A Star Is Burns/References
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Cultural references[edit]
- The episode title is a pun on the 1976 Barbra Streisand film A Star Is Born.
- The episode is a crossover with The Critic. Jay Sherman appears on his show Coming Attractions.
- The Rappin' Rabbis perform a parody of MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This".
- Krusty portrays Franklin D. Roosevelt in a stage version of Sunrise at Campobello.
- Patty and Selma suggest changing the name of Springfield to Seinfeld, after the television series. A short version of the theme by Jonathan Wolff plays.
- Bart's film The Eternal Struggle has Bart acting like The Amazing Criswell from Plan 9 from Outer Space.
- The Untitled Moses film is a film about Moses.
- When Ned Flanders started filming, he said "action, Jackson", a reference to the film Action Jackson.
- Death Wish IX is a reference to the Death Wish series, starring Charles Bronson.
- McBain does an impression of Woody Allen in McBain: Let's Get Silly.
- Bart complains about a Flintstones-Jetsons "cheap cartoon crossover" special (A parody of The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones). Ironically, Jay Sherman walks in seconds later.
- At the beginning of Mr. Burns' first appearance in this episode, the "Imperial March" from Star Wars is played.
- Mr. Burns says that he wants a slick Hollywood film to gloss over his evil rise to power, like Bugsy and Working Girl. Bugsy starring Warren Beatty about Bugsy Siegel, a gangster linked to several murders and in contrast with the romantic comedy Working Girl starring Melanie Griffith where a fictional secretary takes over her boss's job and her boyfriend while the boss is out with a broken leg.
- Burns says he wants Señor Spielbergo to do for him what Steven Spielberg did for Oskar Schindler, a reference to the 1993 film Schindler's List.
- Jay Sherman has two Pulitzer Prize, a People's Choice Award, five Golden Globes and an Emmy.
- Jay Sherman references Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre by saying "Camus can do, but Sartre is smartre". Homer replies: "Scooby-Doo can doo-doo... but Jimmy Carter is smarter".
- Homer told Jay Sherman to tell Patty and Selma that Angus MacGyver (portrayed by Richard Dean Anderson) was gay.
- Homer asks if Jay Sherman knows all the words to the Oscar Mayer song. Jay Sherman, Bart and Lisa then sing it.
- Martin Scorsese was originally on the film festival jury before Marge replaced him with Homer.
- Among the people who audition for the role of Mr. Burns are Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter from The Silence of the Lambs and William Shatner as Captain Kirk from Star Trek.
- Dr. Hibbert turns up at the Film Festival costumed as Frank N. Furter, thinking that the theatre was playing The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
- The title of Apu's film Bright Lights, Beef Jerky is a reference to the film Bright Lights, Big City.
- The title of Moe's film, Moe Better Booze, is a pun on the film Mo' Better Blues.
- The song "One More Round" in Moe's film is a reference to the song "Money, Money" from the musical-film Cabaret. His make-up and clothing are identical to The Emcee as he appeared in the film.
- Barney was on the cover of Entertainment Weekly.
- Barney's film is (unfortunately) entitled Pukahontas, a pun on the 1995 Disney animated movie Pocahontas.
- Mr. Burns' film includes a number of references:
- The Itchy & Scratchy episode title "Four Funerals and a Wedding" is a pun on the film Four Weddings and a Funeral.
- Rainier Wolfcastle presents the Academy Awards, which is won by George C. Scott with Man Getting Hit by Football.
- Matt Groening was reportedly against the idea of a crossover, and demanded his name be removed from the beginning and end of this episode. Therefore, this episode is the only episode (as of 2022) to not credit Matt Groening at all.
- This episode aired in March 1995 to coincide with the premiere of The Critic on FOX. The Critic would be cancelled two months later in May 1995.
- Jon Lovitz, who voices Jay Sherman, speaks in the DVD commentary for the episode. He also talks about his one similarity with Jay: His testicular size.
- A deleted scene shows the residents of Springfield Retirement Castle making a risqué movie titled What the Pool Boy Saw to enter in the Springfield Film Festival.
- Senor Spielbergo says "Schindler es bueno. Senor Burns es el diablo". This translates to "Schindler is great. Mr. Burns is the devil".
- Barney is 40 years old.
- In the theatre during the show Dr. Hibbert is behind Homer wearing a suit, despite being in the Rocky Horror Picture Show costume just before.
- When Barney tells Bart that his movie is about to be shown only to forget he made a movie a few moments later, the part of Barney's chest which his shirt revealed is red like his shirt for a frame.
- Among the people booing "A Burns for All Seasons" is a man in a striped shirt. The stripe colors on his left sleeve switch with each other a few times.
- When Jay calls for a taxi his mouth does not move.
