The Simpsons 81-85

Krusty Gets Kancelled 

This episode premiered on May 13th, 1993. It ran in its usual time slot, followed by Martin. It ran opposite Matlock, Knots Landing and Cheers.

The chalkboard gag is "I will not charge admission to the bathroom" and the couch gag is a repeat of the snare gag.

After the Springfield Squares gets hit by a title wave Homer and Bart see a commercial for Gabbo, there is a media blitz but nobody knows who or what Gabbo is. He turns out to be a ventriloquist doll operated by Arthur Krandal. The new show runs opposite Krusty. When Krusty's ratings slip he tries to do his own doll but the jaw falls off and then he kicks it into the crowd of the terrified children. Krusty tries to bribe the audience with fake money. Quimby uses Gabbo's catchphrase to distract from his corruption. Itchy and Scratchy go to The Gabbo Show so Krusty has to show a Russian cartoon Worker and Parasite from 1959. Krusty gets cancelled, he goes to Johnny Carson for advice after his retirement. Gabbo does a prank call on Krusty and offer him $2 million to do a camera commercial, but only if he'll hit himself over the head with the phone. Bart sneaks into the studio and turns on the camera, Gabbo calls all the kids in Springfield "SOB's" live on the air. The entire town is mad until Kent Brockman does the same thing and then they turn their anger on him instead. Bart and Lisa find Krusty on a corner offering to drop his pants for food but there's a crazy guy doing it for free. In this episode Luke Perry is Krusty's half brother. Lisa and Bart decide to try to get together all the famous people who know Krusty and get him back on TV. Krusty replaces Sideshow Mel with Sideshow Luke Perry. Gabbo books Ray Jay Johnson to run opposite the Krusty Comeback Special. Krusty fires Luke Perry from a cannon but misses the net, he goes through a series of comical obstacles. Elizabeth Taylor sees the show on TV and plans to fire her agent who turned down the kids. The show is a hit and Krusty's career is saved. 

The Springfield Squares: Host Kent Brockman, The Capitol City Goofball, Princess Kashmir, Barry White,  Rainer Wolfcastle, Lurlene Lumpkin, Troy McClure and Charlie Weaver.  There are two other people but I can't identify them. 

Gabbo's intro song is a parody of the No Strings On Me scene from Disney's Pinocchio.

It was first seen in the episode Itchy And Scratchy: The Movie but this is the first mention of Channel Ocho, Krusty was beaten in the ratings by Bumblebee Man.

Krusty does the riddle "Why is a raven like a writing desk?" This is from Alice In Wonderland and there has never been an answer although people are always trying to come up with one.

Springfrield Variety headline: Gabbo Fabbo! Krusty Rusty

Springfield Shopper headline: Quimby Re-elected By Landslide. Two more bodies surface in Springfield Harbor. Gabbo Still #1 In Springfield, Brockman Fired. Krusty Special Airs Today. Gabbo to have "Real Boy" operation. 

The scene where Gabbo curses on the air is taken from the movie A Face In The Crowd where Marcia Jefferies (Patricia Neil) turns on a camera and exposes Larry "Lonesome" Rhodes (Andy Griffith) for the huckster he really is.

This episode mentions Ray Jay Johnson, real name Bill Saluga, who did a bit "you can call me Ray or you can call me Jay....but you don't have to call me Mr. Johnson". It was funny for about two week in 1977 but by the time he appeared in a Natural Light commercial the joke was worn out. 

Bette Midler sings Wind Beneath My Wings to Krusty the same as her appearance on the final episode of The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson a year before.

Stars on Krusty's comeback special. Bette Midler, Hugh Hefner, Red Hot Chile Peppers, Johnny Carson, Luke Perry and Sideshow Mel. 

Sideshow Mel working at the Gulp and Blow, Homer worked there in the I Married Marge episode.

Luke Perry cannon obstacles, Museum Of Sandpaper, Half Price Acid at the Kwik-E-Mart, crashes into Pillow Factory that is being imploded. 

