After almost 21years of “forced” retirement, Pee-wee Herman, the man-boy creation and alter ego of Paul Reubens, is back with a live stage show for four weeks in Los Angeles. What this means is anyone’s guess. But one thing seems certain; his diehard fans never forgot him and obviously forgave him – more on that later – after selling out the show’s first-planned engagement. On a twist of Peewee’s dialogue from one of his movies, things just got “bigger and bigger and bigger.”

It was the 1980s when Paul Reubens as Pee-wee Herman burst on to the scene after developing his wild brand of comedy at The Groundlings, the LA improv factory that delivered Laraine Newman, Phil Hartman, Lisa Kudrow, Will Ferrell, Kristin Wiig and many others who made it big in the comedy world. Pee-wee’s persona with his outsized laugh and 50’s retro look immediately connected with audiences, including a five month sold-out run at the Roxy nightclub in LA.

A string of successful appearances on “The David Letterman Show” followed and Reubens’ career began its meteoric rise, gaining rabid fans and the attention of Hollywood’s bigger players. His 1985 modestly budgeted feature (directed by Tim Burton) “Peewee’s Big Adventure,” about Pee-wee’s hunt for his missing bike, was a commercial hit and critical favorite. Soon after, Reubens’ had his own CBS Saturday morning children’s show based on Pee-wee’s imaginative and zany world, full of double entendres. “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” was also a huge success and quickly attained cult-like popularity, fans of every age and numerous accolades, including more than a dozen Emmy Awards. Toy stores filled up with talking dolls and a myriad of all things Pee-wee’ s Playhouse. The love fest continued as Pee-wee received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in front of, where else, a landmark toy store. In 1991, Peewee’s world ended abruptly. Reubens was arrested for indecent exposure at a Florida adult movie theater. CBS unceremoniously dumped his show and off the actor and character went to oblivion. Reubens stayed under the radar but found some work in Hollywood with small roles in Burton’s “Batman Returns” and “Blow,” and on TV in “Murphy Brown” and, more recently, “30 Rock.”

With some prodding from a producer for the past few years to bring Pee-wee back, Reubens agreed and invited some of the Playhouse’s most beloved characters to join him: Miss Yvonne, Pterri the pterodactyl and Pee-wee’s talking armchair Chairy. The new production is based on his 1981 show and was originally scheduled to open last November at the Music Box @ Fonda. With demand very high and technical elements for the show’s animatronic pup- pets requiring a bigger venue, the limited engagement will now play at Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles. Fervent fans who bought tickets for the smaller venue, some of whom had to re-book travel for the new dates, became enraged. As a gesture of appreciation for his fans, Pee-wee decided to invite the fans who sold-out the November run to meet him backstage.

The burning question for many after Reubens’ transgression which reportedly devastated him is “Why now?” To which Reuben’s has said, “Why not now?” It also doesn’t hurt that Reubens has plans for a movie starring Pee-wee and hopes the character’s reintroduction could help get a Hollywood film executive to get on board too.

As Reubens dusts off Pee-wee’s undersized gray suit and clunky white shoes, ready or not, it’s time once again for the Pee-wee Herman show.