Currently starring in 'Blow'

Paul Reubens: A long way from Pee-Wee Herman

Paul Reubens enjoyed his lively role in "Blow." "It was really fun for me, because I haven't really been the life of the party in a long, long time," he says

By Paul Vercammen
CNN Showbiz Today Reports

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- In the 1980s, Paul Reubens -- as Pee-Wee Herman -- went on a "Big Adventure."

Now the same Paul Reubens has embarked on a big dramatic adventure, playing Derek Foreal, a flamboyant Los Angeles-area hairdresser who becomes a major cocaine trafficker in "Blow."

The role is a far cry from the bow-tied, comically manic Pee Wee. While there are humorous moments in "Blow," the movie is certainly no laughing matter, delving into drugs, money, sex and a spiral into debauchery as cocaine peddling becomes an international business. Along with Reubens, the film stars Johnny Depp as George Jung, a key U.S. link to Colombian drug cartels, and Penelope Cruz as Jung's sultry, demanding wife.

CNN Showbiz Today Reports had a chance to talk with Reubens about "Blow," the ups and downs of his career, and a curious hosting job.

VIDEO CNN's Paul Vercammen interviews Paul Reubens about his role in the film about the cocaine boom of the 1980s Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     REVIEW 'Blow': Funny, but nothing to snort at

CNN: Describe the atmosphere on set of "Blow." What was it like working with Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz and the rest of the cast?

Reubens: It was great because you can cut right to the chase. You're not dealing with these big ego trips: "I'm a bigger star than you" and "Is my trailer the same size?"

I don't have a great deal of experience of working in the dramatic field and this is a particularly heavy piece. I could imagine that working on something like this with other people could have been much more tragic off-camera.

CNN: How do you think "Blow" captures the freewheeling '70s?

Reubens: It has to do with kind of even going past the hippies and ... the flower power. I think it was more kind of like getting away from being low and going into glam.

CNN: You must have enjoyed playing this sort of leader of the fun bunch?

Reubens: It was really fun for me, because I haven't really been the life of the party in a long, long time. When (cutting up) became my profession, I stopped doing it off-camera.

So it was nice to be a guy who liked to make an entrance, have a lot of attention, power and knew everybody. People wanted to emulate him and (the character) was kind of on the cutting edge, followed the fashion trends. It was a ball.

CNN: When I watched the screening, a lot of people in the audience could be heard asking, "Is that Paul Reubens? Is that Pee Wee Herman?" when you first appeared on screen.

Reubens: Really? That's great. I think "Blow" is a different direction in a lot of ways. Because I get to be funny in a drama, but I also have some dramatic moments, which is something I haven't really done a lot of yet. I hope that it's gonna mean people will see something different and I'll be getting different work.

CNN: Speaking of different work, what's the status of you hosting "You Don't Know Jack?" ("You Don't Know Jack," based on the popular CD-ROM and Internet quiz game, is awaiting assignment to a time slot on ABC.)

In "Blow," Reubens plays Derek Foreal, a flamboyant hairdresser who becomes a major cocaine trafficker

Reubens: It's in the can, as we like to say here in Hollywood. It's very different from the CD-ROM, because with the CD-ROM you're not locked in, you're sitting there watching, playing something on a computer screen. You're not really interacting. You don't have to cut to a contestant. You don't have to cut to a host, or cut to a screen with a question on it.

It (the television show) is very visual. It's a real game show, with real contestants, playing for real money. On the other hand, I'm playing a character who's hosting it. It has a lot of comedy and variety show elements in it too, so it's kind of a big mishmash of styles. I think it's very funny and original.

CNN: Just the concept of you hosting a game show gets me chuckling.

Reubens: My favorite thing on this particular show was doing something most game show hosts don't get to do: I got to laugh at the contestants if they were wrong. I don't know if the public will think it's funny, but it cracked me up every time.

CNN: You're now back in the limelight, but do you try to maintain some sense of privacy and anonymity?

Reubens: You get in the public eye, then there are just all kinds of issues related to that. For me, I just try to be careful as much as you can. I mean, you can't be obsessed by that or you become Howard Hughes.

So for me that translates to I don't know what the newest cereal is because someone else buys it for me.

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