At the post Comeback Special party Hugh Hefner tries the love tester at Moe's. It was first seen in the Flamin' Moes episode.

This was the last episode of the 92-93 season. The next episode would be the premier of the 93-94 season.

Homer's Barbershop Quartet

This episode premiered on September 30th 1993. It ran in its usual time slot and was followed by The Sinbad Show (Starring the comedian Sinbad). It ran opposite Missing Persons, The Heat Of The Night and Mad About You. 

The chalkboard gag is "I will never win an Emmy" (The Simpsons had been nominated for 4 and won 2 by that time) and the couch gag is a three parter, first they crash into each other and shatter like glass, then they do a take two with a clapboard where they run into each other and end up an amorphous blob on the couch, on take three they explode and only Maggy's pacifier survives.

The Simpsons go to the Springfield Swap Meet. While there the kids discover a Be Sharps album featuring Homer, Apu, Skinner and Barney. Flash back 8 years to 1985, Joe Piscopo is leaving Saturday Night Live, People Express, the rural airline. (It was taken over by United in 1987). The original barber shop quartet was Homer, Skinner, Apu, and Wiggums. Homer is approached by an agent, Nigel, he offers to represent the group. When Homer has to replace Wiggums in the group (Too Village People) he drives him to the middle of nowhere and leaves him on the side of the road. After a search they discover Barney can sing when they hear him in the restroom. Meanwhile in the present day Bart buys a pencil holder at the swap meet, it's really a water pipe. The car has a flat and Homer sold off the spare, so Marge has to walk to the next gas station which is 12 miles away (this is a continuity error since the swap meet was in Springfield). Homer continues the story while they are waiting. Homer needs to come up with a new song just as Marge shows him her new Baby On Board window sign, Homer is inspired and writes their first hit song. The agent wants to keep Marge a secret so women will think Homer is single and available, she's not happy about it. The Be Sharps perform at the Statue of Liberty Centennial and Reagan shows up. The Be Sharps win the Grammy for the best Soul, Spoken Word Or Barber Shop song of the year". At the Grammy after party Homer meets George Harrison but is more interested in the plate of brownies. Back at the hotel Homer sees a billboard for Happy Family brand Bourbon and misses the family. Homer has nothing to tip the bellboy so he gives him the Grammy but the guy throws it over the balcony, someone from below throws it back and hits Homer in the head. The second Be Sharps album was called Bigger Than Jesus with the band walking on water like The Beatles on the Abby Road album. Barney's new girlfriend, A Yoko Ono character, wants to do a conceptual album. This was based on three albums put out by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. US magazine ranks the Be Sharps as not hot so the band breaks up. When they return to their regular jobs Homer finds out a chicken replaced him, which he took home and ate. The kids ask follow up questions but Homer says "that will have to wait for another night" (A self aware joke) The Be Sharps get together on the roof of Moe's for a live show. George Harrison shows up and says "eh, it's been done". Homer makes the "I hope we passed the audition" joke, the last thing John Lennon said when the police shut down their rooftop concert. 

Although the story is suppose to take place in 1985 several of the events described by Homer happened in 1986, Al Capone's Vault, Joan Rivers' talk show, The Statue of Liberty Centennial celebration. Also Dexys Midnight Runners hit song Come On Eileen came out in 1982 so it wouldn't be up for a Grammy in 1985.

Mayor Quimby says "Ich bin ein Springfield Swap Meet Patron", a take on the JFK speech. He used this line before in the episode Burns Verkaufen de Kraftwerk

At the swap meet: Handicr fts by Moe (Missing A part of the sign) Selling shells painted to look like Lucille Ball. Ned Flanders giving away free Bible cards. Herman selling military stuff where Skinner finds the helmet he had to wear as a prisoner of the Vietcong, he was Prisoner 24601. (Confederate flag in the background, couldn't show that today). Marge is selling wishbone necklaces and her paintings of Ringo. 

Homer going through little old ladies 5¢ box, finds original copy of the Constitution, Action Comics #1, a sheet of the Inverted Jenny stamps, a Stradivarius violin. 

