Gump Roast/References

Cultural references

 * The opening act spoofs Forrest Gump, including the falling feather. The episode's title is also a reference to the movie.
 * When Mr. Burns steps toward the podium, The Imperial March (Darth Vader's theme from Star Wars) is heard.
 * In this episode Kang asserts that the Earth was created 5,000 years ago by God, and Kang and Kodos then make the sign of the Cross. This is an apparently satirical reference to Young Earth Creationism.
 * At the beginning of the clip show song at the end of the episode, there is a picture of Homer jumping the shark, which is a term that describes when a television show has reached its peak and is now declining in quality or has done something to cause a sudden decline in quality. The term is a reference to an episode of Happy Days in which Fonzie literally jumped a shark.
 * Agnes Skinner wears the same dress that Jennifer Lopez wore to the Grammy Awards in 2000.
 * The song sung at the end is a take-off on Billy Joel's song "We Didn't Start The Fire".
 * Krusty mentions Mark Spitz couldn't be there and has sent a telegram. Lisa asks "Who's Mark Spitz?" and Bart then asks "What's a telegram?"

Trivia

 * This is the last full clip show episode. According to DVD commentary, the writers dropped clip show episodes in favor of the anthology episodes (where each act has three or four stories).
 * Dan Castellaneta sings the clip show song at the end of the episode.
 * One of the crazy future plots for The Simpsons in the song shows Patty and Selma getting married to Grampa Simpson. Patty would (almost) get married (albeit to a man impersonating a woman) in the season 16 episode, "There's Something About Marrying", while Selma would almost marry Grampa in the season 18 episode, "Rome-Old and Julie-Eh".

Goofs

 * When Homer remembers his moments with his car, one of the clips (from "Dumbbell Indemnity") shows Homer falling down a hill in Moe's car. This is wrong since that is not Homer's car.
 * During the opening act, Moe impersonates Austin Powers and Dr. Hibbert impersonates Darth Vader. Both are arrested because of an ordinance that banned impersonations of movie characters, although Homer is not arrested for his impersonation of Forrest Gump and Hibbert and Moe later appears at the roast with no explanation.

Call-Backs to previous episodes

 * Homer's Life Story:
 * His birth.
 * Grampa telling Homer "Jack and Jill".
 * Homer and Marge meeting for the "first" time.
 * Homer and Marge doing things together:
 * Dancing at Greasers Cafe.
 * Nude Homer and Marge hiding behind lawn ornaments.
 * Stampy the elephant arrives.
 * Homer's memories of the Family Sedan
 * Homer drives through New York, with the clamp still on his wheel.
 * Homer recklessly drives through Springfield with a bucket on his head.
 * Homer tries bailing out of Moe's car, but ends up rolling back in.
 * Bart and Lisa bonding with Homer:
 * Bart and Lisa distracting families with carols while Homer steals the Funzos.
 * Bart and Lisa repeatedly asking Homer to take them to Mt. Splashmore.
 * The family having epileptic fits from watching "Battle Seizure Robots".
 * Homer singing:
 * The "Max Power" Theme.
 * The Food Song.
 * The Hunger Song.
 * Homer's "nincompoopery" at the Power Plant:
 * Spilling fondu over the control panel.
 * Locking everyone in, during the fire drill.