Show 815: Agent for H.A.R.M.

Ah, the traditional running of the Clouseaus.
Every year in Pamplona, Spain, between July 7 and 14, the “running of the bulls” is held, in which people and bulls run a marked-off course through the town. Deaths are relatively rare, but injuries are not. Inspector Jacques Clouseau is the bumbling French policeman played in the series of Pink Panther movies by Peter Sellers (1925-1980).

Inspector Gadget in Marathon Man.
Inspector Gadget is an animated detective outfitted with a variety of gadgets (hence the name) to help him in his crime-solving duties. His voice was provided by Don Adams, who played secret agent Max Smart on the TV series Get Smart. In 1999 there was a live-action movie version of Inspector Gadget starring Matthew Broderick. Marathon Man was a 1976 film starring Dustin Hoffman as a graduate student who gets drawn into a Nazi plot.

My David Lynch hair!
David Lynch (b. 1946) is a bizarre filmmaker who has directed such offbeat classics as Eraserhead (1977), Blue Velvet (1986) and the TV series Twin Peaks (1990-1991).

Tonight on Michael Collins, P.I.
Michael Collins (1890-1922) was an Irish revolutionary during some of the worst clashes between the British and the Irish in the early twentieth century. As director of intelligence for the IRA, he organized a number of attacks on police and assassinations. When peace was declared in 1921, Collins helped broker the treaty even though he knew that strong Irish opposition to the peace terms would mean his death; a few months later he was shot and killed in Ireland. “Michael Collins, P.I.” is a take on the TV series Magnum, P.I. (1980-1988).

Bonjour! I surrender! I love Mickey Rourke!
Mickey Rourke (b. 1956) is an actor who has appeared in such movies as Diner, Body Heat and 9 ½ Weeks.

Damn you, Shel Silverstein!
Shel Silverstein (1930-1999) was a poet and author who wrote numerous children’s books, including The Giving Tree, Where the Sidewalk Ends and A Light in the Attic. He had a sly, slightly wicked sense of humor.

The death of Pete Fountain.
Pete Fountain (b. 1930) is a jazz clarinetist who has recorded more than 50 albums and appeared on television and before presidents and popes. He owns a jazz club in New Orleans.

And I get the Deadhead van.
Deadheads are fans of the Grateful Dead. When the Grateful Dead was still touring, true Deadheads would follow the band from city to city to attend show after show. Their faithfulness made the band rich despite its lack of radio hits.

I need some Gauloise and some petit pan.
Gauloise are a brand of French cigarette; a petit pan is a bread roll.

[Sung.] Don’t you let your deal go down ...
A line from the Grateful Dead song “Deal.” Sample lyrics: “Wait until your deal come round/Don’t you let that deal go down/Don’t you let that deal go down, no/Don’t you let your deal go down.”

Hopefully the man under me is Jerry Lewis.
Jerry Lewis (b. 1926) is a classic vaudeville comedian who, with comedy partner Dean Martin, was the top box-office draw in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s. Some of his films include The Bellboy, The Disorderly Orderly, and The Nutty Professor. Lewis was phenomenally popular in France in the 1960s; in 1984 he received France’s Legion of Honor.

Barnaby Jones.
Barnaby Jones was a TV series that ran from 1973 to 1980. It starred Buddy Ebsen as a geriatric private detective.

With Bob Marley and Prince.
Bob Marley (1945-1981) was a Jamaican singer-songwriter whose brand of rock-influenced reggae became famous around the world. He also played a prominent political role in his native country, working for peace among the warring factions there. Prince was one of the seminal musical talents of the 1980s; in particular, his albums 1999, Purple Rain and Sign o’ the Times were phenomenally successful.

Titles by e.e. cummings and k.d. lang.
e.e. cummings (1894-1962) was an American poet known for his eccentric punctuation, capitalization and placement of lines on the page. k.d. lang (b. 1961) is a country/rock musician who has released such hit songs as “Constant Craving.” She has publicly declared her lesbianism and is an outspoken advocate of animal rights, both traits that have occasionally brought her into conflict with her country-music audience.

