Fans of Pee-wee Herman angry over show's postponement

They were planning to fly to L.A. from all over the country just to see one of their beloved pop-culture heroes. But now many of them are left with dashed hopes and airline cancellation fees -- and they are not happy, to say the least.

On Tuesday, actor Paul Reubens announced that he is pushing back the opening of "The Pee-wee Herman Show" to January from November. He also said that the stage show would be moving to Club Nokia in downtown L.A. from the original venue at the Music Box @ Fonda in Hollywood.

"Man, this is the worst news ever," said Steve Gadlin, a lifelong Pee-wee fan who lives in Chicago. Speaking on the phone Tuesday, Gadlin said he had purchased an airplane ticket and front-row seats for the show for the day after Thanksgiving. This morning, the Web developer (and part-time comic and producer) said he requested a refund on his tickets to the show.

"I'm not over-dramatizing this just because I'm talking to a newspaper reporter. This the biggest bummer on the planet. For me, I had such a connection to Pee-wee growing up. But, you know, I'll live."

Lynn Margaret of Atlanta said in an e-mail that she and a friend had purchased tickets for two nights in November and had booked four nights in a hotel.

She said she had to pay a $75 cancellation fee on her flight and that her friend from Boston had to pay a $150 cancellation fee.

"But it's really not the money," said Margaret. "We're just so sad and disappointed.  It feels like being stood up by someone who was one of your very favorite people, to find out they blew you off to hang out with people that are fancier and prettier and richer or something."

Fans -- or maybe one should say former fans -- of Pee-wee Herman have been leaving angry comments on Culture Monster since the news broke yesterday. 

One commenter who identified himself as Kevin (and who did not leave contact information) wrote that he already spent $1,500 in travel expenses to see the show and that he may have to pay $300 in cancellation fees. 

"It is [apparent] that the only reason the venue has changed is because PEEWEE has become a money grubbing jerk," he wrote.

Scott Sanders, lead producer of "The Pee-wee Herman Show," said the decision to move the dates and venue was because the production is growing larger and more technically complex.

"Paul called me and said, 'I think we're outgrowing the space,' " said Sanders. "As a producer, it felt clearer to me that it would be difficult if not impossible to make it work there. It was a creative and artistic decision that evolved organically."

"The Pee-wee Herman Show" is a reconceived version of Reubens' hit '80s stage show of the same name that launched him into stardom. The new version of the show is set to run Jan. 12 to Feb. 7, pushed back from its original Nov. 19-29 engagement.

To disappointed fans, the producer said: "I'm sorry and, really, it was not a decision that was taken without a great deal of thought."

-- David Ng

Photo: Pee-wee Herman (Paul Reubens) in a scene from "Pee-Wee's Playhouse Marathon." Credit: Fox Family Channel

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Pee-wee Herman's promoters explain ticket confusion

Paul Reubens revives Pee-wee Herman for new stage show

Comments

[Steve Gadlin]

Hey, that's me!

I did request a refund on my tickets. Only after I was informed that replacing my front row seats with front row seats would cost me another $100.

Great article, David! There's some satisfaction in that!

[Brad Patterson]

The kicker is that you cannot purchase "front row" tickets at the moment. The new venue has a VIP section in front of everyone else's seats, but those are not on sale until the 15th (according to my TicketMaster rep, but based on their track record I would say her information is dubious at best). So to even get "decent" seats I have to buy replacements today.

[Franny Jensen]

Please keep us posted, we gotta see him, just gotta see him. Pee Wee, don't let us down, you are our hero. We love you. Do you hear that? We love you.
Franny

[Lynn Margaret]

Quote: Scott Sanders, lead producer of "The Pee-wee Herman Show," said the decision to move the dates and venue was because the production is growing larger and more technically complex.

Quote from yesterday:
Promoters of "The Pee-wee Herman Show" said that the venue change "will allow more fans to attend and purchase tickets at various price points, including VIP tickets, as well as lower-priced general admission tickets."

So yesterday its to allow more fans to attend. Today its because the space was inadequate for the scope of the production.

Really? There wasn't an available adequate space in all of LOS ANGELES to move the show to? Weird!

I mean, I realize the difference between a promoter and a prodcuer, the two sources here, but still. I small a rat. A big rat wearing a red bow tie laughing all the way to the bank.

Thanks for the follow-up, David. Interesting!

[a fan]

i have been trying to get thru to ticketmaster since 10am.. but its been busy. but now that i read that i have to pay the difference to replace the 2nd row center seats i originally had i will just get a refund. its a sad thing and i definately feel bad for all the people that booked flights.. they really got screwed

i am still a fan but its a shame and i am disappointed in this for sure.. he made a HUGE mistake

[Abacus Finch]

This feels familiar. The same thing happened to me when I purchased tickets to Michael Jackson's first concert in London. After I'd purchased plane tickets from Los Angeles to London, they postponed the first week of shows. And then, well, we all know how that ended. Performers with such high profiles should realize that date/venue shuffling results in costing many of their fans a lot of money. I also have tickets to Pee-Wee's opening night and after hearing this nonsense, I plan on doing nothing and letting the automatic refund kick in.

