-wee's Playhouse and the series' episodic gag, the secret word of the day. In this case the word is "autoerotic" in reference to Reuben's arrest during the summer of 1991.

Paul Reubens was one of three individuals arrested by an undercover detective at an adult theater in Sarasota, Florida. According to the police report, Reubens was caught masturbating in the theater, but the actor adamantly preached his innocence, and he was backed by an overwhelming number of fans. Reubens was ready to defend himself in court, and prepared to point out that while the report claimed he'd been touching himself with his left hand, the actor was actually right handed. Several decades worth of sexual research from the Masters and Johnson Institute failed to find a single individual that pleasured themselves with their non-dominant hand. However the case never went to trial, and fans were still happy to back Reuben's regardless. Other advocates like fellow celebrity Cyndi Lauper pointed out that the incident would have been a victimless occurrence anyway.

While the arrest did prompt CBS to stop airing Pee-wee's Playhouse on Saturday mornings, Reubens remained backed by the public, who staged various "Free Pee-Wee" campaigns. This shirt even depicts Reubens sporting a "Free Pee-wee Now" button as a nod to these public protests. 

Fits like a modern unisex adult Extra Large






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