Worst Episode Ever - Cultural References

Cultural References

In order to demonstrate the durability of Radioactive Man #1000, Comic Book Guy pours soda on it, which bounces off and instead damages a batch of "lesser" comics. On top of the batch is an issue of Bongo Comics, a comic book written by Matt Groening, one of the co-creators of The Simpsons. While in The Android's Dungeon, Nelson examines a comic book called The Death of Sad Sack, a reference to the American comic strip The Sad Sack. When Homer and Comic Book Guy enter Moe's Tavern, Moe says "Get out and take your Sacagawea dollars with you" to one of his guests. A Sacagawea dollar is a United States dollar coin which has been minted since 2000. After he is thrown out of Moe's Tavern, Comic Book Guy says the word "loneliness" in Klingon, a language used by the fictional Klingons in the Star Trek universe. While arguing with Agnes, Comic Book Guy says "Now I know what ever happened to Baby Jane." The line is a reference to the 1960 suspense novel What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?. Martin's mother sells Comic Book Guy several items relating to the Star Wars film series including Carrie Fisher's "anti-jiggle breast tape", George Lucas' handwritten original script of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and a film of a supposed alternate ending for the series where it is revealed that "Luke's father is Chewbacca."

While fighting Milhouse, Bart picks up a robotic toy which unfolds into an axe. Milhouse picks up a similar toy, but it instead unfolds into a watering can. The toys are based on the franchise Transformers. While fighting, Milhouse and Bart fall through a poster that hides a room in The Android's Dungeon. While the poster depicts American actress Rita Hayworth as the Marvel comics superheroine She-Hulk, the scene is a reference to the 1994 drama film The Shawshank Redemption, in which the main character escapes a prison by digging a tunnel in his wall behind a poster. One of the tapes that Bart and Milhouse watch shows Fred Rogers intoxicated. Executive producer and current showrunner Al Jean later met Rogers' wife at a hall of fame, and said that he was "really embarrassed" when he found out that she had seen the episode.