[Thisis Living?]

CHA-CHING!

GOT$$$$$$CHA

[S McC]

Pretty much in disgust after going out of our way to get a great table the morning the seats went on sale. A great table at a small venue as opposed to being stuck in the balcony of a cavernous downtown theatre just doesn't translate for me so I will be getting a refund. Also do they really think they will book that huge theatre for a month of shows? Maybe so, but I have to admit they won't be getting any more of my money - it feels like they used our original money from the sell-outs at the Music Box to fund a "bigger and better" show but it really feels like a rip-off and I will certainly think twice or three times before ever purchasing another Goldenvoice event and I suggest you contact Goldenvoice as well to let them know you are not pleased with this rip-off. Also Ticketmaster never emailed me to let me know this was cancelled, happened to find out today by looking at LA Times, thanks Times for keeping us in the loop since Goldenvoice/Ticket*$(&*# didn't even try.

Comments to Goldenvoice at:
http://www.goldenvoice.com/contact/

[brettstrodamus]

What a waste of time. Celebrate the real Pee Wee experience at the Pussycat Theater, oh, somewhere about the center three rows from the back...and wear your rain hat!

[Kevin B]

Really? Okay, I guess I missed something all those years ago.

[Clara Boo]

It's all about GREED!!! I was so happy to be seeing Peewee. I bought tickets and now I am being screwed by greedy evil bastards. I hope Pee wee realizes what these people are doing.

[Bob Foolery]

I wonder if that was in the business plan: We will give a great deal of thought about the artistic, organic, evolving decision to cancel the original if we find there's more money to be made elsewhere, because the people signed up and committed to your ORIGINAL plan.

Come on guys... the show must go on. Add dates if it's so popular.

[Ryan]

So happy to see this article. I thought I was alone.

I've been a Pee Wee fan since I can remember. When I heard of the return of this show, I knew that I would do whatever it took to get out to LA to see at least one performance.

So I did the Ticketmaster thing when they originally went on sale and got decent seats. I booked my $400 plane ticket out there and was ready for some Pee Wee!

Then I got the email. The "we're screwing you" email.

So I said okay. It's not the worst thing that's ever happened to me. I'll get new tickets - heck, maybe even better tickets.

Then I remembered that Ticketmaster had to get involved again...

I talked to at least 5 separate Ticketmaster reps today. I shouted obscenities at no less than 3 of them.

And then, after literally 150 calls to Ticketmaster (I have the phone record), I got through to SOMEONE who understood what was going on. And I got 3rd row seats.

I haven't rebooked my flight, but I'm sure it'll be ridiculous.

I just feel so bad for all the people that got screwed in this whole process. The people who were unbelievably excited for the October/November shows and went through the right channels to get their tickets.

Now they're going to be one-upped by the StubHubs of the world who will undoubtedly have first pick at the first and second row seats.

What an awful, awful experience.

[Ticket master sucks]

Great....now I have to wait all day trying to get through on ticket masters phone line.

This sucks - exactly why I hate Ticketmaster and have refused using them for years. ARGH!! No FUN!

[Blobby Digital]

Thanks for the refund! I had buyer's remorse after seeing you on Leno.

[Ryan]

WOW - Just checked my bank account. Ticketmaster just charged by $160 for the two tickets I exchanged. That means that I paid somewhere around $300 for these two tickets.

I'm about to lose it. Especially after reading all of the horror stories on his Facebook page.

[DEX]

I'll wait and get my tix for half price on GoldStar.com. Trust me, they'll be there.

[REVISED TICKET prices too!]

Great - not only is the venue changed...but for similar seats it's TWO TIMES as much. Uhh...
Ticket master is refunding everyone's money, then charging the new price for the new venue. For the $60 dollar seat I had before it's now more like $120+.
I dumped my order.

[diane]

i am very very upset about this too. I was very exited to purchase the tickets, to see him at the Henry Fonda with the cabaret atmosphere. Now at Nokia Live it'll take on a totally different, nonexclusive atmosphere. and then they're just giving us an opportunity to buy tickets from them in advance!? come on. ridiculous!

[Gabriel]

I would like to see Pee-Wee back in a movie like Pee-Wee Herman's Big Adventure. I thought he was great in that, the rest of his stuff is ?? I think Pee-Wee is best in a real world setting, not some fantasy land. Gotta love Tim Burton + Pee Wee Herman. Pee Wee Herman's Big Adventure....some of his greatest work and one of the best films out there. It was unique, funny, creative, and had great music.