Despite the negative publicity, many artists who knew Reubens, such as Cyndi Lauper, Annette Funicello, Zsa Zsa Gabor, and Valeria Golino, spoke out in his support. Bill Cosby defended Reubens, saying, "Whatever has done, this is being blown all out of proportion." Other people who knew Reubens, such as "Playhouse" production designer Gary Panter, S. Epatha Merkerson, and "Big Top Pee-wee" director Randal Kleiser, also spoke in support. Reubens' fans organized support rallies after CBS canceled the reruns, picketing in Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. The TV news magazine "A Current Affair" received "tens of thousands" of responses to a Pee-wee telephone survey, in which callers supported Reubens by nine-to-one.