How the Vest Was Won!/References

References/Trivia

Cultural references

Bart's Matrix pose, wearing his vest.
The story's title is a pun on the film How the West Was Won, which spawned a TV series of the same title.
- How the West Was Won was later punned in the Season 20 episode title "How the Test Was Won".
The TV show Kids Commit the Darndest Crimes! is a pun on Kids Say the Darndest Things and a parody of America's Most Wanted.
Right after Bart gets his vest, he envisions himself wearing it and standing with Milhouse and either Sherri or Terri, in a pose resembling a movie poster from The Matrix.
Taco Bell: Homer invents the "bacon/pancake Gordita" and exclaims "Yo quiero Homer!", referencing the "Yo quiero Taco Bell!" tagline of the Taco Bell chihuahua advertising campaign.
While in the shower, Bart sings a parody of the song "Wild Wild West".
When Bart is thinking about the mortal enemies he has made, one of his enemies is Jar Jar Binks.

The label on the crate that the bullies steal from the Kwik-E-Mart reads "LABIOS CALIENTES", which is Spanish for "hot lips". The bullies are evidently ignorant of Spanish, as they think the crate contains Mexican beer.
While the bullies trail Bart in a stolen police car, Dolph mentions that inside the car there are surveillance photos of his sister.
Jimbo is shown to be allergic to bee stings.
The school cafeteria's special is pan drippings.
The sign outside the Springfield Tire Yard reads "We don't burn tires in your toilet, please don't pee in our dump!"
- Another sign reads "Combustibles welcome!"
The Springfield Shopper's slogan is "Where news isn't just about the facts".

The Monorail plays an integral part in the storyline, and is shown to be in severe disrepair.
The video camera Bart used has a "Property of Ned Flanders" sticker on it.
One of the recordings Bart had made with the camera is of Lisa kissing a photograph of Corey. On the photo are the words "To my #1 fan, Lisa, Corey."
The bullies clean the Jebediah Springfield statue with Mr. Sparkle "Pigeon Crap Formula". The box says that it is "For Unsightly Stains and Hip Jeans!"
"El Barto was here" is written on the inside of Bart's locker.
- El Barto's signature can also be seen on the dumpster outside the Kwik-E-Mart.
Both Sideshow Bob and his brother Cecil appear as two of the enemies Bart thinks about while trying to figure out who is trying to get him. The others are Principal Skinner and Jar Jar Binks.
- Bart and Lisa would later show a hatred for the Cosmic Wars character Jim-Jam Bonks in the episode "Co-Dependent's Day".
While sitting in a dumpster (in order to spy on the bullies and report back to Bart) Milhouse mentions that all his parents' wedding pictures are in the dumpster. This is a reference to the episode "A Milhouse Divided".
Patty is seen carrying Jub-Jub.

Martha Prince can be seen in the studio audience with red hair, instead of her usual blue.