Jambi the Genie From 'Pee-Wee's Playhouse' Immortalized in Special Urn After Actor's Death

By Allison Schonter

More than a year after his death, John Paragon has been has been laid to rest. Family and friends of the actor gathered at Hollywood Forever Cemetery last week to lay the beloved comedian to rest in a special urn that pays tribute to the character he portrayed on Pee-wee's Playhouse, the blue-faced genie Jambi.

Images shared to social media showed Paragon's urn – a purple and gold box, which is a recreation of a similar Jambi box seen on the television show, that features Jambi's face. The unique tribute to Paragon was born from a shared idea from actress Cassandra Peterson (aka Elvira) and actor Paul Reubens (Pee-Wee Herman). A subsequent fundraiser for the memorial celebration raised more than $14,000. During the ceremony last week, Peterson stored Paragon's ashes. According to Deadline, the unique urn can be found at Abbey-Haven of Devotion, E-2 East wall, Niche D-3 at the cemetery.

The ceremony came more than a year after Paragon was found dead in his Palm Springs, California home on April 3, 2021, though his passing wasn't announced until June of that year. The Anchorage, Alaska native was 66. The Riverside County, California coroner determined that Paragon's cause of death was "cardiovascular disease with other significant conditions of chronic alcohol abuse."

Following news of his passing, Reubens remembered Paragon as "sly and wickedly funny," recalling how they "became best friends instantly. In a group of exceptionally talented and funny people, he stuck out. Stood out." Reubens credited the late comedian for having "contributed so heavily to my success. Over decades, we performed together, wrote together and hung out together," adding, "Rest In Peace, John. I was lucky to know you so deeply. Mekka Lekka Hi, Mekka Hiney Ho, John. Long live Jambi."

Paragon got his start as a member of the legendary Los Angeles improv group The Groundlings and is best known for his work with Paul Reubens on Pee-Wee's Playhouse. He also wrote several episodes of the cult classic children's show, even earning an Emmy nomination for Best Writing in a Children's Special for Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special in 1988. He had a cameo role in Pee-wee's Big Adventure, the 1985 film directed by Tim Burton, and starred in the 2010 stage revival of The Pee-wee Herman Show. He also had roles in Eating Raoul, Airplane II: The Sequel, The Frog Prince, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark, UHF, and Honey, I Blew Up the Kid, among many others.

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