With his signature bow tie, short drainpipe pants and flattop hairdo, Pee-wee, as embodied by Mr. Reubens, became enshrined in the popular imagination as a symbol of childlike whimsy.
The guitarist, singer, actress and comedian has long wrapped her prodigious talents in a glossy, over-the-top persona. Decades later, she’s still going strong, and it’s time to take her seriously.