David Lei Brandt, Bobby Edner, Thomas Fiss, Jayk Purdy, and Drew Richard appears as themselves, as members of Varsity Fanclub.

Noser: You got your nude self-portrait into a gallery show?
Pip: That was my sister. And no, my period of erotic sibling representation is over. This gallery show, it's something new. I'm calling it Deux Ex Pip. It's Latin for "The Machines of Pip."
Lacey: That's not what it means.
Pip: Whatever!

Lacey: Pip is about to reap the whirlwind. That means we’re gonna do bad things to him.

The Middleman: But I’ve always been fascinated by the ability of preassembled sets of submasculine archetypes to tug at the heartstrings of a 12-to-17-year-old fanbase.
Wendy: Funny, I’ve always been fascinated by their ability to bring up my lunch.

The Middleman: Now, let’s try to get there before that little girl sucks the band through a hole. (Wendy stares) In space.

The Middleman: Ida loved paperwork.
Wendy: Yeah, Ida loved a lot of things Like belittling my every accomplishment.
The Middleman: Hmmm.
Wendy: Calling me a drug addict. threatening me with physical harm.
The Middleman: She was a pistol.

(talking about Ida)
Wendy: You know, the idea that her sacrifice would lead to peace and prosperity for hundreds and billions of aliens, not to mention save Earth itself, think it would have really ticked her off.

This episode is filled with references to the Indiana Jones franchise. When the Middleman introduces them as magicians, he uses the names Rene and Marion: Rene Belloq and Marion Ravenwood from Raiders of the Lost Ark. Dr. Marshall works at the Henry Jones University. The team later use the fake IDs of Brody and Forrestal: Marcus Brody, and Indy's competitor Forrestal from the first movie. At the concert, Wendy uses the fake names of Ravenwood and Jones, a reference to Marion and Abner Ravenwood, and Indiana Jones. Cindy's address, 1981 Lucas, refers to George Lucas and the year Raiders of the Lost Ark was released.