Cultural References
The episode contains numerous cultural references. The title is a play on both the jazz standard 'Round Midnight by Thelonious Monk and the similarly named film also about an unappreciated jazz musician. When a deceased Bleeding Gums Murphy appears to Lisa in a cloud near the end he is joined by Darth Vader, Mufasa, and James Earl Jones saying "This is CNN". Although all three roles were portrayed by Jones, the characters in this scene were impersonated by cast member Harry Shearer; Jones himself guest starred twice previously. Additionally, Mufasa accidentally mentions "Kimba" and corrects himself by saying "Simba". This is a reference to the debate regarding The Lion King's resemblance to the anime Kimba the White Lion. Lisa and Bleeding Gums play Carole King's song "Jazzman" in this scene and in the hospital earlier in the episode. Bleeding Gums has to leave at the end of the scene because he has a date with the jazz singer Billie Holiday.
Additionally, Homer has a Starland Vocal Band tattoo on his arm, Bart considers buying a Steve Allen "ultimate pog", while the music just before Bart's operation is a parody of the theme music of ER. Bleeding Gums appears on an episode of The Cosby Show, a reference to Bill Cosby often getting jazz musicians he liked to appear on the show; in the episode, Cosby is voiced by The Simpsons regular Dan Castellaneta. Also, Cosby is heard to say that jazz was like Jello Pudding Pops, Kodak Film or New Coke, products which Cosby has advertised on television. Lionel Hutz's "crack team of lawyers" Robert Shaporo and Albert Dershman are parodies of Robert Shapiro and Alan Dershowitz, two of the defense attorneys at the O. J. Simpson murder case. The three drive away in a white Ford Bronco, the same car O.J. Simpson drove in his televised low-speed pursuit before his arrest.
Read more about this topic: 'Round Springfield
Famous quotes containing the word cultural:
“The primary function of myth is to validate an existing social order. Myth enshrines conservative social values, raising tradition on a pedestal. It expresses and confirms, rather than explains or questions, the sources of cultural attitudes and values.... Because myth anchors the present in the past it is a sociological charter for a future society which is an exact replica of the present one.”
—Ann Oakley (b. 1944)