Difference between revisions of "Irrational Treasure/References"

Revision as of 12:27, February 16, 2026

Cultural references

• The episode title and plot is a reference to the film National Treasure.
  • Professor Cage is a reference to Nicolas Cage, who starred in the film.
  • Statesman Benjamin Franklin is also a central figure to the plot of the film.
  • One of the posters in the end credits is of Homer Simpson in National Treasure.
• Noah Wyle, Katherine LaNasa, and Taylor Dearden guest starring as emergency room staff is a reference to their starring roles in The Pitt.
• Marge uses Amazon Alexa.
• The St. Bernard of Assisi Medical Center is named after the St. Bernard dog breed and Bernard of Quintavalle, who was from Assisi.
• There are numerous references to the Rocky franchise:
  • Adrienne Gesstar is a parody of Adrian Pennino. Her surname, Gesstar, is a pun on "Guest Star."
  • Santa's Little Helper's training montage is a parody of the training montages from the films.
  • The Rocky statue is seen outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art, along with statues of Apollo Creed, Mickey Goldmill, Paulie Pennino, Clubber Lang, Ivan Drago, the hanging side of beef from Rocky and the robot butler from Rocky IV.
• During the training montage, "Far from Over" by Frank Stallone plays.
• Men's Best Friend's Health is a parody of Men's Health.
• Bart mentions the Liberty Bell. A picture of the bell later appears on the "simple diagram" presented to Homer by the H.O.A.G.I.E. Men.
• Numerous references to the Philadelphia Eagles team are made:
  • Homer references:
    • The 1968 game where the fans threw snowballs at Santa Claus.
    • Fans climbing street lamps after the 52nd Super Bowl.
    • Lenny Dykstra learning to be crazy.
    • The "Tush Push" play.
    • In his list of activities to do in Philadelphia there is "ripping off a piece of Jason Kelce's beard".
    • He throws a battery at Adrianne, the "Philadelphia Handshake", a reference to fans throwing stuff at the opposing team.
  • Gritty appears.
• Mentioned (and then visited by him and the Historians of America's Great Inventors and Enlightened Men) in Homer's list of awesome things for him to do in Philadelphia:
  • Eat cheesesteaks at Pat's King of Steaks, Geno's Steaks, and Dalessandro's Steaks.
  • Eat hoagies at Wawa.
  • Slurp water ice at Rita's Italian Ice.
  • Selfie at Abbott Elementary.
  • Mare of Easttown tour.
  • Cannonball in the Delaware River.
• The Michael Vick Reparation Park is named after Michael Vick. Vick was arrested and sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for his involvement in a dog fighting ring.
• Philadelphia's welcome sign says "The Big Scrapple", a pun on "The Big Apple", New York City's nickname and scrapple.
• The person welcoming Marge to the hotel tells her:
  • The menu is called the "Boyz II Menu", a reference to Boyz II Men, the band that performed the episode's "Theme Song".
  • To ring Patti LaBelle if she needs anything.
  • To choose between the Silver Linings Playbook Room, a reference to the movie Silver Linings Playbook, and the Fresh Prince suite, a reference to the series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
• Homer thinks that Santa's Little Helper is trying to win the Kentucky Derby.
• The Greater Philadelphia Convention Hall and Oates Parking Lot is a reference to Philadelphia pop rock duo Hall & Oates.
• Professor Cage refers to Santa's Little Helper as a "canus ex machina", a reference to deus ex machina
• Other places visited by Homer and the H.O.A.G.I.E. Men:
  • Down North, a real life pizzeria chain.
  • The Tastykake factory.
  • Lincoln Financial Field.
  • The Mütter Museum of Medical Oddities.
  • A Philadelphia Flyers game, where Gritty beats up Homer.
  • A The Roots concert.
    • The late Dan McQuade is in the audience for the concert.
  • The Philadelphia Museum of Art.
• Paintings on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art include:
  • Portrait of Benjamin Franklin by David Martin
  • Joseph Siffred Duplessis's Benjamin Franklin portrait.
  • Declaration of Independence by John Trumbull.
  • Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky by Benjamin West.
• Homer asks the H.O.A.G.I.E. Men if Benjamin Franklin played for the Sixers.
• According to the H.O.A.G.I.E. Men, Benjamin Franklin only pretended to negotiate the Treaty of Paris in 1783 and he stole millions in gold from the Palace of Versailles.
• Homer and the H.O.A.G.I.E. Men go down the river on a University of Pennsylvania rowing boat.
  • They mention the Treaty of Paris and how he stole gold from the Palace of Versailles.
• The Extinguish, or Die banner is a parody of the Join, or Die political cartoon by Benjamin Franklin.
• Benjamin Franklin's riddle refers to Betsy Ross as the first sewer. Ross is widely credited to have sewn the first flag of the United States of America.
• Homer identifies the Betsy Ross House as being at 239 Arch Street. He passed the house multiple times while searching for M. Night Shyamalan's grave.
• A reenactment of the Super Bowl LII riot on Broad Street takes place.
• Homer and Marge see the Mummers Parade going through Philadelphia.
• The whole family wanted to dye Santa's Little Helper green for Saint Patrick's Day.
• Posters for Simpsons-fied versions of films set in Philadelphia at the end include:
  • Drederick Tatum and Moe Szyslak in Creed.
  • Marge, Santa’s Little Helper, and Adrienne Gesstar in The Philadelphia Story.
  • Carl Carlson and the Blue-haired lawyer in Philadelphia.
  • Chief Wiggum and Ralph Wiggum in The Sixth Sense.
  • Jimbo Jones and Shauna Chalmers in Mannequin.
  • Maggie Simpson in 1776.
  • Homer Simpson in National Treasure.

Continuity

• An extended scene of when Santa's Little Helper gets adopted by the family is shown in the episode's opening. ("Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire")
• Homer is dressed as The Chosen One ("Homer the Great") and Pie Man ("Simple Simpson").
• Lenny's dog, Devin, is seen with Lenny. ("You Won't Believe What This Episode Is About – Act Three Will Shock You!")
• Becky is seen next to Otto. ("It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge")
• Laddie is seen at the Greater Philadelphia Convention Hall. ("The Canine Mutiny")
• The "simple diagram" presented to Homer by the H.O.A.G.I.E. Men includes a picture of Santa's Little Helper's mother, She Biscuit. ("The Way of the Dog")