Wow—the Red River has really crested.
In 1997, the Red River, which runs between North Dakota and Minnesota toward Canada, crested at fifty-four feet, causing massive flooding in both states—in particular, in Grand Forks, North Dakota/East Grand Forks, Minnesota, which saw the evacuation of nearly everyone in those towns. The 1997 flood has been dubbed the Flood of the Century.

Xanadu, stately home of Charles Foster Manson.
This phrase (and variations thereof) was one of the writers’ favorites. It is a reference to the 1941 film Citizen Kane, directed by, produced by and starring Orson Welles as Charles Foster Kane. “Manson” is a reference to mass murderer and cult leader Charles Manson (b. 1934).

I didn’t know Section 8 built beach homes.
Section 8 is a housing voucher program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Mr. Peepers P.I.
Mr. Peepers was a TV sitcom that ran from 1952 to 1955. It starred Wally Cox as a shy science teacher. See note about Magnum, P.I. above.

He’s there for his Howard Sprague fan club meeting.
Howard Sprague was a character on The Andy Griffith Show, a TV series that ran from 1960 to 1968. He was played by actor Jack Dodson.

My cat’s cradle got out of control, so I pinned it to the wall.
Cat’s cradle is a game played with a long loop of string, which when stretched between a person’s hands and looped over various fingers can create a number of patterns; the string can then be passed back and forth from one person to another.

“Manson.” Shirley’s brother, isn’t he?
Shirley Manson (b. 1966) is the lead singer for the band Garbage.

These are your acupressure points.
Acupressure is a Chinese method of pain relief that consists of applying pressure at specific locations on the body. Its advocates claim it can relieve everything from back pain to diarrhea.

I drink a lot—how come I never made the Dewar’s profile?
Dewar’s Scotch whisky runs an ad campaign called “Dewar’s Profiles,” in which they profile interesting, adventurous, glamorous people who just happen to drink Dewar’s Scotch.

I drew this turtle freehand.
Probably a reference to the old “Draw Tippy the Turtle” ads run by the Art Instruction School in Minneapolis.

You know I have clog dancing tonight!
Clog dancing, a style of dance somewhat similar to tap, is performed wearing clogs with wooden soles and leather uppers. It reportedly began in 19th-century England, when such shoes were common in the northern part of the country.

Target Center: the early days.
The Target Center is a mammoth events arena in Minneapolis that opened in 1990; it hosts sports events, ice shows, concerts and so forth.

“My poor Eva.” I’m sorry Green Acres was canceled.
Green Acres was a TV sitcom that ran from 1965 to 1971; it starred Eva Gabor (1919-1995) as Lisa Douglas, the socialite wife of an attorney who tries to adapt to life in the rural town of Hooterville.

“Henry was a fine man. And a good assistant.” And a fine comic strip.
“Henry” was a comic strip created by Carl Anderson. It first appeared in 1932 in the Saturday Evening Post, and expanded to newspaper syndication two years later. Anderson drew the strip until 1942, when he retired and handed the strip over to successors.

Torgo’s theme!
A reference to Show 424, Manos: The Hands of Fate.

Yeah, well, I’m still in therapy over that wire mom.
In 1966 psychologist Harry Harlow performed an experiment with baby rhesus monkeys in which he separated them from their biological mothers and put them in cages with either a “mom” made out of cloth or one made out of wire. Even when the wire “mom” had a bottle attached so the monkeys could nurse, the babies preferred the comfort of the cloth “mom.” It should be noted that the monkeys did not come out of this experiment as well as might be hoped; they developed severe social and sexual problems later in life.

Lolita!
Lolita was the young heroine (sort of) of Vladimir Nabokov’s 1955 novel by the same name. The novel is narrated by Humbert Humbert, a middle-aged man with a fetish for young girls. In Lolita he finally finds an accessible “nymphet,” in a barely pubescent girl who is already sexually experienced, and also fairly awful. Humbert² winds up in prison for killing the man who takes Lolita away from him and then abandons her.

