Pee-Wee Herman Fans Are Flocking to This Roadside Attraction
The tribute to the late Paul Reubens is set to run through October 30.
Just outside Palm Springs, an iconic Tyrannosaurus rex roadside landmark is now honoring the loss of actor Paul Reubens (best known for his iconic Pee-wee Herman character), who died on July 30 after a long private battle with cancer.
The 65-foot-tall dino in question, which was featured in Reubens' 1985 hit film Pee-wee's Big Adventureand is part of the Cabazon Dinosaurs museum on Interstate 10, was recently repainted to honor the late actor, featuring a gray suit jacket, a red bow tie, and white shoes. A big red heart is centered on the dino's chest, and below it Reubens' iconic character name of Pee-wee Herman is spelled out.
"Pee-wee lives on, just the way he would have wanted...with love, laughter and kindness," the attraction's website reads.
While the painting project was completed last Thursday, SFGate reports that visitors and fans have been stopping by the iconic statue since Tuesday to honor Reubens' memory. So far, people have been leaving flowers and memorabilia of all kinds, and some of them have even visited the site wearing Pee-wee Herman's iconic outfit.
The roadside dino—which has been painted before to assume the traits of Santa Claus and a Halloween jack-o'-lantern, among others—is now set to keep its Pee-wee Herman appearance for a while. Fans looking to see the Reubens homage will have until fall to do so, as the tribute is set to run through October 30. More information on how to visit the site can be found here.