Records sold by Comic Book Guy: S'wonderful S'marvelous S'Krusty, Melvin and The Squirrels, Bleeding Gums Murphy. Meet the B Sharps.

First Church Of Springfield sign Today "What A F iend we have in God" also: The Be Sharps (this is a continuity error since the band hadn't chosen it's name at this point in the story)

When Marge makes a fake Homer SLH ends up burying the head in the yard. This is a continuity error since Homer won't bring him home for another 5 years. 

Management By Nigel *Stars Discovered *Fortunes Made *Hats Blocked

People who audition for the group, Grandpa, Willie, Jasper, Wiggums in disguise, he takes off in Batman's Penguin fashion.

Homer tries to write a song "There was nothing in Al Capone's vault, but it wasn't Geraldo's fault". This is based on the disastrous live special in April of 1986. Millions of people tuned in to see a crew tear out a wall in a Chicago basement that contained nothing but dirt.

The Dapper Dans, the barbershop quartet act from Main Street USA in Disneyland sang the song Baby On Board for the episode. The Baby On Board sign was a fad in 1985 that rapidly came and went. The market was flooded with other novelty signs that weren't about safety. 

Grandpa changes the radio channel just in time to catch the last of The Rest Of The Story with Paul Harvey, a popular radio program of the day.

Johnny Carson joke on The Tonight Show "The skipper, Gilligan and Chief Wiggums, Name three castaways" Wiggums tries to shoot the TV but misses. A reference to an Elvis incident that was also a joke in the episode The Front. Joan Rivers is also seen on her short lived talk show.

David Crosby appears as a Grammy Presenter. He was Lionel Hutz's AA sponsor in the episode Marge in Chains. 

Spinal Tap are in the background of the Grammy party. They were on the episode The Otto Show.

George Harrison voices himself in the show, the second Beatle to do so.

Lisa comments that Homer beat Dexys Midnight Runners however they've never been nominated for a Grammy. Homer comments "you haven't heard the last of them" however they became a one hit wonder in the U.S.

Homer writes a song about C. Everett Coop, the surgeon general of the US from 1982 to 1989. Koop was best known for defying the Republicans on claims about Abortion, the dangers of smoking and the AIDS crisis.

Apu mentions the Be Sharps reunion on a Dame Edna special. Dame Edna was a popular Australian character created by comedian Barry Humphries. She became a popular stage presence in the 80's and 90's and went on to do a series of TV specials. She wouldn't be allowed in modern day Florida since it's a Drag performance. 

Beatles References: The Be Sharps Album looks like The Beatles With The Beatles album. The second album Bigger Than Jesus gets its name from the infamous Lennon comment and the cover has the group walking on water in a parody of the Abby Road album cover. Marge is kept a secret like Cynthia Lennon so women will think Homer is available. In 1985 Moe's Tavern is called Moe's Cavern, after the Cavern Club where the Beatles got their start. They do a parody of the Beatles arriving in New York in 1964 and the press conference, a reporter asks Skinner if he's the funny one and he replies "Yes". This is based on the Beatles '64 interview and Lennons response to the same question. Barney's girlfriend is basically Yoko Ono. The Rooftop Concert at Moe's just like the Let It Be concert in London and Homer says Lennon's last comment of the day.

Cape Feare

This episode first aired on October 7th, 1993 in its usual time slot and opposite the regular programs. 

The chalkboard gag is "The cafeteria deep fryer is not a toy" and the couch gag is a repeat of the dance number. 