“Madam ...” I’m Adam.
“Madam, I’m Adam” is a classic palindrome—a sentence that reads the same backwards as forwards. Another example of a palindrome: “Able was I ere I saw Elba.”

“I also have an assorted collection of mops and brushes.” And Flowbees.
The Flowbee Precision Home Haircut System is a combination vacuum cleaner and hair trimmer; the idea is that the suction lifts the hair while the trimmer cuts it to precisely the desired length. The Flowbee was famously mocked in the Wayne’s World movie, with the line “It’s sucking my will to live!”

T.G.I. Friday’s on the beach!
T.G.I. Friday’s is a middle-class restaurant that serves such things as potato skins, burgers, steaks, pasta and mammoth desserts. Its logo is red-and-white-striped.

A young Charles Grodin.
Charles Grodin (b. 1935) is an actor who has appeared in such films as Beethoven, Seems Like Old Times and Rosemary’s Baby.

“Mr. Graf called me.” Mr. Steffi Graf.
Stefanie “Steffi” Graf (b. 1969) is a professional tennis player who racked up an astonishing string of victories in the late 1980s and 1990s. In October 2001 she married fellow tennis player Andre Agassi; the couple had their first baby in December of that year.

Sometimes I sell Mary Kay.
Mary Kay is a cosmetics company whose “consultants” sell beauty care products independently, much like Avon Ladies. The company racked up $2.5 billion in retail sales in 2000. Top salesladies can earn themselves a pink Cadillac or other car from the company.

With Barbie und Ken.
Barbie and Ken are plastic fashion dolls made by Mattel. Barbie is the blond, improbably proportioned star; Ken is her anatomically incorrect boyfriend.

Look at her Gidget baby room.
Gidget was a 1959 movie about a young girl who discovers the joys of love and surfing with a fella named Moondoggy. Actress Sandra Dee played the title role.

Now I’m going to play my new Cowsills album.
The Cowsills were the real-life inspiration for the TV show The Partridge Family, about a musical family: teenage siblings Bill, Bob, Barry, John, Paul and Susan sang with their mother Barbara such hits as “Hair” and “The Rain, the Park and Other Things” in the late 1960s.

You know, she hurt herself bad when she mixed up her Lady Schick with her Lady Wesson.
Lady Schick was an electric razor marketed to women in the 1950s; Jacob Schick had pioneered the electric razor earlier in the century. Lady Wesson is probably a reference to the LadySmith line of women’s handguns produced by Smith & Wesson.

By this time in a James Bond movie, there would have been ten helicopter explosions, eight ski chases ...
James Bond is the urbane secret agent created by British author Ian Fleming and immortalized in a lengthy series of movies by Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, and most recently Pierce Brosnan. The films are known for their spectacular (and highly implausible) action sequences.

[Sung.] The Tonight Show theme.
This is the theme to the Tonight Show, the late-night TV talk show that has been hosted most notably by Johnny Carson and most recently by Jay Leno.

He made his own gravy!
“It makes its own gravy” is a common phrase in recipes, but this is probably a reference to the ad campaign for Gaines dog food that boasted it could “make its own gravy” in sixty seconds.

And hula hoops and dungarees.
Hula hoops were a fad in the late 1950s, consisting of a large plastic ring the user placed around his/her waist and rotated by gyrating the hips frantically. A small BB inside the hoop created the sound effect. Wham-O, the company that made them, sold 25 million hoops in two months. The craze, like most fads, was short-lived.

Once you taste my schnitzel I’m sure you will understand.
Schnitzel is an Austrian dish consisting of pork or veal cutlets pounded flat, dredged in flour, milk, eggs and bread crumbs, and then deep-fried.

Ensure or Boost?
Ensure and Boost are both nutritional drinks that boast of containing vitamins, minerals, protein, etc. Ensure is manufactured by Ross Products, and Boost is made by Mead Johnson.

