Stars honor ‘brilliant’ Paul ‘Pee-wee Herman’ Reubens after death

Celebrities are offering touching tributes to Pee-wee Herman actor Paul Reubens, who died at the age of 70.

“Paul Reubens was like no one else — a brilliant and original comedian who made kids and their parents laugh at the same time,” posted Jimmy Kimmel. “He never forgot a birthday and shared his genuine delight for silliness with everyone he met. My family and I will miss him.”

“This is devastating. Truly heartbreaking,” said filmmaker Paul Feig. “Paul was such a comedy genius. From his Letterman appearances to his TV shows and movies, he was so original and hilarious.”

“And such a sweet man too. This is a huge loss for comedy. Thanks for all the laughs, Paul,” continued the “Bridesmaids” director.

Carl Weathers, who stars in the hit Disney+ show “The Mandalorian,” also posted his condolences, writing that the comedy legend was “one of the nice guys.”

“No tweet can capture the magic, generosity, artistry, and devout silliness of Paul Reubens,” grieved Conan O’Brien. “Everyone I know received countless nonsensical memes from Paul on their birthday, and I mean EVERYONE. His surreal comedy and unrelenting kindness were a gift to us all. Damn, this hurts.”

Actor Steve Martin said that “Pee Wee got his wish to fly,” adding his thanks to Reubens “for the brilliant off-the-wall comedy.”

Ed Solomon, who wrote the 2018 miniseries “Mosaic” that stars Reubens and Sharon Stone, called the late actor “one of the kindest souls I’ve known.”

“Paul Reubens was a great friend,” reminisced David Hasselhoff. “He gave me the muppets for my birthday and never forgot anyone’s birthday from our class. He was in my class at CalArts and we had the same business manager. He was always kind to me and to everyone. He will be missed.”

“Goodbye Paul. Goodnight sweet prince. May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest,” Cher wrote, quoting “Hamlet.”

Several other fans posted that Reubens brought great joy to their childhood through his portrayal of Pee-wee.

An official statement announcing his death was posted on the actor’s Instagram on Monday.

“Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness,” read the statement.

According to the post, Reubens died after a six-year battle with cancer.

“Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit. A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit.”

In addition, the post included a posthumous statement from Reubens himself.

“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” the comedy legend wrote. “I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.”

Reubens began his career in the1970s when he joined the Groundlings comedy troupe in Los Angeles.

In 1986, he gained national attention when he debuted his show “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” which ran until 1990.

Reubens returned to the role of Pee-wee in 2010 when he brought the character to Broadway in “The Pee-wee Herman Show,” which was filmed for HBO and won an Emmy Award.

He next reprised the role for a 2016 Netflix special, “Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday.”