New Kids on the Blecch/References

Trivia

 * Contrary to popular belief, 'N Sync did not provide the voices for Party Posse. Two members of another Lou Pearlman boy band, Natural, provided some of the voices -- Marc Terenzi for Nelson and Michael 'J' Horn for Milhouse.
 * This episode aired seven months before 9/11. During the scene in New York, the World Trade Center is briefly visible.
 * In the episode "The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson", Bart visits the office of MAD magazine and Alfred E. Neuman leans out of an office door and demands a progress report on an article named "New Kids on the Blecch," the title of this episode.
 * Both episodes involve New York City, MAD magazine, and the phrase "New Kids on the Blecch".
 * A few seconds after L.T. Smash flips the switch on the aircraft carrier from "DE-COMMISSION" to "COMMISSION", the switch is again visible, but instead reads "MUSEUM" instead of "DE-COMMISSION" and "SHIP" instead of "COMMISSION".
 * A similar plot line happened in an issue of the Simpsons comic book. Three major differences are that Homer is making the Boy Band, Rod Flanders and Roy are part of the band (Milhouse is not), and they are called "Five from Field".
 * In the scene after L.T. Smash blows up the MAD building, one of the writers is seen wearing a shirt with a smiley face on it, with a red stain over one of its eyes. This is a reference to Alan Moore's Watchmen.

Cultural references

 * While reporting on the marathon, the "6" on Kent Brockman's microphone appears to be the logo of the 6 line of the New York City Subway.
 * The scene of a video-clip in which boys are raising a tetherball pole is a parody of the famous war photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima by Joe Rosenthal.
 * The title is a pun on "New Kids on the Block" and "blecch", a word of disgust often used in MAD Magazine, which is featured in the episode.
 * As already mentioned, this was also heard on "The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson" when Bart visits the MAD Magazine office in New York.
 * While going over his checklist for the Party Posse, Lt. Smash has three things listed. The third thing says "Boogaloo... Electric". This is a reference to the 1984 film Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo, which featured the electric boogaloo dancing style, or the band of the same name that made it famous in 1977.
 * The video for "Drop Da Bomb" is apparently directed by Ang Lee.
 * In Mad Magazine headquarters, one man says "Why don't we call it Everybody Hates Raymond?". This refers to the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond.

Goofs

 * The way 'Yvan eht nioj' is pronounced in this episode would, if played backwards, actually sound like "in te nævi" and not like "Join the Navy". The characters pronounce the words the way they are spelled backwards, rather than by pronouncing the actual phoenetic sounds backwards.
 * When the singers sing "Yvan eht nioj," they hold the last syllable, "oj." When played backwards, they hold the last syllable of "Join the Navy," "vy."
 * L.T. attacks the MAD building with the Aircraft carriers missiles. No current carrier carries missile launchers (except on their planes).