Oscar and Felix

While arguing over whether to eat leftover pizza from the garbage bin – it was only just thrown out and is still in the box – Rory calls Lorelai “Oscar”, and she counters by calling Rory “Felix”.

This is in reference to Oscar Madison and Felix Ungar, the main characters from The Odd Couple, originally a 1965 Broadway play written by Neil Simon. In the story, the pair are friends sharing an apartment, with the slovenly Oscar and neat-freak Felix constantly clashing.

The Odd Couple was made into a comedy film in 1968, directed by Gene Saks, and with Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon starring as Oscar and Felix respectively. Given rave reviews by critics, it was the #4 film of 1968.

It was then made into a television sitcom with Jack Klugman and Tony Randall as Oscar and Felix, originally airing from 1970 to 1975, but still on American television in reruns. This may be the version of The Odd Couple that Lorelai and Rory is most familiar with.

It seems to be an old joke between Lorelai and Rory to see themselves as “the odd couple” – mismatched housemates who nevertheless are very fond of each other.

(Note that Lorelai cleaning out the refrigerator is a call back to the contest she and Rory had at the start of the episode to see who had to clean out the fridge – apparently Lorelai lost).

“The new Heather”

RORY (referring to Louise and Madeline greeting her): Normal, friendly, no acts.
LORELAI: Wow, you’re the new “Heather”.

Lorelai is referring to the 1988 black comedy film Heathers, directed by Michael Lehmann. The film stars Winona Ryder as Veronica, a popular girl at an Ohio high school, who hangs out with a clique of beautiful, wealthy girls all named Heather (Shannen Doherty, Lisanna Falk, and Kim Walker).

Despite being the most popular students at the school, the Heathers are feared and hated, and Veronica wants to get away from them. When a new student named JD (Christian Slater) becomes Veronica’s boyfriend, he manipulates her into helping him kill one of the Heathers and making the death looks like suicide. After the death, the next Heather in line assumes her role. Lorelai is saying that with Paris apparently toppled from her role as head mean girl, Rory can now step into her shoes.

Heathers was widely praised by critics on release for its cynical and subversive tone, and the director and screenwriter both won awards. It wasn’t a big success at the box office, but developed a cult following after being released on video in 1989.

“Here’s Johnny”

RORY: Well, Madeline and Louise, Paris’ best friends, they said hello to me the other day.
LORELAI: Really? Like a normal hello? Not like a “Here’s Johnny” kind of hello?

Another reference to the horror film The Shining, earlier discussed. In one memorable scene of the movie, the sanity-challenged Jack Torrance hacks through a bathroom door with an axe in an attempt to kill his wife and son. Jack Nicholson, who played Torrance, adlibbed the line “Here’s Johnny!”, which he shouts in a terrifyingly deranged manner with his head through the broken door. It is regarded as an iconic film moment.

Jack Nicholson took the line from the long, drawn-out catchphrase used by Ed McMahon when introducing the host on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, which ran from 1962-1992. It’s one of the best known catchphrases in history.

Rick James and Hugh Grant

RORY: Her [Paris’] dad’s like this big wig at a huge pharmaceutical company and they’re printing all the sordid details about it [his divorce] in the paper.
LORELAI: Ooh how sordid?
RORY: Well, it’s not the Rick James incident, but Hugh Grant should be feeling pretty good about himself.

American R&B singer Rick James (1948-2004) had several public scandals. In 1991, he and his wife were accused of holding a woman hostage for several days during a cocaine binge, tying her up, and forcing her to perform sexual acts. In 1993, while out on bail, he and his wife were accused of kidnapping and assaulting a female business associate for several hours. He was found guilty in both cases, sentenced to two years prison, and ordered to pay his second victim $2 million in damages in a civil suit. Released from prison in 1996, he was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 1998, but charges were later dropped. It may be this final “incident” that Rory is alluding to.

British actor Hugh Grant (born 1960) [pictured] was arrested in Los Angeles in 1995 for receiving oral sex in a car from a Hollywood prostitute named Divine Brown. He was fined, placed on two years probation, and ordered to complete an AIDS education program. The incident occurred just before his film Nine Months was released, but he was able to gain public appreciation by speaking honestly about what he’d done and not making any excuses for his behaviour. As a result, no major damage was done to his career or reputation.

Mr. Geller’s scandalous exploits are apparently significantly worse than an encounter with a prostitute, but not as bad as the sexual assault allegations levelled at Rick James. We know that they must be sexual in nature, and of enough public interest to be reported in the newspaper. Other than that, they must be left to our imaginations.

“When did you become the relationship expert?”

From the conversation between Lorelai and Sookie, we learn that Sookie has been single for years (Lorelai is quite hurtful to her about it, but apologises for it). We also discover that this hasn’t been entirely by choice, but because Sookie is very busy working at the inn, and has so many accidents that she has frequent hospital visits as well. This is another example of shortness of time being a factor in the show.

Ricky Martin

To accompany the cha-cha-cha dance that Sookie says Lorelai is doing, Sookie begins singing songs by the Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin at her.

Sookie sings parts of two songs: Livin’ la Vida Loca, and Shake Your Bon-Bon. They are both from Ricky Martin’s 1999 self-titled album, which was his first in the English language. A massive hit world-wide, the album reached #1 and went seven times platinum in the US; it remains Ricky Martin’s most successful album to date.

Livin’ la Vida Loca was a #1 hit for Martin, was #10 for 1999, and is his biggest-selling single. It made him an international star, and has become his signature song. La vida loca is Spanish for “the crazy life”.

Shake Your Bon-Bon peaked at #22 in the US, but was #2 on the dance charts. The song was used in commercials for Toyota Corolla in 2000, which showed Hollywood actor Brad Pitt driving the car.

Most unusually, Sookie singing Ricky Martin is the only commercial music used in this episode.

Cha-cha-cha

SOOKIE: This is about the time you start doing your little getaway dance. Two months right on the nose – you’re good.
LORELAI: I do not do a dance.
SOOKIE: You’re cha-cha-cha-ing right now.

The cha-cha-cha (or the cha-cha) is a Latin American dance which originated in Cuba in the 1950s. Sookie may be thinking of this dance in particular as it begins with the woman stepping backwards as the man walks forwards, just as Lorelai is backing away from Max.

“Two months”

When Lorelai suddenly seems far less interested in Max, Sookie points out that Lorelai and Max have been dating for two months now – which is the usual time that Lorelai begins backing out of a relationship. Lorelai and Max began dating in mid-November 2000, so it must now be the middle of January 2001.

Sookie’s comment incidentally confirms that none of Lorelai’s relationships have lasted very long, which we inferred from her statement to Max that none of her dates ever went to her house or met Rory before. Near the end of the episode we learn that Rory never even knew their names, but that Lorelai referred to them by a brief description.

“Riding a bike”

SOOKIE: What on earth were you thinking?
LORELAI: That I could still skate.
SOOKIE: It’s not like riding a bike you know.

Sookie is referring to the common phrase that a skill that is once learned and never forgotten is “just like riding a bike”.

Opinions vary as to whether ice skating is just like riding a bike – some people say they easily picked it up after decades off the ice, just a little wobbly to begin with. Others find that after a long break from skating, they have no idea how to balance any more and have gone back to beginner status. Sore legs and feet are common, just as Lorelai is experiencing.