Bart gets a letter from an unknown individual, "I'm going to kill you" written in blood. Someone requests Whipeout, Surfaris version, with the dedication to Bart "I'm going to kill you slowly and painfully". Marge scares Bart with scissors while cutting out coupons and Ned is wearing Freddy style finger knives to trim his hedges. Mrs Krabappal says Bart will be her victim, in the school production of Lizzy Borden. The kids suspect Moe since they harass him with phone calls, when they call and say they know he's the one behind it he rushes to the back room and turns smuggled pandas loose. We then learn that the letters are coming from Sideshow Bob, who passes out since he writes everything in his own blood, including a letter to Readers Digest. The parole board sets both Snake and Bob free. The Simpsons go to see Ernest Goes Somewhere Cheap. Bob tries to annoy them by smoking a cigar and laughing loudly but Homer smokes an even bigger cheaper cigar and laughs louder. Wiggums tells Homer that anything you do to someone who comes into your home is nice and legal, when Homer calls Ned over Wiggums says it doesn't count if you invite them in. Homer hires a private detective to talk to Bob but all he does is beg him to leave. Bob drives through the neighborhood in an ice cream truck and uses the PA to announce everyone he isn't going to kill, he leaves Bart off the list. The FBI changes the families name to the Thompsons at Terror Lake. Homer can't remember that his name is suppose to be Mr. Thompson. Bob straps himself to the bottom of the car however Homer races over speed bumps, dumps hot coffee on him and then drives through cactus. The Simpsons (Thompsons) move to a houseboat and Homer says the great thing is if you don't like your neighbors you just lift up your anchor and move some place else, all the other houseboats leave. When Bob crawls out from under the car he steps on a series of rakes, this will become a running gag in the series. Homer says he tied up all the loose ends but they forgot Grandpa. Bob shows up strapped under another car, while laying in the street he gets stomped on by a marching band and 6 elephants. While Bart is trying to sleep Homer comes rushing in with a knife, and a pan of brownies. Then he burst in with a chainsaw while wearing a hockey mask. Bob shows up and steps on a rake. He cuts the boat loose, ties up the family and goes after Bart. when Bart reaches the front of the boat there are alligators and the back has electric eels. When Bob offers Bart a last request he asks for The HMS Pinafore score. The boat floats down stream and winds up back in Springfield where the cops arrest Bob. (the boat crashes into the bank right by a brothel where the cops are all standing around in their robes). The family returns home to find Grandpa turned into a woman because he didn't have his pills. (That wouldn't fly with the modern Republicans.)

This episode is based on the movie Cape Fear. Both the original 1962 release and the 1991 remake. The scene where Bob straps himself to the bottom of the car is based on the '91 versions.

The family watches Up Late With McBain (continuity error since McBain is a character from a movie and the actor is Ranier Wolfcastle)

Self aware joke, Lisa says the Fox Network has sunk to a new low with the McBain talk show. Bart calls himself "this century's Dennis The Menace". Although they are both from the 20th century.

The Itchy And Scratchy Show: Spay Anything. The Itchy Hospital sign "We pay your pet $75" however Itchy's ear is covering the S in spay, Scratchy runs in and Itchy turn a laser on him. (From the James Bond movie Goldfinger complete with a Bond-esque song) Scratchy manages to pull the plug with his tongue but Itchy runs back in plugs it in and Scratchy is cut into pieces. 

Grandpa says they should call Matlock, he says the person sending Bart the threatening letters could be Gavin McCleod (Mary Tyler Moore Show, Love Boat) or that George Goober Lindsay, (The Andy Griffith Show)

Wiggums finds out sending threatening letters is illegal, so is putting squirrels down your pants for gambling, he yells back at the other cops to knock it off. 

Bart mentions making crank calls to Linda Lavin, (Alice)

Springfield Penitentiary "America's Fastest Growing Prison"

When Selma testifies about Bob trying to kill her the lawyer asks who in the courtroom are considering killing her right now.  Patty raises her hand because Selma leaves the toilet seat up. 

Bob's Tattoos: Die Bart, Die (The Bart, The) "Nobody who speaks German could be an evil person" Bart's severed head on a skateboard saying "Ouch Man!" Bart's skull with crossbones.

Homer's cigar is from the Knoxville World's Fair 1983

Bob stays at The Aristocrat Hotel, seen in the background of several episodes.

