Hello and welcome to an extensive list of all things pop culture reference related. Cue your inner Lorelai, grab your 12 cups of coffee, a chocolate donut with sprinkles, a backwards baseball cap and flannel shirt to mock Luke in, and let's get started.
jump to: plato • bob barker • that lunatic rich lady with the lion head • antonio banderas • the teacher in the charlie brown cartoon • charlie brown • a really snooty doublemint commercial • tiger woods • mark twain • flat earth • post-it • n'sync • pepe le pew • all things frilly • samuel barber • john cage • philip glass • shania twain • mencken's chrestomathy • h.l. mencken • thelonious • steinway • madonna • sean penn • sister sledge • first edition of his memoirs
Plato
This dude was an Athenian philosopher during the Classical period in Ancient Greece, founder of the Platonist school of thought, or Platonism, and the Academy, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. So, he was kind of a big deal.
Bob Barker
Robert William Barker is an American retired television game show host. He is known for hosting CBS’s The Price is Right from 1972 to 2007, making it the longest-running daytime game show in North American television history. He is also known for hosting Truth or Consequences from 1956 to 1974. Lorelai makes this reference most likely due to Emily saying she won, as if she’s on a game show.
That lunatic rich lady with the lion head / Jocelyn Wildenstein
That lunatic rich lady refers to Jocelyn Wildenstein. Jocelyn Wildenstein is an American socialite known for her extensive cosmetic surgery, resulting in her catlike appearance; her 1999 high-profile divorce from billionaire art dealer and businessman Alec Wildenstein; and her extravagant lifestyle and subsequent bankruptcy filing. I have no words for this one.
Antonio Banderas
Jose Antonio Dominguez Bandera, known professionally as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish-American actor, film producer, and director. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including a Cannes Best Actor Award and nominations for a Tony Award, an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards and five Golden Globe Awards. Here’s a nice older pic of a young Antonio Bandera for ya.
The teacher in the Charlie Brown cartoon
Michel is referring to the popular Peanuts cartoon strip by Charles Shultz, featuring Charlie Brown as the main character. In the original cartoons, adults were referred to but never drawn, and this continued with the first television special. The 1967 Peanuts television special You’re in Love, Charlie Brown had a classroom scene which interacted with a teacher named Miss Othmar. Her voice was represented with a wah-wah sound made by a trombone. Since then, all adult voices have been represented by the trombone sound. In other words, in the kid world, adults are irrelevant.
Charlie Brown
The principal or main character of the comic strip Peanuts, syndicated in daily and Sunday newspapers in numerous countries all over the world. Depicted as a “lovable loser,” Charlie Brown is one of the great American archetypes and a popular and widely recognized cartoon character. I was more of a Team Snoopy and Woodstock.
A really snooty Doublemint commercial / Doublemint
Let’s break this down. It has some history to it. First, Doublemint is a variety of chewing gum made by the Wrigley Company; according to early advertisements, it is “double strength” peppermint flavored. It was launched in the United States in 1914 and has had variable market share since then. As a play on the word “double” in the name, the company began to feature identical twins as an advertising campaign. This began in 1939 and went on for many years hiring different sets of twins. Hence the remark from Lorelai. Just YouTube old Doublemint commercials and this one will make more sense.
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods (what a name) is an American professional golfer. He is tied for first in PGA Tour wins and ranks second in men's major championships and holds numerous golf records. Woods is widely regarded as one of the greatest golfers, and one of the most famous athletes of all time. Plus or minus a few scandals.
Mark Twain
Hey, this guy again! Samuel Langhorne Clemens, known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publishers, and lecturer. He was lauded as the “greatest humorist [in the United States] has produced,” and William Faulkner called him “the father of American literature.” We saw him once in the first episode of this season as Rory’s homework from Stars Hollow High. This time, just a simple quote reference (although he didn’t actually say it. Refer to the quote section for more information on this).
Flat earth
Not a thing. It is, however, an archaic conception of Earth’s shape as a plane or disk believed by many ancient cultures, including Greece until the classical period, the Bronze Age and Iron Age civilizations of the Near East until the Hellenistic period, India until the Gupta period (early centuries AD), and China until the 17th century.
Post-it
One of my favorite stationary items. A Post-it Note is a small piece of paper (sometimes colored, which are fun) with a re-adherable strip of glue on its back, made for temporarily attaching notes to documents and other surfaces. A low-tack pressure-sensitive adhesive allows the notes to be easily attached, removed and even re-posted elsewhere without leaving residue. Although, I will admit, after a few times sticking them to several surfaces, it loses the stickiness.
N'SYNC
Oh, boy. Or should I say, oh boys. Because this was an American boy band formed in Orlando, Florida, in 1995 and launched in Germany by BMG Ariola Munich. It consisted of Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Chris Kirkpatrick, Joey Fatone, and Lance Bass.
Pepe le Pew
A character from the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons, first introduced in 1945. Depicted as a French striped skunk, Pepé is constantly in search of love. French, like Michel. Constantly looking for love, not like Michel. But still a fun reference.
All things frilly
This means that Mr. Neville likes wearing women’s underwear. A huge shock to the time period of this episode. Today, not so much.
Samuel Barber
Samuel Osmond Barber II was an American composer of orchestral, opera, choral, and piano music. He is one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century; music critic Donal Henahan stated, "Probably no other American composer has ever enjoyed such early, such persistent and such long-lasting acclaim."
John Cage
John Milton Cage Jr. was an American composer, music theorist, artist, and philosopher. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde.
Philip Glass
Glass is an American composer and pianist. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century. Glass's work has been associated with minimalism, being built up from repetitive phrases and shifting layers.
Shania Twain
Eilleen "Shania" Twain OC is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She has sold over 100 million records, making her the best-selling female artist in country music history and among the best-selling music artists of all time. Her success garnered her several honorific titles including the "Queen of Country Pop.”
Mencken's Chrestomathy
This refers to A Mencken Chrestomathy by H.L Mencken. (see A Mencken Chrestomathy by H.L. Mencken).
H.L. Mencken
Henry Louis Mencken was an American journalist, essayist, satirist, cultural critic, and scholar of American English. He commented widely on the social scene, literature, music, prominent politicians, and contemporary movements. He’s popular in this episode.
Thelonious
Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer. He had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "'Round Midnight," "Blue Monk," "Straight, No Chaser," "Ruby, My Dear," "In Walked Bud," and "Well, You Needn't."
Steinway
Steinway & Sons, also known as Steinway, is an American piano company, founded in 1853 in Manhattan by German piano builder Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg. The company's growth led to the opening of a factory in New York City, United States, and later a factory in Hamburg, Germany.
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Referred to as the “Queen of Pop,” she is regarded as one of the most influential figures in popular culture. Madonna is noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, and visual presentation, among other things.
Sean Penn
Sean Justin Penn is an American actor, director, screenwriter, and producer. He has won two Academy Awards, for his roles in the mystery drama Mystic River and the biopic Milk.
Sister Sledge
They are an American musical vocal group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Formed in 1971, the group consisted of sisters Debbie, Joni, Kim, and Kathy Sledge. The siblings achieved international success at the height of the disco era.
First edition of his memoirs (Mencken)
This most likely refers to My Life as Author and Editor by H.L. Mencken. It could also be referencing his autobiography trilogy which consists of Happy Days: Mencken’s Autobiography: 1880-1892, Newspaper Days, 1899-1906: Volume 2 of Mencken’s Autobiography, and Heathen Days: Mencken’s Autobiography: 1890-1936.
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