Tag: People

Mozart

Lorelai suggests that Drella play some Mozart. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era, who wrote more than 600 works which are regarded as some of the greatest symphonies, operas, choral works, and chamber music of all time. He is extremely popular to this day.

Chevalier

DRELLA (to Michel): Back off, Chevalier.

Drella is referring to French actor and singer Maurice Chevalier (1888-1972). He is best known for his signature songs, including Thank Heavens for Little Girls, from the 1958 musical film Gigi. At the peak of his career, he was the highest-paid actor in Hollywood.

When performing in English, Chevalier adopted a heavy “stage French” accent, although in everyday life he spoke fluent English with a slight American tone. Drella may be indicating that Michel is also “faking” his French accent.

Madonna and Sean Penn

LORELAI: So you know what I was thinking?
RORY: That Madonna and Sean Penn should get remarried?
LORELAI: Besides that.

Pop star Madonna (born 1958) and actor Sean Penn (born 1960) were married in 1985, after meeting just a few months before. Madonna filed for divorce in 1987 but withdrew the papers; they were eventually divorced in 1989. There were allegations during their marriage that Penn was violent towards Madonna; however she strenuously denies those claims.

Lorelai’s belief that the couple should remarry seems to be a common one: even now, gossip magazines continue to say that Madonna and Penn are trying to get back together, or are already back together. Recently Madonna publicly told Penn that she was still in love with him, further fueling rumours (it was at a charity event so she might have just been whipping the crowd up). At the very least, they still seem to be on very friendly terms.

Thelonious

BABETTE: Yeah. He [Cinnamon] must’ve been meowin’ for an hour but Morey was playing some Thelonious on the Steinway and when Morey plays I go into this trance where all I can see is blue and moon and stars …

Thelonious Monk (1917-1982) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Many of his compositions have become jazz standards, such as Round Midnight and Blue Monk.

Jackie’s Wedding Music

MRS. SHALES: Jackie wants Samuel Barber, John Cage, and Philip Glass

All three are serious and highly influential American composers of the twentieth century.

Samuel Barber (1910-1981) composed orchetral, opera, choral, and piano music, enjoying a lengthy career as one of the most celebrated composers of the century. Twice winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Music, his best known work is Adagio for Strings (1936), which has become a staple piece for orchestras.

John Cage (1912-1992) was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde, and was pivotal in the development of modern dance. His best known work is 4’33 (1952), in which the perfomer sits and does nothing for 4 minutes and 33 seconds.

Philip Glass (born 1937) has been described as a composer of minimalist music. He has written numerous operas, musical theatre works, symphonies, concertos, and chamber music. He has also written several film scores, winning awards for The Truman Show and The Hours.

Tiger Woods

EMILY: [gives Rory a hat] Here you go. Now you look just like Tiger Woods.
RORY: Wow, that’s some hat.

Eldrick “Tiger” Woods (born 1975) is a professional American golfer and among the most successful of all time. He became the World #1 in 1997, less than a year after turning professional.

I can find no instances of Tiger Woods ever wearing a woolly hat such as the one Emily gives Rory, and clearly it’s going to take much more than a hat to make Rory look anything like Woods.

Antonio Banderas

LORELAI (to Mrs Shales): Why don’t you go up to your room and have a fabulous bubble bath, and I’ll send up some wine and a masseuse who bears a remarkable resemblance to Antonio Banderas.

Antonio Banderas (born 1960) is a Spanish actor. Successful in Spain during the 1980s, he made the transition to Hollywood in 1992 with The Mambo Kings. His breakthrough role was in Philadelphia (1993). His biggest success in the late 1990s was playing the title role in the action film The Mask of Zorro (1998).

Lorelai uses the term masseuse incorrectly: a masseuse is a woman who performs massage for a living; a man in the same role is known as a masseur.

Lunatic rich lady with the lion head

LORELAI: I’d rather get my face surgically altered to look like that lunatic rich lady with the lion head than go to the club with you.

Lorelai is referring to Swiss-American billionaire socialite Jocelyn Wildenstein (born 1940). She is infamous for the extensive cosmetic surgery she has had on her face, giving her a very unnatural appearance.

The surgery first began in the 1970s, but Jocelyn’s appearance became cause for comment in the late 1990s, after the Wildensteins had a very public divorce, which involved a gun. Reporters were apparently banned from attending court proceedings in the belief that Jocelyn’s appearance would frighten them.

According to her ex-husband Alec Wildestein, the surgery was intended to give her a cat-like appearance, and was done to please him, as he loved big cats. Jocelyn has a pet lynx, but also claims that the surgery was done to enhance naturally cat-like features that run in her family. She is reportedly very happy with her appearance and feels beautiful. Jocelyn is rumored to have spent over $4 million on surgery.

(Jocelyn Wildenstein’s appearance has become far more extreme and unnatural since this photo was taken in 1999, but this is the lion-head lady that Lorelai was thinking of).

“Not Cokie Roberts”

HEADMASTER: Not Cokie Roberts?
RORY: No.
HEADMASTER: Not Oprah, Rosie, or one of the women from The View?
RORY: No.

Mary Martha Corinne “Cokie” Roberts (born 1943) is a multi-award-winning American journalist. Since 1992 she has been the senior news analyst at National Public Radio (NPR), and since 1988 has been with ABC News as a political commentator.

Oprah Winfrey (born 1954) is an American talk show host, actress, media owner, and philanthroptist. She is best known for her talk show The Oprah Winfrey Show, which ran from 1986 to 2011. The highest-rated talk show in American history, it was extremely influential and won so many Daytime Emmy Awards that Winfrey eventually stopped submitting it so someone else had a chance. Through her media work, Winfrey became a billionaire and a major celebrity in her own right.

Rosie O’Donnell (born 1962) is an American comedian, actress, author and TV personality. Her talk show, The Rosie O’Donnell Show, ran from 1996 to 2002 and won multiple Emmy Awards. During the show’s run she became known for her light-hearted banter with celebrity guests, and for her promotion of Broadway musicals.

The View is an American morning talk show, broadcast since 1997. Its panel of female co-hosts discuss a range of political, social, and pop cultural topics, followed by celebrity interviews. It has won a number of Daytime Emmy Awards. In 2000, panelists on The View were Barbara Walters, Joy Behar, Meredith Vieira, Star Jones, and Lisa Ling.

Headmaster Charleston is questioning the sincerity of Rory’s journalistic aspirations by suggesting she just wants to get her face on television. However Rory corrects him by letting him know she could also write books or articles: as long as she can see the world and be a part of something big.