[Sung.] Close the window, calm the light ...
A line from the song “We’re All Alone” by Boz Scaggs. A sampling of lyrics: “Close the window, calm the light/and it will be all right/No need to bother now/Let it out, let it all begin/Learn how to pretend.”

Then I’ll need to take a sponge bath, apply my Anbesol ...
Anbesol is an ointment designed to relieve the pain of toothache. It is manufactured by Whitehall Robins.

It is Surge.
Surge is a caffeinated citrus drink introduced by Coca-Cola in an effort to compete with Pepsi’s Mountain Dew.  

“Turning it into a human fungus.” Like Larry King?
Larry King is a perennial talk-show host on CNN, who got his start on radio in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1985 CNN, then a fledgling cable network, began airing Larry King Live, a phone-in talk show featuring diplomats, heads of state, celebrities and other life forms. King’s trademark heavy glasses and suspenders have become familiar icons with the American public.

Did you see this Mad magazine?
Mad magazine is a humor magazine consisting of cartoons, movie and TV parodies, and other forms of comedy popular with preadolescent boys. It is published by Time Warner.

“Markov plans to dust your crops ...” ... with Mrs. Dash.
Mrs. Dash is a brand of seasoning blends manufactured by Alberto Culver. Available flavors include Garlic & Herb, Lemon Pepper and Classic Italiano.

Sure there’s no Jim Beam in here?
Jim Beam is a brand of bourbon whiskey made in Kentucky.

I’m making EL Fudge.
EL Fudge is a brand of chocolate sandwich cookies made by Keebler.

[Sung.] Don’t have to be rich/To be my girl ...
This is part of the chorus from the Prince song “Kiss.” Sample lyrics: “U don’t have 2 be rich 2 be my girl/U don’t have 2 be cool 2 rule my world/Ain’t no particular sign I’m more compatible with/I just want your extra time and your ... kiss.”

Harry Caray’s glasses!
Harry Caray was the longtime announcer for the Chicago Cubs baseball team. He was a round-faced man with white hair and thick glasses. His trademark expressions included “Holy cow!” and “Who’d a thunk it?” Caray owned a famous sports bar in Chicago named after him. He died in  1998.

Have you seen my raspberry beret?
“Raspberry Beret” is the title of a Prince song that appears on the album Around the World in a Day. Sample lyrics: “She wore a/Raspberry beret/The kind you find in a secondhand store/Raspberry beret/And if it was warm she wouldn’t wear much more.”

[Sung.] I would die for him ...
Yet another reference to a Prince song, this time “I Would Die 4 U,” off the classic Purple Rain album.

How’s the fish boil?
The fish boil is the Great Lakes region’s answer to the clambake. Supposedly brought to the area by Scandinavian settlers, a fish boil features fish, potatoes, and onions boiled together in a large pot, preferably outdoors over a wood fire.

Ah, now it will shoot little potato pellets.
A reference to the Potato Gun, a time-honored toy that can fire small chunks of potatoes up to 150 yards. Recent innovations have produced the Sonic Potato Gun, the Potato Cannon, and, of course, the Spudgun, the “world’s most advanced hand-held laser-guided bolt-action aluminum SP9004 potato rifle.”

Good thing I took the Sally Struthers gun repair course.
Actress Sally Struthers (b. 1948), best known for playing Gloria on the television series All in the Family (1971-1978), did a series of TV commercials for International Correspondence Schools. Now called Education Direct, the company offers learn-at-home courses on everything from computer programming to floral design to pet grooming.

This time I’m really going to see the Great Pumpkin.
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is a classic TV Halloween special starring the gang of kids from the comic strip “Peanuts,” created by Charles Schulz. First aired in 1966, Great Pumpkin is about Linus’ hope that this Halloween he will finally see the Great Pumpkin, a mythical figure he insists distributes toys to children.

Hey—it’s the “Family Circus” shapely grandma.
“Family Circus” is a cloyingly wholesome comic strip created by artist Bil Keane. The strip, drawn in a circle rather than the usual rectangle, is about the cute exploits of several small children and their long-suffering parents. The kids’ grandmother has quite the nice shape to her.

