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Gallagher wants to talk to you about style. Yeah, the sweaty guy on roller skates with the one-of-a-kind "bowling ball wearing a hula skirt" hairdo. Might seem like an odd topic coming from the man who uses humor as a blunt instrument (and not just when he's wailing a watermelon with his Sledge-O-Matic), but that's just what you get in this hour-long stand-up piece from 1983.

You see, for comedy's prop master extraordinaire, style isn't so much about finesse as it is about flair. Flair he's got in spades, as long as you're willing to call stupid hats and a trampoline disguised as a huge couch flair. The bits travel well-worn paths through mating and parenthood, and the material does often betray its age (the fact that National Enquirer headlines are stupid isn't exactly revolutionary comedy). However, what ultimately makes Gallagher giggle-worthy isn't the material itself, but the zeal with which he swings for the big laugh. Hammer in hand or not, the man's got style. --Bob Michaels ... Read more

Reviews (1)

sexy, wacky white guy with the STYLE of a black preacherman
Gallagher is indeed mad! his comedy is multi-media funky funnyisms. he can get away with stupid s*** just because he has so much STYLE and likeability. he is a big kid who will bounce on sofas, indulge in food fights, play with puppet monsters, rollerskate and anything else that comes to mind. but he has a man's perspective on male/female quirks. he is sexy, cute and full of fun. take him home ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Not Just For Kids...
...in the age of Pokemon, the Powerpuffs and Sailor Moon, one can see how this oftentimes tongue in cheek inspired silliness is one of my daughters' favorites...mine also. See huge stars like Laurence Fishburne (years, I say, years before he performed Othello), Phil Hart and S. Epatha Merkerson have fun teaching the 2-5 year old contigency...it is great stuff I believe you and your kids will get a kick out of...

Beautiful and intense
Episode 1: Beautiful acting performed by a star studded cast including: Phil Hartman(Kapn Karl), Lawrence Fishburne(Cowboy Curtis) John Paragon (Jambi) and of course, the creator of everyones favourite laugh, Paul Reubens aka Pee-Wee Herman.

Great Fun with Pee Wee!
Pee Wee's playhouse is inspirational and incredibly imaginitive. My 3 and 5 year olds love it! After their Barney, Little Bear, Thomas the Tank, etc., they don't know quite what to think of Pee Wee, but they keep asking for it since they first saw it several weeks ago. I love Pee Wee's uncoventional humor and all around wackiness! I hope it inspires humor and a different way of looking at things in my children. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Who thought Christmas could be so campy?
When this special was originally aired, I watched with gritted teeth, as I expected this prime-time family Xmas show to lose some of the edge of the Pee-Wee's Playhouse shows. Quite the opposite!
"Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special" is the funniest, smartest, campiest, most original holiday program to ever come out. How could it not be? Along with the regular Playhouse gang (including Lawrence Fishburne), we have a dizzying array of stars (Frankie & Annette, Cher, Oprah Winfrey, Little Richard, Magic Johnson, etc.) making guest appearances. And there's tons of music from the likes of Dinah Shore, Charo, k.d. lang, Grace Jones, the Del Rubio Triplets, etc. How all this was crammed into a 1-hour broadcast is still a mystery to me.
If your kids have attention deficit disorder, this video is for you. It's colorful, fast-moving and full of jokes they'll love and others they won't get! I've seen roomfuls of grown men watch "Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special" and laugh their behinds off. Well, maybe it is more for adults than children.
If you hate Pee Wee to begin with, you obviously won't like this. Otherwise, it's a total hoot that you'll play every year.
Lastly, as of this writing (November 2003), this video STILL ISN'T OUT ON DVD! I see the video shelves crammed with Christmas titles noone would buy, yet this classic remains in mothballs. Where is the justice in this world?

A Christmas Special for the Whole Family!
I bought this video about 6 years ago and we've watched it every Christmas since. It's a great show that not only kids loved, but adults enjoyed it too. Paul Reubens was a genius with this show and this special was evidence of that. It has classic guests such as: Charo, Cher, k.d. lang, Little Richard, Grace Jones, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah, Dinah Shore, Joan Rivers, Magic Johnson, Frankie Avalon, Del Rubio Triplets, and Annette Funicello. My favorite line is from Pee-Wee himself: "While the stockings were hung by the chimney with care and I hope everything on my list will be there." We watch this special every Christmas Eve along with the I Love Lucy Christmas Special.

A Christmas Classic!
Just about everything in this video is perfect! That intro with the Marines! Charo! All those Fruit-cakes! The Del Rubio Triplets!

The only lame part was k d lang's singing "Jingle Bell Rock". She gives probably the worst performance of her life - as good a voice as she has, I can't imagine why she didn't do better here. She could easily have done a cool western swing version or something. Instead she just shouts the lyrics while "fake laughing" the whole time. Also, I know that she's not known for caring a whole lot about her appearance, but what's with the granny dress and sneakers?

Highly recommended! They should put this on DVD, along with the old "Pee-Wee Herman Show" HBO Special!

Best Christmas Special EVER
Without a doubt - the best xmas special ever. Who else has Cher,Charo, k.d.lang, Frankie & Annette Zsa Zsa Gabor and Grace Jones on one show??? My friends and I would have our Christmas in July parties just as a reason go get together and watch it. To this day we still quote it. It's beyond cult classic.

Of course, all the playhouse favorites are here too: Pteri, Randy, Magic Screen....and the jewish dinosours.

One complaint: WHY ISN'T THIS ON DVD???????

Magically ridiculous
It's not typical TV jokes that make this video so funny. It's just how ridiculous the whole thing is. You don't have time to stop and think as Pee-Wee welcomes a bizarre array of guests from Magic Johnson to k.d. lang, as well as all the Playhouse regulars. Who knew Little Richard could skate? Why was someone mailing Grace Jones to the White House? (Ronald Reagan was celebrating his final Christmas in office when this came out.) Why is Frankie Avalon making Christmas cards with a potato?

When Pee-Wee stops to point out the real meaning of Christmas, I was expecting a watered-down "time for giving and sharing" message, but he actually acknowledges the religious meaning. Talk about unexpected! So just forget about Pee-Wee's offscreen trouble, and enjoy the show. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

PeeWee Herman
First off, I received the tape immediately. It was BRAND NEW AND SPOTLESS. I thank them for that. It was a very great transaction. The film was so funny that we all near died laughing over it. Tears came from our eyes. Too funny - a night filled with entertainment. I'll definitely buy more tapes from them. Thank you SO much. ... Read more