Pee Wee Exotica

Several years ago, the Pee Wee's Playhouse Saturday morning show from the late 80's was sold in sets on VHS tape. My wife and I are big time Pee Wee fans so we bought set 1 (16 episodes). After watching all of the episodes I caught a link to the tiki world. In the opening credits an exotica type song is played while the camera pans across a multitude of monkeys, rabbits, etc who are making various animal sounds in the background.

At roughly the same time, I purchased the Mondo Exotica CD from the Ultra Lounge series and heard a song titled Jungle Madness from Martin Denny.

The song played during the opening credits and the accompanying animal sounds are almost the exact same rhthym and style as Jungle Madness. It appears that Paul Reubens (or someone else on his creative staff) was an exotica fan.

I guessing most of you wont care but I love finding parrallels in my different interests.

Da Monkeyman

Monkeyman, yes that's Martin Denny at the beginning of Peewee's Playhouse alright! He's also got a good 7' foot tiki just inside the front door. Wonder if anyone here knows who did that one? Looks more like carved foam rather than carved palm, though.

i thought the playhouse theme was written by mark mothersbaugh as an homage to denny.

Good ears, guys/gals! Very cool exotica opening on that show. It's not Jungle Madness though. As far as I can tell it's an original piece, and I think it's supposed to be an homage to Denny's "Quiet Village", the biggest exotica hit (and launch of the exotica craze?). It sounds closer to Quiet Village than Jungle madess to me. What's freaky though is how long the exotica part of the theme song is, it's like a full 30 seconds or so of exotica before the nutty main theme kicks in.

I cover it here on my "also of note" exotica page, along with a short list of other exotica in unfamiliar places:
http://www.tikicentral.com/music/savage-alsoworthnoting.htm

and it's been discussed here, at least once before:
https://tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=2811&forum=1

I think it's cool that people are picking up on it... watching something and then subliminally realizing it's exotica in an unfamiliar place :)

~Hanford

[ Edited by: hanford_lemoore on 2003-04-15 17:46 ]

Sorry I am a little slow on the uptake. As desperate as I can be for an original idea, I can never seem to have one.

Once again though is another parallel. I am a huge Devo fan. I have almost the entire catalog of Devo discs including some stuff that is great and not so great. Between Pee Wee(when I was 17), Spongebob (when I was 33), Disneyland (when I was 7),Luaus (my whole life), Hawaiian Shirts (since the 7th grade- way ahead of my time), The Stray Cats (and later the Brian Setzer Orch).

I find it really interesting how I can have so many different interests from different parts of my life that seem totally unrelated but when you let enough time pass and really define what you do and don't like your hobbies all congeal into a single niche group of people.

It really gets interesting when you find that the celebrities you have an interest in like the same things that you like.

The weirdest thing (and Im sorry if I get some people upset) is when I look at the photos from tiki events and see faces of people that seem just like me. A bunch of white dudes (yes I know there are gals too) between 20-40 who have a common fascination with everything tiki.

If you are like me you were the one who had to put up with the snickers and jokes from other people when you would show up to the party in your favorite loud/tacky hawaiian shirt. Everyone else was wearing their conservative (I want to look like everyone else) garb and you stood out. You were the one who knew the same people who would say "what the heck is this crap" when you would try and slip on an exotica or lounge album during a social gathering. The same people who would scoff at a expensive and hand crafted mixed drink in favor of their $6 case of Keystone beer.

Congratulations to all of us for finding the other INTERESTING people out there.

I am officially finished with my soapbox. I can pass it to someone else now.

Da Monkeyman

On 2003-04-15 18:08, Monkeyman wrote:
Congratulations to all of us for finding the other INTERESTING people out there.

You like me! You really like me!

On 2003-04-15 18:08, Monkeyman wrote:
Sorry I am a little slow on the uptake.

No problem, monkeyman. There's always something new to be added to the discussion!

Thanks for the insightful post - I agree with much of what you said, though I think your age range (20-40) is more limited than the reality of this group. I know I fall outside of it (which side? Take a guess), and I also know a lot of other folks around these parts who do. Not a knock, just an observation.

My first Hawaiian shirt "outing" was in 1975 when I was a freshman in high school. Oops, I just spoiled the guessing...

I knew that since I was not a super experienced TC member I might get the demographic wrong. My guess at age range is a bit off but I think I have realized the true flavor of this group.

I like it.

Monkeyman

A bunch of white dudes (yes I know there are gals too) between 20-40 who have a common fascination with everything tiki.

What about the Pilipinos? NEBER PORGET DA PILIPINOS!!!!

Also not to be porgetting the bery bery sexy ladies.

