The main characters' names are *almost* the names of U.S. presidents: Willard (not Millard) Fillmore; Rusty P. (not Rutherford B.) Hayes; and Grover Cleaver (not Cleveland). When Ms. Crock flips through the channels on Grover's TV, the Edward D. Wood Jr. movie Glen or Glenda (1953) can be briefly seen. Writers/directors Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski wrote the movie Ed Wood (1994).