The Day the Violence Died/References

Cultural references

 * The relationship between Roger Meyers Sr. and Chester J. Lampwick mirrors the real-life relationship between Walt Disney and his chief animator in the 1920s,, who created Mickey Mouse, but never received the credit. There are also parallells with the controversy over , of whom is disputed whether or  actually created him.
 * Roger Meyers Sr. being cryogenically frozen is a reference to the myth that was similarly frozen.
 * When Roger Meyers Jr. pleads his case in court, he mentions that several animated television series and characters were plagiarized from other series and characters: "Animation is built on plagiarism! If it weren't for someone plagiarizing ', we wouldn't have '. If someone hadn't ripped off, there'd be no . , Chief Wiggum, ? Hah! , , ."
 * The Manhattan Madness cartoon in "The Day the Violence Died" is based on very early animated cartoons such as ' and '.
 * The "Amendment To Be" segment is a parody of the educational show , and more specifically "I'm Just a Bill", and refers to the Flag Desecration Amendment., who sang the original song in "I'm Just a Bill", voices the song in the "Amendment to Be" segment.
 * The cartoon "Itchy and Scratchy Meets Fritz The Cat" is a reference to the 1972 animated film  that depicts drug use and sexual situations openly. Fritz the Cat was also the first animated movie to be rated X, before the NC-17 rating existed.
 * The first Itchy & Scratchy cartoon entitled "Steamboat Itchy", which originally appeared in "Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie", is a reference to , the first cartoon, and, father of former United States President , is listed as one of the cartoon's producers.
 * The episode's title alludes to the line "the Day the Music Died" from 's 1971 song "".
 * The tune that Lampwick is whistling as he leaves the Simpsons' house is "."
 * The Itchy & Scratchy cartoon title "Remembrance of Things Slashed" is a reference to Proust's .
 * Lampwick bites the check he is given—presumably to see if it is genuine—in the same way that people used to bite silver and gold coins as a test to see if they were genuine.

Trivia

 * The print of the early Itchy cartoon that burned on the projector is cellulose nitrate stock, which degrades rapidly with time. It's unlikely that a print as old as this would survive at all, much less being carried around outdoors by a bum.

Continuity

 * Marge mentions some of Bart and Lisa's accomplishments:
 * Reuniting Krusty with his father. ("Like Father, Like Clown")
 * Getting Principal Skinner his job back. ("Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song")
 * Helped Dr. Nick perform heart surgery on Homer. ("Homer's Triple Bypass")
 * Foiled Sideshow Bob on five separate occasions. ("Krusty Gets Busted", "Black Widower", "Cape Feare", "Sideshow Bob Roberts" and "Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming")
 * Steamboat Itchy is played as evidence during the trial. ("Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie")
 * Blue-haired lawyer shows a picture of Disgruntled Goat. ("Itchy & Scratchy Land")
 * Toys of Disgruntled Goat and Uncle Ant are seen on a shelf in The Android's Dungeon. ("Itchy & Scratchy Land")