Dude, Where's My Ranch? - Cultural References

Cultural References

• This episode's title is a reference to the movie Dude, Where's My Car? and the term dude ranch.
• One of the places the family may visit is the Denzel Washington monument.
• The character of Cleanie was styled after the The Lord of the Rings character Gollum, from his appearance to the way he said "My preciousss.... Gollum!". Andy Serkis, who provided the voice of Cleanie, played the character of Gollum in the The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
• When the blue-haired lawyer says that "Good King Wencelas" is free, Homer says it "sucks" then leaves humming it.
• The main theme music from the 60's western film The Magnificent Seven is prominently used as background music in this episode.
• Maggie dances to "Oops, I did it Again" and parodies Britney Spears' Pepsi commercial with Buzz Cola. This is the second time in four episodes Maggie dances.
• When asked to have a drink by the Indian chief, Homer & Bart do not react upon hearing that the drink is bear urine. However, they freak out when the chief says the drink is actually Fresca.
• Homer and David Byrne dance while sharing the same outsize suit that David used in the concert film Stop Making Sense.
• When Moe takes David Byrne, it is a reference to Misery. At the end of the episode, Moe had David Byrne write a song for him, similar to how the character Annie gets Paul to write a novel for her.
• William Shatner's cover of "Everybody Hates Ned Flanders" - actually voiced by Maurice LaMarche - is an obvious parody of his infamous musical career, including his performance of Elton John's "Rocket Man" at a 1978 science-fiction film awards ceremony.
• During their "Everybody Hates Ned Flanders" ballad, the Bill and Marty press a button that causes a fake scream. The same thing happens in the middle of the Ohio Players song "Love Rollercoaster".
• The "Lazy I Ranch" is a reference to David Byrne's musical concert tour that he was on that year, the Lazy Eye Tour.
• Luke Stetson may be a reference to Rex Stetson, the cowboy hand alias of Rock Hudson's Brad Allen character in Pillow Talk. Stetson also refers to Stetson cowboy hats. In the audio commentary, writer Ian Maxtone-Graham says that he named the character Luke after the son of one of his friends.
• The Indians have a magazine called "Peace Pipe Aficionado", a parody of Cigar Aficionado.
• Homer being pulled by Bart on a horse is a parody of how Billy Crystal is pulled in City Slickers. The music played during the gag is also similar to the music from the movie.
• The character Cookie could be based on Candy, a character from John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, which is also set on a ranch. Cookie dances just like the exuberant gold prospector played by Walter Huston in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
• While Lisa is reading a magazine titled Let's Go Home, Bart calls her "Crabby Hayes", a reference to Western movie actor George 'Gabby' Hayes.
• The episode is included on the Simpsons Christmas 2 DVD, even though it has nothing to do with Christmas, apart from the opening.