The character played by John Waters wears a green carnation on his lapel. Having a green carnation on your lapel was a subtle hint the wearer is homosexual, and is thought to have been popularized by Oscar Wilde in the 1890s.
The title of the episode is taken from a song in the 1950s musical, Wonderful Town (and plays on the soundtrack when Midge is walking down the titular street).
In Susie's new office, she has a view of Times Square and the Canadian Club neon sign. The Canadian Club sign was a fixture in Times Square for 25 years, until 1977.
The reference to the stripper going back to Ohio and her snake is a nod to the musical Last Five Years by Jason Robert Browne. The song A Summer in Ohio references a stripper and her snake called Wayne.
Sophie asks Susie to help her get an audition to host a game show. In real life, Jane Lynch was hosting "The Weakest Link" when this was filmed.