Cindy Lou Who grew up nice!
Cindy Lou Who, “who was no more than two,” is a character from the classic 1966 TV special How the Grinch Stole Christmas, based on the book by Dr. Seuss. Cindy almost foils the Grinch’s plans when she wanders sleepily out of bed while he’s stripping her home of everything festive. Her voice was supplied by June Foray, who also voiced Rocky the squirrel on Rocky and Bullwinkle.

She’s thinking of England, France, the entire European Community, the Middle East ...
“Close your eyes and think of England” was supposedly the advice Victorian mamas gave their daughters before their wedding night, as women in Victorian times were not supposed to a) enjoy sex or b) even know that it existed until the moment of truth.

Recorder music for young lovers.
Probably a reference to the old “Music for Young Lovers” segments that aired on Terry Lee’s radio show. Lee was a DJ in Pittsburgh back in the ‘60s and ‘70s; he released several CDs of said music.

[Sung.] Controversy ...
Yet another Prince song, this one “Controversy” from the 1981 album of the same name.

Come on over here and let me work on that zipper.
A reference to the Prince song “Gett Off.” Sample lyrics: “Now move your big ass ‘round this way/So I can work on that zipper, baby/Tonight you’re a star/And I’m the big dipper.”

[Sung.] I think I wanna dance. Aoww!
A line from the Prince song “Kiss.”

Got milch?
“Milch” is the German word for “milk”; the phrase is a takeoff on the “Got Milk?” ad campaign run by American dairy farmers and processors.

We should have taken the [sung] little red Corvette.
Prince, of course—who else? This is from the song “Little Red Corvette.”

Baby, you got to slow down.
A paraphrase of lyrics from “Little Red Corvette”: “Little red corvette/Baby you’re much 2 fast ...Little red corvette/Honey U got 2 slow down (Got 2 slow down).”

Well, dropped her off at the Tiki Hut—now I’ve got to change and get to my shift at the Comfort Inn.
Comfort Inn is a chain of “budget luxury” hotels owned by Choice Hotels, which also runs the Sleep Inn and Econo Lodge chains.

It’s Walt Disney, and he’s mad.
Walt Disney (1901-1966) was of course the founder of the Disney empire, which encompasses movies, cartoons, theme parks, television shows and more. He was the creator of such classic animated characters as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck (supplying the voice for Mickey himself). In 1935, with the release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, he created the first full-length animated film—one that would be followed by many more.

On the way home I want to pick up some [sung] creeeam!
“Cream” is (of course) a song by Prince, from the 1991 album Diamonds and Pearls.

I just know he’s got Altoids in here.
Altoids, those “curiously strong” breath mints that come in an old-fashioned tin, were created around the beginning of the 19th century by a London company and originally marketed as a soothing stomach remedy. They are currently manufactured in Wales, although they have become more popular in the United States than in their home country.

If Pepe Le Pew was a human, he’d be this guy.
Pepe Le Pew is the love-starved French skunk featured in many a Warner Brothers animated short. Created by Michael Maltese in 1945, Pepe was perfected over the years and made famous by director Chuck Jones. A typical Pepe Le Pew cartoon has a hapless black cat somehow getting a white stripe painted/dyed down her back, and then being mistaken for a skunk by the amorous Pepe, who proceeds to woo her in a most vigorous and insistent manner.

Oh, man, just another manic Monday.
“Manic Monday” is a song recorded by the girl group The Bangles. It was written for them by Christopher Tracy, who, in his other life, is known as ... Prince!

Ocean’s 2.
Ocean’s 11 is a 1960 film starring members of the Rat Pack (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop, etc.) as a group of friends who decide to rob five casinos in one night. It was remade in 2001 by Steven Soderbergh; the new version starred George Clooney in the Sinatra role of Danny Ocean.

[Sung.] Eat my dinner at a fancy restaurant ...
A line from the Sinead O’Connor song “Nothing Compares 2 U”: “Since U been gone I can do whatever I want/I can see whomever I choose/I can eat my dinner in a fancy restaurant.” The song was written for her by (all together now) Prince.

