Seymour Skinner's plaque reads that he lived from "1953-2010" when this episode was first released in 2002, meaning he only had 8 more years to live (if however, 2010 has since passed making this plaque he has surpassed this death date). However, since this is not the real Seymour Skinner, but actually 'Armin Tamzarian' [as shown in "The Principal and the Pauper"] and the real Seymour Skinner has not been mentioned since his introduction, this plaque may in fact be accurate.
In the Itchy and Scratchy cartoon, when Scratchy is sent through the cow's body, he is melted by stomach acid - in multiple stomachs. This is actually true to real life - cows really do have multiple stomachs.
When Bart runs in his bubble and splats mud on Jimbo, Kearney, and Dolph, he says When Nerds Are In Trouble I Am Not Slow It's Spin Spin Spin And Away I Go which is a direct homage to Underdog (1964) who says When Polly's In Trouble I Am Not Slow It's Hip Hip Hip And Away I Go.
The episode's sub-plot references the film "The Boy in the Plastic Bubble".