Dated references: there is a payphone and a cigarette machine in the background of the bar Bob is hanging around in. The FBI has a portrait of President Clinton on the wall. When the FBI tells The Simpsons they'll have new identities Homer says he wants to be John Elway, in his fantasy the Broncos lose the Super Bowl to the 49ers 7-56, in 1992 the Broncos went 8-8 and had lost three Super Bowls, two to San Francisco.

FBI safe places Cape Fear, Terror Lake, New Horrorfield, Screamville.

The Simpsons sing The Mikado on their way to their new home. Later Bart tricks Bob into singing the entire score from The HMS Pinafore. 

The show does an alternate opening with The Thompsons. There's a billboard that says Welcome To Terror Lake. Then the family rushes into the house boat to sit on the couch while a load of fish is dumped on them. 

Homer wears a shirt that says "Witness Relocation Program" and a hat with WRP on it. 

Terror Lake Shop: Ma and Pa's. Elephants wearing banners that say Terror Lake Salutes Hannibal Crossing the Alps. 

Bob stays at The Bates Motel complete with stuffed birds on the walls.

When Jasper wants to date Grandpa he says he has Steve and Eydie tickets. Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme were a popular singing duo back in the day. (again, this joke would rile up the modern Republicans)

Homer Goes To College

This episode premiered on October 14th 1993. It ran in it's usual time slot and opposite the regular programs.

There is no chalkboard gag and the couch gag is a giant Monty Python foot crushing the family. 

It's nap time at the power plant however the Nuclear Regulatory Commission shows up. Burns claims they aren't a nuclear power plant but make cookies so the inspectors chop their way in. Smithers has Homer and two other dumb guys watch a bee in the sub basement. Homer breaks the jar and chases the bee. Just as Burns lies about Homer not being there he shows up with a bee sting. The inspectors put Homer in a simulator and he pokes buttons until he causes a meltdown in the truck. Burns runs to his escape pod, Smithers wants to join him but Burns says he likes to put his feet up on the spare chair. When Homer comes out of the meltdown hole he's glowing green and saying "Must destroy mankind" but his alarm goes off for lunchtime so he shakes it off. Burns bribes Quimby to drop the investigation. Burns tells Homer that he has to go to college and pass nuclear physics 101, and he must find the jade monkey before the next full moon. Smithers reminds him that they already found the monkey in the glove box. Homer flashes back to when he almost went to college but ended up chasing a dog carrying a ham. Homer watches a sex comedy about college to prepare for school. All the schools reject Homer so Burns forces Springfield University to accept him. When Homer gets his acceptance letter he sets his high school GED on fire, along with the rest of the house. At his first day of college Homer yells NERD at a passing student (This will become a popular internet meme). At the Freshman Mixer Homer spikes the punch and everyone is shocked, Homer blames the Dean (Bobby Peterson, who claims he was the base player for the Pretenders, the band has had 15 members and Chrissie Hynde) Instead of sticking around for the class review session Homer goes outside to chase squirrels. At home he converts the bedroom into a campus apartment with cinderblock shelves and a poster of Einstein. Because Homer stole the cinder blocks from a Children's Hospital construction site they have to shut down the work and cancel the building. Homer tries to show off how a proton accelerator works and causes a meltdown, the Dean sends him to a group of nerds to extra help. Homer tries to take the nerds on a beer fueled college road trip, but they have to bring Bart and Lisa along and wind up at the Springfield Petting Zoo. Bart plans to steal the mascot "Sir Oinks Alot" from Springfield A&M.  Homer gets the pig drunk and the Dean finds out, he has to expel the nerds since the pig was friends with Nixon. After they leave college Snake steals their wallets and they wind up living at the Simpsons house. After annoying the family Homer comes up with a scheme to get the nerds back in college. While they are discussing how to push the Dean out of the way Homer runs him over with his car. The Dean readmits the nerds while in the hospital. It turns out Homer was so busy with the nerds he forgot to study. The nerds try to teach homer everything he needs to know in a matter of days but he fails. The nerds alter his grade in the computer and he keeps his job. The show ends with Louie Louie by the Kingsman with scenes of the college hijinks including Homer on waterskis while wearing a toga, a food fight, a naked Homer wearing a freshman beanie and being paddles in a Fraternity initiation, cramming the nerds into a phone booth, Homer playing football but being chased by a tank operated by the nerds, Nixon with a bra on his head while Homer and the dean jam in the background, Homer pushing the dean into a pool and Homer wearing a cap and gown, and nothing else while flashing the other students at graduation.

