MOVIE TALK

Not a Joke: "Pee-wee" Joins New Live-Action Smurfs Film as Jokey Smurf

by Mike Ryan · April 28, 2009

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart in 'The Twilight Saga: Eclipse'

It's time to sing a happy song, or, even, if you prefer, Smurf the whole day long -- Paul Reubens is joining the cast of the new live action Smurfs film.

Nope, this isn't some kind of childhood-show hallucination come to life. Yahoo! contacted Reubens' publicist, Kelly Bush, and she confirmed that the man more commonly known as "Pee-wee Herman" has indeed accepted the quite fitting role of "Jokey Smurf."

For the uninitiated -- or the memory-challenged -- Jokey Smurf was the one who would play pranks on his fellow little, blue creatures. A favorite move was to give wrapped "gift boxes" that would explode in a puff of gray smoke all over the recipient's face.

"The Smurfs," directed by Raja Gosnell (best known for directing the live-action movie version of "Scooby-Doo"), is a hybrid live action/computer generated effects film that has attracted the likes of Neil Patrick Harris, Katy Perry, Michael Cera, and Jonathan Winters.

In addition to joining "The Smurfs," Reubens has just completed a successful onstage run, reprising the kid-favorite role he popularized in the Saturday-morning TV show, "Pee-Wee's Playhouse." In some cases, Pee-Wee was also an adult favorite. (Don't forget that Tim Burton directed the shrunken-grey-suit character's big-screen debut, "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure").

In the meantime, Reubens can be seen in a supporting role later this year in "Nailed," starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Biel. Also, Bush hints, there is more in store for Pee-wee Herman to be announced later this year. Let's hope, whatever it is, it resembles more "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" or "Pee-wee's Playhouse" than "Big Top Pee-Wee."

Either way, with the summer 2011 release of "The Smurfs" -- to borrow a line from the Smurfs' theme song -- Reubens fans will be Smurfing soon.

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