Ricardo Montalbán

MISS PATTY: I was Ricardo Montalban’s receptionist for six months and he never complained.
MICHEL: Who?

Ricardo Montalbán, born Ricardo Montalbán y Merino (1920-2009), Mexican-American film and television actor. Montalbán’s career spanned seven decades, during which he became known for performances in a variety of genres, from crime and drama to musicals and comedy. He starred in Fantasy Island, previously mentioned.

Here we get another insight into Miss Patty’s past life, this time as receptionist to an actor. This may have been in the 1970s or ’80s?

Michel is ignorant of Ricardo Montalbán, even though he was a surprisingly extensive knowledge of American television.

Shari Lewis

LORELAI: Hey Shari Lewis, how’s the show going?

Shari Lewis, born Phyllis Hurwitz (1933-1998), award-winning ventriloquist, puppeteer, children’s entertainer, television show host, dancer, singer, actress, author, and symphonic conductor. She was best known as the puppeteer of the sock puppet Lamb Chop. Although she had been on TV since 1956, Rory might remember her from Lamb Chop’s Play-Along, which was broadcast on PBS from 1992 to 1998 (when Rory was aged 7 to 13).

“I’m an island”

LUKE: I’m an island.
LORELAI: Luke, I’m sorry about all this, but I’m not anticipating the inn catching fire ever again, so it’s a one time only thing, okay?

Luke refers to the famous quote, “No man is an island” from the poem “Meditation VII” by John Donne. He may also be thinking of the 1965 Simon & Garfunkel song, “I Am a Rock”, which says, “I am a rock, I am an island”, written from the point of view of someone isolated and emotionally detached.

Of course, for all his reclusive ways, Luke is never an island, he is always there for his community. And of course Lorelai always wants him to do “just this one thing” for her, repeatedly. He never says no.

The Cheshire Cat Inn

LORELAI: Hey, who are you on with?
MICHEL: The Cheshire Cat Inn.

The Cheshire Cat was the B&B in Portsmouth where Lorelai and Rory stayed on their road trip to Harvard [pictured]. Apparently there is also a Cheshire Cat Inn near Stars Hollow. Oddly, neither Lorelai or Rory remarked on this coincidence when they were at the B&B. Did the writer (Daniel Palladino) just run out of ideas for names here?

“You’ve clearly never entertained kids”

RORY: I have never entertained kids – how do I do that?
LORELAI: Uh, take your socks off and do a puppet show.
RORY: You’ve clearly never entertained kids either.

Lorelai entertained Rory as a child, and is supposed to be famous for her amazing children’s parties … doesn’t Rory remember any of that? The sock puppet show idea is actually a success, against all expectations.