Cultural References
The title of the episode is a reference to the American television series "I Married Joan". Marge and Homer sing along to "You Light Up My Life" by Debby Boone in the car. When Marge is suspected to be pregnant, Bart wants to name the baby after rapper Kool Moe Dee, while Lisa wants to name her after Ariel, from The Little Mermaid. At the beginning of his story, Homer mentions the band Supertramp, and their popularity in the time period. While exiting the movie theater, Homer spoils the ending of The Empire Strikes Back for dozens of moviegoers awaiting the next show. He also compares Marge's good looks to Princess Leia and her intelligence to Yoda, two characters from the film.
Homer's encounter with the donut delivery man that delivers donuts to the power plant is a reference to a scene in the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. Homer and his best friend Barney Gumble are watching Charlie's Angels when Marge tells the news of her pregnancy. A poster of Farrah Fawcett, a cast member of Charlie's Angels, hangs on the wall in Barney's apartment. The sign outside the wedding chapel resembles Vegas Vic from the Pioneer Club in Las Vegas. When Homer returns to the power plant to apply for a job the second time, Mr. Burns is seen playing the arcade game Ms. Pac-man. The episode marks the first appearance of Burns's assistant Smithers's first name, Waylon, which comes from the puppeteer Wayland Flowers.
Read more about this topic: I Married Marge
Famous quotes containing the word cultural:
“If in the earlier part of the century, middle-class children suffered from overattentive mothers, from being “mother’s only accomplishment,” today’s children may suffer from an underestimation of their needs. Our idea of what a child needs in each case reflects what parents need. The child’s needs are thus a cultural football in an economic and marital game.”
—Arlie Hochschild (20th century)