The episode's original subplot was intended to include Don Rickles as a guest star presenting a comedy show and Homer laughing excessively at his jokes, until Rickles ridicules him. The pair were intended to start fighting and end up having to go to court. Despite Conan O'Brien and other production staff being sure that Rickles would appear in the episode, he was reportedly upset by the concept of the storyline, as he did not wish to be portrayed as a "mean guy". When attending a Fox Broadcasting Company publicity event in New York City with Rupert Murdoch, show producer Matt Groening was introduced by Murdoch to Rickles. Rickles began shouting at Groening, accusing him of spying on his Las Vegas act and using material from that for the episode.[4] The cast actually had been receiving recordings from Rickles from the 1950s to use as ideas on how to get the style for his animatic portrayal.
First appearance of the Sea Captain character.
This marks the final speaking appearance of Mrs. Winfield, the Simpsons' next-door neighbour since the beginning of the series, and the arrival of the Powers family in their former house. Ruth would have one more substantial speaking role (in Marge on the Lam), but her daughter Laura would never be seen again.
The song that plays while the moose is rummaging through Homer's trash is a parody of the theme song from Northern Exposure (1990).
In Thailand, the scene in which Bart "smokes" bubbles from a toy pipe while talking to Laura was pixelated, as per the country's rules.