I’d like to spend the night inside your sugar walls ... –That’s enough, Prince!
“Sugar Walls” is a song by Sheena Easton, from the album A Private Heaven. The exact line is, “Come spend the night inside my sugar walls.” Do I even need to tell you who wrote the song?

It’s bull’s ear day. Kids under ten get a bull ear.
This is probably a take on the various promotional gimmicks baseball parks have used over the years to boost attendance. The bull’s ear is a reference to the tradition of awarding a severed bull’s ear to a matador at the end of a bullfight, subject to the crowd’s approval.

That NAFTA is really working.
NAFTA stands for North American Free Trade Agreement, a free-trade deal signed in 1992 that aimed to gradually eliminate tariffs and other trade barriers between Canada, the United States and Mexico. It was inspired by the success of free trade agreements within the European Community, although it was fiercely opposed by some in the United States who feared it would send jobs south of the border into Mexico, where labor is considerably cheaper.

Well, that’s the last Taco John’s we’ll see for a while.
Taco John’s is an American chain of Mexican restaurants featuring tacos, burritos, nachos, etc.

Wish I could have taken the Alfa ...
“Alfa” refers to Alfa Romeo, a line of Italian sports cars.

It’s Pee-wee’s grandfather, Winchester-wee Herman.
Pee-wee Herman is a character created by comedian Paul Reubens (b. 1952). Essentially an overgrown kid in a too-short suit and bow tie, Pee-wee was featured in two movies, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure and Big Top Pee-wee. He also acted as the host of a very successful children’s show, Pee-wee’s Playhouse. That show was canceled in 1991 following Reubens’ arrest on charges he indecently exposed himself during a showing of an X-rated film in an adult theater. According to Pee-wee’s official biography, his grandfather’s name is actually Hermann Herman.

Wendy and Lisa are coming over later—is that okay?
Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman, known professionally as Wendy & Lisa, were members of Prince’s backup band, the Revolution. After Prince broke up the band in 1986, Wendy & Lisa went on to release several albums as a duo.

Cowabunga, Billy!
“Cowabunga!” was a popular exclamation among surfers in the 1960s. It apparently had its origin on the Howdy Doody Show, as a word used by character Chief Thunderthud. It was later popularized by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, stars of comic books, TV and movies, and by the character Bart Simpson on the TV show The Simpsons.

“Caya del Campo.” ... my darling.
A paraphrase of the song “Vaya con Dios,” written by Larry Russel, Inez James, and Buddy Pepper. The actual lyrics: “Now the hacienda’s dark, the town is sleeping/Now the time has come to part, the time for weeping/Vaya con Dios, my darling/May God be with you, my love.”

“Three-position dial: transmitting, receiving ...” ... and Pong.
Pong was one of the first, if not the first, video games. It was essentially an electronic version of table tennis: each player had a “paddle” and they bounced a little “ball” between them.

I work out of my apartment and make big deutschmarks at home.
“Make big money at home” is a common phrase found in “work at home” ads, which appear in many newspapers and magazines. These ads generally promise enormous profits for virtually no work, and a great many of them are scams.

Agent from Panelcraft.
This is probably a reference to Panelcraft of Minnesota, a home improvement company that operates in the Midwest, handling siding, windows, roofing and so forth.

Is that Jan or Dean?
Jan Berry and Dean Torrence were a surf-music duo back in the 1960s. Their biggest hit was “Surf City,” which hit number one in 1963.

Oh, no, let’s go!
A line from the song “Let’s Go Crazy” by Prince.

[Sung.] Gotta dance, gotta dance ...
This may be a reference to the Irving Berlin song “Puttin’ On the Ritz.”

[Sung.] Could that be the most beautiful girl in the world ...
Seems to be a paraphrase of another Prince song, this one “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World”: “Could U be the most beautiful girl in the world?/It’s plain 2 see U’re the reason that God made a girl.”