The nuclear inspectors look at Homer in the simulator like the nurse looks at the test astronauts in A Few Good Men.  

Burn's escape pod looks like the one from the original Star Wars. 

When Burns bribes the inspector he does it Lets Make A Deal style with a washer/dryer set or the mystery box. 

Homer writes "It was the most I ever threw up and it changed my life forever" on his college application. His photo is a picture of him shoving a whole cake, including candles, into his mouth.

There is an ad for Worcestershire sauce soft drink. (I'm surprised Pepsi hasn't tried that one)

Homer watches the School of Hard Knockers starring Corey Masterson. Corey was first seen on one of Lisa's magazines in the episode Bart's Dog Gets An F and later she calls the Corey hotline in the episode Brother From The Same Planet.

Burns does the Al Capone baseball team speech from The Untouchables but is too weak to hit the admission officer.

Springfield University Est. 1952. Ask about our latin motto contest.  (I never realized my alma mater has a motto)

The music from the show The Paper Chase plays when Homer goes to see the nerds, they are in room 222,  Room 222 was a tv show about a high school. The nerds have a poster for Space Mutants 5 (the fictional movie series that is routinely showing at the Aztec theater in Springfield) and Devo. 

When they're planning their prank Bart draws a pig on a chalkboard and scrapes his nails across it like Captain Quint in Jaws.

Dated references: the nerds are using the internet to argue with MIT over who the better captain is, Picard or Kirk, they use dial up and large monitor computers. Marge can't use the phone because of it.

Itchy And Scratchy: Burning Down The Mouse, Scratchy ties up Itchy and covers him with explosive and bombs. Scratchy hops in a cab and drives off, just before the bombs go off the nerds unplug the tv to plug in their rock tumbler. The kids miss the end of the show and Krusty says that cartoon will never be shown on TV again. 

This was the last episode that Conan O'Brian was the head writer on. He left the series to star in his own  talk show, Late Night With Conan O'Brian. 

Rosebud

This episode premiered on October 21st, 1993. It was followed by The Sinbad Show. It ran opposite Missing Persons, Eye To Eye With Connie Chung and Mad About You.

There is no chalkboard gag for this episode and the couch gag is the family runs into the living room to find themselves already sitting on the couch.

This episode was based on the movie Citizen Kane.

