TV on the Radio’s "Happy Idiot" Video Stars Paul Reubens (aka Pee-wee Herman) and Karen Gillan

TV on the Radio have shared the video for their Seeds single “Happy Idiot”, and it stars Pee-wee Herman himself, Paul Reubens. In the clip, directed by Danny Jelinek and written by Jake Fogelnest, Reubens plays a race car driver who loses his mind. The video also features Karen Gillan (“Doctor Who”, Guardians of the Galaxy). Watch it below via Funny or Die.

Tunde Adebimpe discussed the video’s inspiration in a statement:

I had this idea for the video that I thought would never happen, of Paul Reubens as a race car driver who slowly loses his mind. I took it to Funny or Die and they said, ‘That’s great, let’s go for that.’”

I got to speak with him over the phone about doing it and, in between being blindingly nervous that I was actually talking to an actor who had shaped a LOT of my world view and trying not to freak him out by saying so, he mentioned that he’s been a fan of the band for awhile. He liked the idea, and, somehow, here we are with Paul as a race car driver losing his mind.

Karen Gillan was absolutely great. We were really psyched to work with her, because she’s basically sci-fi royalty, and a great person. Full on geek fest in the desert. 

It was really fun to do, love how it came out. I think our fans will like it. I hope so. The cool ones will anyway. The rest can suck it. I don’t exactly know what ‘it’ is. But they can find it. And they can suck it.

Seeds is out November 18 via Harvest Records.

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