The Zenith Corporation recommends you do not wire your television to metal doors.
Zenith Electronics Corporation began in the days of radio and made the transition to television in the 1940s. It still manufactures electronics today.

Mike, do you have Kevorkian’s number?
Dr. Jack Kevorkian (b. 1928) is known for his determination to assist terminally ill people in committing suicide. He has spent time in jail for violating assisted suicide laws, and has been criticized even by some proponents of euthanasia for his willingness to help total strangers commit suicide.

[Sung.] Volga boatman ... The Volga boatman ...
A reference to the “Song of the Volga Boatman,” a traditional tune that has been recorded by everyone from classical groups to the Glenn Miller Orchestra.

We just opened another Kentucky Fried Chicken in San Diego.
Kentucky Fried Chicken, or KFC as they now prefer to be called, is a chain of fast-food restaurants founded in 1952 by Colonel Harland Sanders (1890-1980).

My uncle’s Ted Nugent.
Ted Nugent (b. 1948) is a hard-rock guitarist known for such hit albums as Cat Scratch Fever and Double Live Gonzo. He is equally well known for his right-wing political views, pro-gun advocacy, strong anti-drug stance, and love of hunting. In 2001 he was re-elected to the board of directors of the National Rifle Association.

Sucret?
Sucrets are a brand of throat lozenges manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline.

“Martinez?” Gimlets? Anything?
A gimlet is an alcoholic drink consisting of gin or vodka, Rose’s Lime Juice (a sweetened, strongly flavored lime juice) and ice. It is a violent green in color.

The Denorex side makes my face melt.
Denorex is a brand of dandruff shampoo manufactured by Whitehall-Robins Healthcare. I believe they ran a series of ads comparing the “Denorex side” of a dandruff sufferer’s scalp to the side that used Head & Shoulders, but I was unable to verify this.

Perhaps, much like Linus, I can wrap my cardigan around the tire.
Linus is a character from the comic strip “Peanuts,” created by Charles Schulz. He always carries a security blanket with him, which he uses to perform various useful tasks.

[Sung.] Agent from H.A.R.M. lets the good times roll ...
A paraphrase of the Jimmy Buffett song “Let the Good Times Roll.” Sample lyrics: “Come on baby let the good times roll/Come on baby let me thrill your soul/Come on baby let the good times roll/Roll all night long.”

He’s calling all the crickets to come help him.
Tarzan, the king of the jungle created by pulp author Edgar Rice Burroughs in a series of novels, had the ability to call on various beasts to help him when he needed them.

Look, it’s Nathan Lane!
Actor Nathan Lane (b. 1956) has appeared in such movies as The Birdcage and Jeffrey. He has also done a number of voiceovers, including the voice of Timon the Meerkat in Disney’s The Lion King.

El Truman Capote.
Truman Capote (1924-1984) was an American writer who was best known for his book In Cold Blood, a “nonfiction novel” about the actual murder of a Kansas farm family. He was a very close friend of fellow author Harper Lee; she based the character Dill in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird on Capote.

Worf stepped on it.
Lieutenant Worf was a character on the TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He was played by actor Michael Dorn.

Ah, it’s Mission: Impossible language.
Mission: Impossible was a TV series that aired from 1966 to 1973. It starred Peter Graves as secret agent Jim Phelps, the leader of an elite covert operations squad. In 1996 a feature film starring Tom Cruise was made based on the original series.

Is that Tabu you’re wearing?
Tabu is a perfume first produced in 1932 by the house of Dana.

John Schuck prepares for war.
John Schuck (b. 1940) is an actor who has appeared in numerous TV series and films, including MASH, Star Trek IV, and Demon Knight.

Look at that arm! I guess he mouthed off to Mayte.
Mayte Garcia-Nelson (b. circa 1974) joined Prince’s band as a backup dancer in 1992; in 1996 the couple married. They had one son who died shortly after birth; in 1999 Prince announced he was having the marriage annulled, reportedly because he did not want to be bound by earthly laws.