You know, this brings up an interesting thing that I've noticed. Are there any African-Americans in this group? Has anyone ever seen an African-American at a tiki function? Clearly, the original tiki scene was not, shall we say, a shared experience among blacks and whites in America in the 50s. But are there any blacks who dig it now? The cultural divide may be too big on this one. We certainly have fair representation among Asian/Pacific Islanders, and at least some Latinos.

Anyway, just a thought.

-martin

PS- Tiki Barber does not count.

On 2003-04-15 18:08, Monkeyman wrote:
You were the one who knew the same people who would say "what the heck is this crap" when you would try and slip on an exotica or lounge album during a social gathering. The same people who would scoff at a expensive and hand crafted mixed drink in favor of their $6 case of Keystone beer.

I think I know these dudes. Did they all have mullet haircuts? The same ones who made the bongs or kung-fu weapons in shop class? (although I admit some of the stuff was kinda nifty). Yeah, that's them. They're still around. I think they call themselves "Parrotheads" now.

Aloha,

Vic

The mullet and kung foo crowd are not exactly what I was talking about. I remember that group from high school and I am not entirely sure that they are the current tiki crowd. I could be wrong.

In my attempt to generalize and point out consistent coincidence, it appears to have backfired a bit.

Let everyone who enjoys tiki be from any ethnic background and from any walk of life and when we all come together to share our fascination with something fun lets enjoy eachothers company.

Now lets move on. At this rate I may never be able to show my face at a TC function.

Monkeyman -

I was referring to the guys with the $6 Keystone, not fellow Tiki'ers. Maybe my attempt at sly wit is what failed, not your sincere posting. It's all good.

Aloha,

Vic

Hi there. I totally know what you mean about things coming together. I am a psycho Devo Fan, a Pew Wee Toy Collector and Movie Appreciator, I love everything Tiki (though this could have something to do with living in a Trailer Park named the Kon Tiki for 9 years as a child), I am also a big movie fan which is where this can all come together. Three interesting films I love, I didn't necessarily say were good: Human Highway (Futuristic Movie with Neil Young and Devo, co-directed by Dean Stockwell, which leads to all kinds of David Lynch and geeky SciFi references), Pee Wee's Big Adventure (cause its Pee Wee), and Breakfast of Champions with Bruce Willis (the whole soundtrack to this movie is Martin Denny & I love Kurt Vonnegut)

Well, not to toot my own horn, but I think you'll find my old site fits in nicely:

http://www.integraonline.com/~missyvonne/index.html

I'm definitely an anomaly - I like to tell people my 60-year-old brain has been surgically implanted into a 25-year-old body. By all rights, I should be going to see the new MTV spinoff, 'Real Cancun' this weekend, shopping at Hot Topic and applying bubblegum-flavored lip gloss...

On 2003-04-24 15:07, Frenchy Polynesia wrote:
By all rights, I should be going to see the new MTV spinoff, 'Real Cancun' this weekend, shopping at Hot Topic and applying bubblegum-flavored lip gloss...

Frenchy, that's the most accurate description of you I think I've ever read!

NOT!

Frenchy, this one's for you...

The little serious one in front is me. I'm a bit peevish because Davy wasn't there too. The others are my sisters and one of their friends.

Is that the heir to the Liquid Paper fortune? :lol:

[ Edited by: cynfulcynner on 2003-04-25 10:27 ]

Right you are, cynner...according to Miss Frenchy's homepage, he's an obsession of hers.

Hey Purple! Too cool! Vintage Mike Nesmith... How did you manage that? (I always thought Mike and Mickey were the cutest, meself...:wink: And I'm also assuming that you've seen the dvd of Elephant Parts? If you haven't you must - just for MN's commentary track. He basically just goes off on a typically Nesmithian stream-of-consciousness thing. It's mind-bending

One other bon mot for you: I was hanging out with my folks at the local dollar store, and they have a vast amount of white-out for sale. My dad comments on how MN's mom invented it, and wonders if she still gets royalties. The clerk guy (who for some reason had Elvis-esque muttonchops and a southern accent (in Northern Oregon??) says, 'Really? I thought Mr. Whiteout invented white-out... you know. the 'Whiteout Forture' or somethin'..."

... One Ton of Maaaaayoooo...

On 2003-04-24 07:43, martiki6 wrote:
You know, this brings up an interesting thing that I've noticed. Are there any African-Americans in this group?

-martin

PS- Tiki Barber does not count.

I was wondering the same thing because the guys who are going to re-open The Luau Room in Louisville, KY as a sports bar are black. I didn't think anything of it and the guy I spoke with, Mike, seemed really interested in it.

