Hands Across America - in Popular Culture

In Popular Culture

• In The Simpsons episode Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes? Homer is seen watching the event on television, sitting on his couch as Marge, Lisa, Bart, the Flanders family, and other characters are holding hands through his living room. An unknown television announcer is heard reporting that "except for huge gaps in the Western states, Hands Across America was a complete success!"
• A Sunday strip of the newspaper comic "Doonesbury" had some of its characters in a chain. Said characters are singing the song of the same name, with the exception of Zonker Harris who says "I'm just a gigolo!"
• In "Hiatus", an episode of American sitcom 30 Rock, Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) remembers having participated in this campaign.
• In "It's Never Too Late for Now", another episode of 30 Rock, Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) answers a request for ID in a bar with the response, "How about this for ID: I participated in Hands Across America."
• On July 21, 2004's episode of the Late Show with David Letterman, rapper P. Diddy presented a Top Ten list titled "Top Ten Ways I, P. Diddy, Am Getting People to Vote." The number three entry mocked the event, stating, "Remember 'Hands Across America'? Yeah, well we ain't doin' that."
• In the music video for Something to Believe in, by The Ramones, the event is parodied with an event titled Hands Across Your Face.
• The movie Beerfest makes numerous references to Hands Across America
• The movie North references the event when the governor of Hawaii complains about waiting for people to show up.