[Sung.] Scooby-dooby-doo, be-dooby-dooby ...
This is probably a reference to crooner Frank Sinatra (1915-1998), who was not particularly noted for the originality of his scatting; “shooby-dooby-doo” was a pretty typical example. The phrase “scooby-dooby-doo” is from the theme song to the old Scooby-Doo animated TV series.

I’ll see what Pyle thinks I should do.
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. was a TV series starring Jim Nabors as the title character; it aired from 1964 to 1970.

Zippo lighter at the ready.
Zippo Manufacturing Co. made the lighters that American G.I.s carried into battle during World War II (along with their government-issued ration of cigarettes); their name has become largely synonymous with lighters, and many of their products have become collector’s items.

Jerome Robbins, P.I.
Jerome Robbins (1918-1998) was one of the 20th century’s most celebrated choreographers. He divided his time between Broadway musicals and ballet, and is probably best remembered for his groundbreaking choreography for West Side Story, for which he won a Tony and an Academy Award. See note about Magnum, P.I. above.

Yay! It’s Leather Tuscadero!
Leather Tuscadero was a character on the TV series Happy Days, which ran from 1974 to 1984. The part was played by actress Suzi Quatro (b. 1950).

Still, this is better than any given Northwest flight.
Northwest Airlines is a passenger airline based in Minneapolis-St. Paul. For some reason, the writers really had a hate on for this airline, and they insulted it mercilessly every chance they got.

Whoa! Guess I should have known!
This is the opening line to the song “Little Red Corvette” by Prince.

Stop! Or I’ll Agent from H.A.R.M. you!
This is a take on the line “I’ll harm you!” uttered by comedian Joe Besser (1907-1988) in his persona of Oswald, a bratty character he portrayed on The Abbott and Costello Show (1952-1953).

My Fiestaware collection!
Fiestaware is a line of dinnerware made by the Homer Laughlin China Company. It comes in a variety of decorator colors and is highly prized by collectors. Apparently, the old red Fiestaware contained uranium and lead, though, so you might want to be careful what you eat off it.

Back into my hollow tree.
The Keebler elves, who supposedly hand-shape their cookies to perfection, have their extensive manufacturing facilities housed in a hollow tree.

Do you have any Bactine?
Bactine is a combination antiseptic and anesthetic manufactured by Bayer Corporation.

He’s wearing panty smoothers.
In the 1970s, girdles fell increasingly out of favor and were replaced by so-called “foundation garments,” including “skin enhancers” and “panty smoothers.” But the idea was basically the same: encase the unsightly fat.

The Not-So-Super Soaker.
The Super Soaker is a toy water gun made by Hasbro.

He got that suit at Orville Redenbacher Wearhouse.
Orville Redenbacher (1907-1995) was an agricultural scientist who helped create a new hybrid popcorn, which he then marketed under his own name. His bowtie, hayseed suit and thick glasses were a trademark for the brand. The Men’s Wearhouse is a chain of menswear stores founded in the 1970s by George Zimmer, whose trademark is the phrase “I guarantee it.”

Watch out! The Bisquick!
Bisquick is a biscuit mix manufactured by Betty Crocker.

My Vitalis!
Vitalis is a line of men’s hair care products: hair spray, tonic, etc.

Now he can play Data.
Data was the android lieutenant commander on the TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation, which aired from 1987 to 1994. The part was played by actor Brent Spiner (b. 1949)

I’ll just stay out here and do my Junior Jumble.
Jumble is a scrambled word game that appears in daily newspapers around the country; they also have a “junior” version aimed at kids.

It’s a level five smug alert!
A smog alert is a determination of poor air quality, particularly common in Southern California (though less common than they used to be). A level one smog alert is issued when air pollution reaches an unhealthy level; at a level two smog alert, people are advised to avoid outdoors activity.

Wait—I forgot my Lancome special gift free with purchase thing.
Lancome Paris is a cosmetics company that manufactures makeup, perfumes, skin-care products, etc. Cosmetics companies frequently offer “gifts” free with purchase through various department stores: makeup bags, sample-size bottles of perfume, and so forth.

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Last updated: 08/20/03.