Today I Am a Clown/References

Cultural references

 * Lisa reads the 'Two Dozen and One Greyhounds' page of 'The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family' to discover that they got Santa's Little Helper neutered.
 * The subplot involving Santa's Little Helper being neutered after an incident with his owner's neighbor's pet dog got her pregnant resembles a similar plotline in the sitcom  (specifically, it's the episode The Unkindest Cut of All.). In fact, both neighbors in that episode even say to the family that owns the dog "Well, I'm glad you like them, because they're your problem now!"
 * The popular Johnny Cash song "" is played at the episode's beginning.
 * When Homer and Santa's Little Helper go downtown "" by plays.
 * Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax's refusal to pitch Game 1 of the 1965 World Series because it fell on Yom Kippur is mentioned when Krusty sees his star on the Jewish Walk of Fame and reacts with disgust.
 * The dog neutering clinic which Santa's Little Helper is taken to is called Nuts Landing, a reference to the American soap opera .
 * Dr. Hibbert's dog, Rosa Barks, is a reference to, Civil Rights Activist.

Trivia

 * In the episode "Helter Shelter", Homer is upset that 1895 is too late to save Lincoln and too early to save Kennedy, and in this episode he fantasizes about doing both.
 * Bar mitzvahs ceremonies are largely arbitrary, and not having one has no bearing on a Jewish male's standing as a "real" Jew.
 * When Krusty is sitting in front of his TV, in the background, there is an upside-down German flag on the wall.
 * When Krusty decides that he would be a bad Jew if he continued to perform shows on the Sabbath the first replacement suggested for Saturdays is comedian, whom Krusty rejects thinking that he will be upstaged. Stewart is Jewish himself.
 * Lisa has a Jewish imaginary friend named Rachel Cohen who goes to Brandeis University.
 * It is implied in this episode that Krusty has a addiction: He is shown putting a finger on his nostril and inhaling, to then claim to Bart and Lisa, who are right in front of him, "You know, sniffing flowers. Such expensive flowers."
 * Among the TV shows Krusty flicks through are:
 * Lance Murdock jumping through a ring of fire.
 * The Jerry Springer Show featuring one of the cowboy barflies from "Marge on the Lam"
 * His own show.
 * When Marge mentions the line, getting padding that goes under rugs, it seems like her dialogue was changed. This is according to the DVD commentary on this episode.

Continuity

 * Diane appears. ("Helter Shelter")