Experimental musical instrument including intonarumori ("intoners" or "noise machines"), to create "noises" for performance. Unfortunately, none of his original intonarumori survived World War II. Replicas are being made though. Léon Theremin was a Russian inventor, most famous for his invention of the theremin around 1919–1920, one of the first electronic musical instruments. The Ondes Martenot is another early example of an electronic musical instrument. The luthéal is a type of prepared piano created by George Cloetens in the late 1890s and used by Maurice Ravel in his "Tzigane" for luthéal and violin. The instrument can produce sounds like a guitar or a harmonica,
A Star Is Burns play in the opening moments of the episode is a parody of "U Can't Touch This" by MC Hammer. The opening of Bart's film "The Eternal Struggle" is a reference to The Amazing Criswell's narration in "Plan 9 from Outer Space". Barney's film contains references to "Koyaanisqatsi", and the music of the film, which was composed by Philip Glass. Barney's film also features musical selections from the aria "Un bel di vedremo" from Act II, pt. 1 of Puccini's opera "Madama Butterfly". In its original broadcast, "A Star Is Burns" finished 57th in the ratings for the week of February