Mr Burn's, aka Happy, remembers back to when he was taken from his family to live with a millionaire. When planning for his birthday Mr. Burns sees the employees laughing at Homer and wants him to tell jokes at his upcoming birthday party. Homer plans a series of roasts of Burns despite Marge's warning. The Ramones appear to sing happy birthday to Burns, he orders Smithers to have The Rolling Stones killed. Mr. Smithers announces a dog was run over in the parking lot, and then introduces Homer who flop, so he drops his pants with a face drawn on his butt.  Mr Burns has the crowd attacked by riot police. Mr. Burns is missing his childhood stuffed bear we see it's journey through time, washing into a river, ending up with Charles Lindberg on his flight to Paris, Lindberg tosses it out the window where Hitler catches it, in the bunker during the Russians invasion Hitler blames the bear for the collapse of the Third Reich. Bobo ends up on the USS Nautilus, the first subs to sail under the polar ice cap. Fast forward to the modern world where a team is bagging North Pole ice to sell at the Kwik-E-Mart. Bart happens to buy the bag with the frozen Bobo inside. When Bart complain Apu tells him "It's chock full of heady goodness". Bart gives the bear to Maggie who instantly falls in love with it. Smithers shows up in a bear costume for Mr. Burns (just another hint at his sexuality and a reference to a ghost scene in The Shining). Professor Frink creates a robot bear that becomes self aware and runs amok. Homer finally realizes that the bear is Bobo and imagines that Burns gives him a recording studio as a reward, he sing the Big Mac song with a full orchestra. Burns claims he can't pay much of a reward just as the floor above gives away and he's buried in cash. Homer rejects the first offer, a drink but almost cracks although he's held back by the family. When Burns shows up Homer tells him he wants a million dollars and three Hawaiian islands, good ones not the leper ones. (Hawaiian leper colonies were first mentioned on the Mr. Plow episode) Maggie refuses to give up Bobo so Homer turns down the offer. Burns and Smithers try to ninja into the Simpson's house (three years before Mission Impossible). Mr Burns takes over all the TV networks including Channel Ocho, where he shoves Bumblebee Man out of the way. Burns also blocks all beer deliveries to Springfield. Barney tries to shoot Homer, the bullies are going to beat up Bart but then Martin shows them the first snap dragon of the year so they attack him instead. Burns and Smithers appear on their own sitcom. When a mob charges into the house they take the bear but then see a sad Maggie and give it back. Burns is forced to talk to Maggie in her sandbox. Mr. Burns can't steal the bear back and tells her to hang on to Bobo but she gives it to him. The Simpsons don't get anything in return. Burns dreams about the year 1 Million A.D. where on a planet of the apes he appears with his head in a jar on a robot body, followed by Smithers who has a robot dog body. (The heads in jars bit will be used on another Matt Groening series Futurama 6 years later)

Pop culture references: Guards at Burns Manor "All we own, we owe", spoof on the guards at the Wicked Witch of the West's castle, Mr. Burns pops out of a window like the guard gate at Oz. Mr. Burn's younger brother is George Burns (he was 97 when this episode aired, this is a continuity error because in the episode Simpson and Delilah Burns said he was 81). Burns drops a snowglobe like in the opening of Citizen Kane. Burns claims he was calling out for the show Sheriff Lobo, Homer has an actual dream about the show. (Sheriff Lobo was mentioned on the episode Marge In Chains). Mr Smithers imagines Mr. Burns popping out of a cake and singing Happy Birthday like Marlyn Monroe did to JFK. At Burn's birthday party Reagan and Nixon show up. Bush sr. is kicked out since no one term Presidents are allowed. Jimmy Carter offers to take him out for yogurt. The drawing of Mr. Burns on the curtain of his birthday show is an Al Hirshfield sketch similar to one of Jerry Lewis. Homer watches a Barney type of show.

Nev-R-Break Snow Globes. Similar to the Nev-R-Break dog collar and the Self-M-Break hose in the monorail.

Burns Manor warning signs: Warning Keep Out, Danger Electrified Fence, Trespassers Will Be Shot, Free Kittens Inquire Within.

Mr. Burns's birthday is September 15th. 

Mr. Smithers says he's going to get Homer to work up some snappy Sinbad-esque material for the birthday party. At the time, and as previously mentioned, The Simpsons were the lead in to The Sinbad Show starring the comedian.

Springfield Shopper headline: Burns' Birthday Today, Credits Long Life To Satan. There's a photo of Burns giving Satan a check for One Billion Dollars. The check number is 667.

Photos of Burns' life, Riding a bike. planting the flag on Iwo Jima, Knocking out Sonny Liston, Marlyn Monroe subway grate in The Seven Year Itch, with Bobo his lost stuffed bear. 

Perhaps one of the weirdest background images of The Simpsons is a dead German in Hitler's bunker. Was he killed? Did he shoot himself? Unknown.

Milhouse's image appears on a series of milk cartons but is covered over with a photo of Bobo by Mr. Smithers. This is in reference to the missing children's photos that were on milk cartons, a practice that ended the 1990's when such programs as Amber Alerts took over.

Homer watches The Soul Mass Transit System dance show, a spoof on Soul Train. The show was first seen in the Radio Bart episode but the name of the program wasn't mentioned.

Springfield cable gets 78 channels. 

I've made it through 85 episodes. Only 665 more to go, plus whatever other shows they create before I finish.