Mister Kelly’s

BABETTE (to Dean): There used be a great club there called – what was it called baby?
MOREY: Uh … Mr. Kelly’s.
BABETTE: Oh, yeah – Mr. Kelly’s. You ever go there?

Mister Kelly’s was a nightclub in Chicago, which began in 1953. From 1956 onward it became a place where many entertainers, especially jazz singers and comedians, began their careers, including Barbra Streisand, Lenny Bruce, Eartha Kitt, and George Carlin. The nightclub closed in 1975, so it isn’t possible for Dean to have ever gone there.

Lorelai’s Joke

LORELAI: All right, everybody, I need your attention, your attention please. This is a very serious moment. Two priests, a rabbi, and a duck —
RORY: Mom.
LORELAI: All right, I’m kidding.

The old joke Lorelai pretends to start telling goes: Two priests, a rabbi, and a duck walk into a bar. The bartender says, “What is this, a joke?”. The punchline is because priests, rabbis, and/or ducks in bars are a common feature in jokes.

Henny Youngman

EMILY: Everything’s a joke. Everyone’s a punch line … My daughter – Henny Youngman.

Henry “Henny” Youngman (1906-1998) was a British-born American comedian and violinist famous for his one-liners – his most well known being the classic, “Take my wife … please”. He was known as The King of the One Liners. His routine consisted of simple one-liner jokes, broken up with interludes of violin playing. The hyper-successful Youngman performed on stage until the end of his life, and made many appearances on television.