Mekka Lekka Hi, Mekka Hiney Ho.
June 21, 2021 6:27 PM Subscribe
John Paragon, best known for his role as Jambi the Genie on the television series “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” has died. He was 66. Paragon was a member of the Groundlings improv troupe in LA where he worked alongside other future stars such as Paul Reubens (Pee-wee Herman), Phil Hartman, and Cassandra Peterson (Elvira). Pee-wee and Elvira posted farewells to John recently after learning the news.
I definitely had a weird little kid crush on Jambi (also on Pterri, who he did the voice for, which was an even weird little kid crush). That's all I knew John Paragon from for the most part, but he was such a lovely, dynamic presence on Pee-Wee's Playhouse.
The Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special (that he co-wrote) is one of my favorite things of all time.
posted by edencosmic at 7:18 PM on June 21, 2021 [6 favorites]
The Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special (that he co-wrote) is one of my favorite things of all time.
posted by edencosmic at 7:18 PM on June 21, 2021 [6 favorites]
Your wish is granted. Long live Jambi.
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posted by mandolin conspiracy at 7:24 PM on June 21, 2021 [7 favorites]
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posted by mandolin conspiracy at 7:24 PM on June 21, 2021 [7 favorites]
Meka leka hi, meka hiney ho. Meka leka hi, meka chani ho. :(
posted by BlahLaLa at 7:36 PM on June 21, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by BlahLaLa at 7:36 PM on June 21, 2021 [2 favorites]
I was just watching Shout Factory's streaming channel last Friday, when they were playing a bunch of Movie Macabre shows, where I got to see him doing The Breather, a sweaty, bespectacled recurring character that could call Elvira from a phone booth in the setup for some corny joke, and just happened to notice his name in the credits. Good, terrible timing, I guess.
posted by 2N2222 at 8:09 PM on June 21, 2021
posted by 2N2222 at 8:09 PM on June 21, 2021
best known for his role as Jambi the Genie on the television series
Sadly, not as well known is that he directed two oddly entertaining films featuring the Paul Brothers (aka the Barbarian Brothers): the fashion forward Twinsitters and the cult classic Double Trouble. He also wrote the double entendre laden Elvira's Haunted Hills.
posted by Ashwagandha at 8:14 PM on June 21, 2021 [6 favorites]
Sadly, not as well known is that he directed two oddly entertaining films featuring the Paul Brothers (aka the Barbarian Brothers): the fashion forward Twinsitters and the cult classic Double Trouble. He also wrote the double entendre laden Elvira's Haunted Hills.
posted by Ashwagandha at 8:14 PM on June 21, 2021 [6 favorites]
He was my favourite (after the fish).
posted by Capt. Renault at 9:19 PM on June 21, 2021
posted by Capt. Renault at 9:19 PM on June 21, 2021
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[Seconding Ashwagandha's recommendation of TWIN SITTERS, which is absolutely wild and too much fun for lovers of a certain kind of cinema. Shocked that How Did This Get Made hasn't done an episode on it really, it has June written all over it.]
posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs at 3:03 AM on June 22, 2021 [1 favorite]
[Seconding Ashwagandha's recommendation of TWIN SITTERS, which is absolutely wild and too much fun for lovers of a certain kind of cinema. Shocked that How Did This Get Made hasn't done an episode on it really, it has June written all over it.]
posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs at 3:03 AM on June 22, 2021 [1 favorite]
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posted by ivanthenotsoterrible at 5:53 AM on June 22, 2021
posted by ivanthenotsoterrible at 5:53 AM on June 22, 2021
He also played R.J. Fletcher's son in UHF, and he has one of the best lines.
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posted by Mr. Bad Example at 8:04 AM on June 22, 2021 [3 favorites]
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posted by Mr. Bad Example at 8:04 AM on June 22, 2021 [3 favorites]
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posted by oozy rat in a sanitary zoo at 9:08 AM on June 22, 2021
posted by oozy rat in a sanitary zoo at 9:08 AM on June 22, 2021
He was also Cedric on Seinfeld.
The Variety obit quickly mentions that John also did work with Disney Imagineering on introducing improvisational comedy into the theme parks. He consulted and wrote for Lucky the Dinosaur (is that him walking with Lucky?), Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor, and the Mobile Muppet Lab, and here he is performing with an animatronic WALL-E.
I really want to believe he also had a hand in the Adventurer's Club at WDW/Pleasure Island, but can't find anything that mentions it. They had Beezle the Genie in a box for crying out loud!
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posted by JoeZydeco at 9:28 AM on June 22, 2021 [3 favorites]
The Variety obit quickly mentions that John also did work with Disney Imagineering on introducing improvisational comedy into the theme parks. He consulted and wrote for Lucky the Dinosaur (is that him walking with Lucky?), Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor, and the Mobile Muppet Lab, and here he is performing with an animatronic WALL-E.
I really want to believe he also had a hand in the Adventurer's Club at WDW/Pleasure Island, but can't find anything that mentions it. They had Beezle the Genie in a box for crying out loud!
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posted by JoeZydeco at 9:28 AM on June 22, 2021 [3 favorites]
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posted by GenjiandProust at 1:46 PM on June 22, 2021
posted by GenjiandProust at 1:46 PM on June 22, 2021
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posted by Bob Regular at 8:33 AM on June 23, 2021
posted by Bob Regular at 8:33 AM on June 23, 2021
The Pee Wee thing is hard to celebrate. (I'm sure it paid the bills. I'd probably have done the same. But, cripes.) On the other hand, Eating Raoul was great. That's definitely worth celebrating.
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posted by eotvos at 8:20 AM on June 24, 2021
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posted by eotvos at 8:20 AM on June 24, 2021
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posted by jim in austin at 7:03 PM on June 21, 2021