Then last night my husband floated this idea that they might think this is some kind of rich white person thing. My impression is that yes, it was, way back when. However I'd like to think we've reached a point where we can all be Tiki.

Please tell me that this is not like the Unitarian Church, trying desperately to be all-inclusive but no one but white people ever join their church. They hold Kwaanza festivals where all the participants are elderly white people. It's funny to watch but also sad because they really are sincere.

I was hoping this post would go away but it seems that someone has been surfing the archives.

While attending the Tiki Oasis in Palm Springs a short while back I was educated on the what the demographics of this group are. It is somewhat as I guessed (quote- "a bunch of white dudes between 20-40"). Refreshingly, there were a number of different ethnicities (of BOTH genders) present but I don't recall seeing any African-Americans.

I think that us Tiki folk start by gravitating to themes/decor that we find interesting and then our choice is reinforced by seeing that there are others like us who take interest in the same thing.

I found the Tiki Oasis group to be an awesome mix of what seemed to be educated and informed people with an open mind and interesting lives. People who have difficult and challenging jobs by day who desperately want to add more zeal to their lives. The collective creativity of this group (making lamps, decorating homes, carpentry skills, woodcarving, etc) is so very different from anyone I live near or work with. My creativity is reinforced by seeing what great work others on Tiki Central can produce.

Of course there are a few members who just like other people to get hammered with. That can be fun too.

Monkeyman

On 2003-05-24 10:12, Monkeyman wrote:
I was hoping this post would go away but it seems that someone has been surfing the archives.

Sorry.

I found the Tiki Oasis group to be an awesome mix of what seemed to be educated and informed people with an open mind and interesting lives.

This sounds exactly like theatre, which is my day-to-day world, which is racially diverse. Which is why I didn't even consider that "the race issue" could be a stumbling block in getting this bar returned to it's full Tiki glory.

To my mind, crazy, fun, creative folk gravitate toward one another to hang out and be offbeat together away from the cookie-cutter crowds, and it has nothing to do with race. ("A non-conformist who doesn't adhere to the prevailing standards of non-conformity? Really, what is the world coming to?") You could be purple with orange spots, who cares?

I just don't want these guys to think that - on top of basically telling them how to run their bar which, face it, we are - we're also
some snobby, exclusive clique who wouldn't want them as members. I think anybody who gets turned on by Tiki belongs, and this guy seems genuinely interested. I just hope that when he goes to learn more about it he doesn't get the impression that he has the wrong skin color to be included, and dismisses the idea.

"It really gets interesting when you find that the celebrities you have an interest in like the same things that you like."

Or, you can take the celebrity that you like and force what you like upon them!! For example, here I turned George Clooney into a Tiki God. May the real Tiki Gods lead him to one of the events that I'm attending in the future...

The fine print: Yes, I realize that the tiki pictured is LONO not Longo. It was an accident how he became Longo. It was! Now let it go... :)

I have never watched Pee Wee's playhouse, but I found his opening song on the net and never knew it had an "Exotica" beginning.
It's worth listening to for about the first minute (then it get's stupid (Like me on the third mai tai...) The singer sounds like the female singer on 'Let's Do The Time Warp Again" from Rocky Horror Picture Show).

Pee Wee's Playhouse WAV

Comon' Unga!

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=3383&forum=11

Don't know if it's mentioned anywhere:

http://www.peewee.com/wp4_800-600.htm

On 2003-04-24 07:43, martiki wrote:
You know, this brings up an interesting thing that I've noticed. Are there any African-Americans in this group? Has anyone ever seen an African-American at a tiki function? Clearly, the original tiki scene was not, shall we say, a shared experience among blacks and whites in America in the 50s. But are there any blacks who dig it now? The cultural divide may be too big on this one.

[ Edited by: finkdaddy on 2005-01-04 07:26 ]

On 2003-04-15 17:24, Tiki Chris wrote:
i thought the playhouse theme was written by mark mothersbaugh as an homage to denny.

Mark Mothersbaugh also did the soundtrack to the original Crash Bandicoot on Sony PlayStation. I remember thinking he must have been an Exotica fan (when my brain wasn't pre-occupied with jumping from log to log, that is)

-Z

Ah, the "PeeWee's Playhouse Theme!" Mark & Bob Mothersbaugh on instruments & Cindy Lauper on vocals.

Easy link for those who haven't heard (or seen) the opening exotica intro:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKcYGOIJhqo

I love TV and Movie exotica!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDAaTzccCik

Hell yeah for Danny Elfman.

Jeff(btd)

Peewee and his Tiki:

Sven photographing Mark Mothersbaugh and friend Annerose backstage 1979 :)