Category: S3Ep10: That’ll Do Pig

Stuart Little

CLARA: You missed every time.

JESS: I can’t concentrate with your annoying midget voice. It’s like having Stuart Little shoved in my ear.

Stuart Little, 1999 live action/computer animation family comedy film directed by Rob Minkoff in his directorial debut with screenplay by M. Night Shyamalan and Greg Brooker, loosely based on the 1945 children’s novel of the same name by E.B. White. The story is about a young anthropomorphic mouse named Stuart Little who is adopted by a couple in New York. The character of Stuart Little is voiced by Michael J. Fox. The film was commercially successful and received positive reviews.

Trix’s Dinner Requirements

TRIX: Now, please take this to your chef. These are the times I would like each course to appear at this table. [Emily rolls her eyes, Lorelai looks at her] I like a brisk pace, twelve minutes per course is best for my digestion. However, please tell your servers that they are not to clear until everyone has finished. Thank you.

Sookie has made twelve courses, so even at a “brisk pace” of twelve minutes per course, the dinner would last more than two hours. Emily makes it last even longer.

Pretzel

CLARA: I want a pretzel and a snowcone and a cheese stick. . .

Pretzel, a type of baked bread made from dough that is commonly shaped into aknot. The traditional pretzel shape is a distinctive symmetrical form, with the ends of a long strip of dough intertwined and then twisted back onto itself in a particular way (a pretzel loop or pretzel bow). They may be either soft or hard-baked.

They have been eaten since the Middle Ages, have been an emblem of baker’s guilds, and are a traditional food for Lent, since they are made with only flour and water. They are particularly associated with Germany and German culture, and immigrants introduced pretzels to the US in the 18th century. Pennsylvania is often considered the pretzel heartland of the US, and soft pretzels are the most common and popular.

Tattoo

CLARA: Rory just said you had things to do.

JESS: Hey Tattoo, just look at the plane, will ya?

A reference to the fantasy drama television series Fantasy Island which aired from 1977 to 1984. It starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr Roarke, who owned an island where people could pay to live out their fantasy for a weekend.

Tattoo, played by French actor Hervé Villechaize, was his diminutive and energetic sidekick. Tattoo would run up the main bell tower to ring the bell and shout “De plane! De plane!” to announce the arrival of a new set of guests at the beginning of each episode. This line, shown at the beginning of the series’ credits, became an unlikely catchphrase because of Villechaize’s spirited delivery and French accent.

Jess Goes to the Winter Carnival

Jess and Rory have plans to meet up at 9 pm after the winter carnival, as Jess doesn’t want to go. However, Rory “coincidentally” runs into Dean on the way, who is taking his little sister Clara to the carnival. Clara asks if Rory can go to the carnival with she and Dean, and before she has a chance to give an answer, Jess suddenly decides he is going too. He possessively puts his hand on Rory’s back while they walk behind Dean and Clara.

Jess is not only irritated that Rory is being friendly with Dean and that he feels forced to accompany Rory to the carnival, but by Clara’s insistent questions and comments to him. Clara is ten or eleven by now, but behaves more like a child of five or six in this episode.

We’ve never seen her act like this before, she’s always been quiet and rather sweet, if a little young for her age, so I wonder if Clara is deliberately trying to annoy Jess. She may see him as the horrible boy who took Rory away from Dean, and therefore away from her as well. Between Dean and Clara, Jess has the awful time at the carnival he had been expecting.

Weezer

LORELAI: So, Gran, what do you think? I mean, it’s not much. Probably too modest for Korn, but Weezer would be pretty comfortable.

Weezer, alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1992. Their 1994 self-titled debut album, also known as “The Blue Album”, became a multiplatinum success, while their 1996 album Pinkerton was a commercial failure and received mixed reviews, but attained cult status and eventual critical acclaim. In 2001, Weezer returned with another self-titled album, known as “The Green Album”. It was a commercial success with mostly positive reviews.

Weezer’s relaxed thrift store chic image is presumably why Lorelai thinks they would be more at home in her house. The lead singer of Weezer actually lives in a multimillion house in Santa Monica.