You got to hand it - no pun intended - to Paul Reubens. Very few actors can survive arrests for public masturbation and child pornography and emerge triumphantly in today's celebrity-crazed world.

Such is the legacy of Pee-wee Herman, the greatest fictional character of the later half of the 20th century. (Yeah, I'm dissing you, Max Headroom, you techno-poser!)

Reubens was arrested in 1991 for masturbating in a Sarasota adult theater during a showing of "Nurse Nancy" (begging the question, what else do you do during a movie that stars "Sandra Scream?") and again in 2001 for an investigation into child pornography. But a little legal wrangling later, he reappeared nearly unscathed.

Reubens -- who turns 56 years old today -- is working again today as Pee-wee, with production of a movie version of "Pee-wee's Playhouse" already in the works and set for release next year.

TOP 5 MEDIA MOMENTS FOR PAUL REUBENS:

5. THE GONG SHOW: Don't ask me to explain what's happening in this 1976 clip. Just watch -- in horror.

4. BATMAN RETURNS: Reubens played the father of Danny DeVito's "Penguin" character in the 1992 stink-fest.

3. CRACK INFOMERCIAL: Don't wait for a punchline -- it's not coming.

2. CHEECH & CHONG: "I'm soooorry I took the money!"

1. TEQUILA: From "Pee-wee's Big Adventure." God bless, youtube.com