Krusty Gets Kancelled/References

Trivia

 * In the scene in which Bart makes a toast to Krusty, you can see Elizabeth Taylor looking through the window of Moe's Tavern.
 * Marge does not speak a word in this episode, but her voice actress (Julie Kavner) is still credited. This is the first time in the history of the series that one of the family members (excluding Maggie) does not have a single line. However, Lisa speaks only once in "Two Bad Neighbors", Maggie doesn't appear in "Team Homer" and "Lisa's Date with Density", and Bart has only one line in "Eeny Teeny Maya Moe", and does not appear in "Four Great Women and a Manicure".
 * According to DVD commentary for the episode, getting guest stars was extremely hard because many kept dropping out. They also wrote parts for 4 different musical groups (including The Rolling Stones) before finally getting the Red Hot Chili Peppers. This is parodied in the episode, with Elizabeth Taylor opting out of appearing on Krusty's reunion show.
 * Barry White was a guest star earlier in the season (in "Whacking Day"); Elizabeth Taylor was a guest star in "Lisa's First Word" as the voice of Maggie.
 * In the Latin American dub of this episode, Luke Perry was renamed as fellow actor Robert Redford, as producers in Latin America did not think the public would know who Luke Perry was. This added to the confusion when the Peephole magazine is shown, displaying Perry's name.

Cultural references

 * Rocky - The scene where Krusty punches the pork is a reference to the training style of Rocky Balboa, portrayed by Sylvester Stallone in the Rocky films.
 * Ed Sullivan and The Doors — The scene in which Krusty instructs the Red Hot Chili Peppers to change the lyrics to the song "Give It Away" is a reference to Sullivan instructing The Doors to change the lyrics to the song "Light My Fire". Unlike the Doors, the Chili Peppers happily accept the new lyric. The dressing room scenery is also very similar to the mise-en-scene in The Doors movie.
 * Elvis Presley's '68 Comeback Special — The Krusty Komeback Special is styled exactly like The King's prime-time special, aimed at getting him back into the spotlight after a sabbatical.
 * The Hollywood Squares — The Springfield Squares is an obvious parody. The final moments of the segment, where a tidal wave knocks a stubborn Charley Weaver from his lower-left square (he had refused to leave, while the others fled), is a reference to an earthquake that shook up a 1971 taping of Squares and center square Paul Lynde remaining in his spot while everyone else ran off the stage. The Springfield Squares taping "on location" is much akin to the 1986 version frequently taping at outdoor locations in Florida.
 * Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon — The reunion of Krusty and Sideshow Mel (during the clown's singing of "Send in the Clowns") is a reference to the 1976 on-air reunion between Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin on the former's annual telethon.
 * Carmen - Johnny Carson balances a Buick Skylark car over his head while singing the famous aria Habanera.
 * "Peter and the Wolf" — The musical piece that Hugh Hefner plays on the wine glasses is from the children's story composed by Sergei Prokofiev.
 * People magazine - imagined by Krusty as Peephole Magazine when trying to visualize Luke Perry's new look after he is shot out of a cannon.
 * "That ought to hold the little bastards" urban legend – Gabbo's statement referring to his audience as "little SOBs" (which is caught on live air, thanks to Bart) — and later, Kent Brockman's comment when he thought the station had cut to a commercial break — is a reference to this broadcasting urban legend. The incident said to have inspired the urban legend had a children's radio (or television, depending on the source) host ending a program, then unaware the microphone was still live, uttered the infamous line, resulting in his near-immediate dismissal.
 * It may also be a reference to a scene in the 1957 film A Face in the Crowd.
 * The Tonight Show — Bette Midler serenading Krusty is the way Bette sang to Johnny Carson on Carson's next-to-last show. Their duet, however, is likely a reference to Midler's 1977 duet with Tom Waits on "I Never Talk To Strangers," which appeared on Waits' album Foreign Affairs.

Gabbo References

 * Greta Garbo — Mr. Burns misreads a billboard, causing him to tell Smithers that "Garbo is coming" and lightly groom himself.
 * The Great Gabbo — Gabbo gets his name from the title character (a ventriloquist who operates a dummy named Otto) of the 1929 film.
 * Howdy Doody — Gabbo's face looks just like the famous dummy (red hair, freckles), who hosted an afternoon children's program from 1947-1960.
 * Pinocchio — The lyric "You're gonna like me" in Gabbo's theme song — as well as the newspaper headline "Gabbo to have real boy operation" — are references to the 1940 Disney film.
 * Ringling Bros. and Barnum &amp; Bailey Circus — The final line in the song ("It's the greatest show in town") is a reference to the circus' tagline.