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Season 1, Episode 6: “Rory’s Birthday Parties”

Season 1, episode 6: “Rory’s Birthday Parties”
Original air date: 9 November 2000
Directed by: Sarah Pia Anderson
Written by: Amy Sherman-Palladino

Summary: It’s Rory’s birthday, but before she can enjoy a laid-back Stars Hollow party, she must face her classmates at a formal one planned by Emily.

On this page: References in Chronological Order | References Sorted by Category | Credits

References in Chronological Order

00:15 – ⭐ reference
EMILY: Everything’s a joke. Everyone’s a punchline.
LORELAI: Okay, I’m sorry.
EMILY: My daughter, Henny Youngman.
00:25
RICHARD: Well, what did I miss?
LORELAI: I was being impossible, and then I turned into a Jewish comedian.

Henry “Henny” Youngman (born Henry Yungman, 1906-1998) was an English-born US comedian dubbed the “King of One-Liners” by US newspaper columnist Walter Winchell. Youngman deviated from the traditional comedic formula in which a punchline follows a lengthy setup, instead delivering many jokes in rapid succession, sometimes with violin interludes. He can be seen performing here in a 1969 episode of US variety television series The Ed Sullivan Show.

Youngman’s most famous joke, “Take my wife, please,” originated when he took his wife, Sadie, to a radio show and asked a stagehand to escort her to her seat. His request was misinterpreted as a joke, and he continued to use the line throughout his career. Though Youngman frequently made jokes at Sadie’s expense, they were a devoted married couple for fifty-nine years.

00:20 – 🗺️ mention
RICHARD: Sorry for that. A little trouble in our China office.

The People’s Republic of China (located in East Asia) is the world’s second-most populous country after India and the world’s second-largest economy by GDP after the United States. As one of the world’s largest trading partners, it makes sense that Richard’s firm might do business there. China was mentioned previously in episode two.

00:45 – 🪶 mention
RICHARD: Take a look at that desk in my office. That’s a really fine Georgian piece.

Georgian architecture and interior design styles are characterized by symmetry, even proportions, soft colors, and Classical ornamentation; Chippendale and Sheraton furniture are typical examples. The style originated in Britain and spanned the reigns of four kings, beginning with the accession of George I in 1714 and ending with the death of George IV in 1830. It proliferated to the Thirteen Colonies in the eighteenth century and became popular again during the Colonial Revival of the late nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century.

00:55 – 🏷️ mention
EMILY: So, just look around, and when you see something you like, stick a Post-it on it.
01:30
EMILY: You like the bowl? Put a Post-it on it when you’re done.

Post-it is a US brand of sticky notes produced by US multinational conglomerate the 3M Company. In 1968, US chemist Spencer Silver accidentally discovered a reusable, pressure-sensitive adhesive, and in 1975, fellow US scientist Arthur Fry applied the adhesive to the creation of sticky notes. Fry filed a patent for the notes in 1993. Both Silver and Fry were employees of the 3M Company.

In US English, the term “Post-it” has become a generic trademark, or proprietary eponym, a brand name that, due to its prevalence or significance, has become a generic term for an entire class of products. Any sticky note, of any brand, may be casually referred to as a “Post-it” despite the fact that the term is a registered trademark owned by 3M.

Post-its were mentioned previously in episode three at 17:25 and in episode four at 01:50.

01:20 – 🕊️ reference
LORELAI: Oh, I love pudding. I worship it. I have a bowl up on the mantel at home with a Virgin Mary, a glass of wine, and a dollar bill next to it.

Mary was a first-century Jewish woman who, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, was selected by God to conceive Jesus immaculately through the Holy Spirit. She is a central figure in Christianity often venerated as the holiest saint, though some denominations assign her higher status than others. Catholicism is one denomination for whom Mary is central, and Catholic practitioners may create home altars featuring images or statues of Mary, along with other tributes. In Mexican and Mexican-American Catholicism, Mary may be referred to as Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (English: Our Lady of Guadalupe).

The Virgin Mary was referenced previously in episode two and in episode four.

04:00 – 💿 reference
RORY: You couldn’t get her to cave.
LORELAI: No. But she did agree to make the string quartet learn “Like a Virgin.”

“Like a Virgin” is a 1984 dance-pop song, released as the lead single from the album of the same name, by US singer Madonna. It is certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America and was the United States’ second-highest-charting single of 1985, according to Billboard. Madonna performed the song live at the inaugural MTV Video Music Awards in 1984.

The song has been referenced and parodied since its release, most notably by US comedian and singer-songwriter “Weird Al” Yankovic in his 1985 cover “Like a Surgeon.” It is also referenced in the opening scene of Quentin Tarantino’s 1992 US heist film Reservoir Dogs.

04:15 – 💿 reference + 🕊️ reference + ⭐ reference
RORY: So, is this party Grandma’s having gonna be a big deal?
LORELAI: Not really. The government will close that day. Flags will fly at half-mast. Barbra Streisand will give her final concert…again. Now, the pope has previous plans, but he’s trying to get out of them. However, Elvis and Jim Morrison are coming, and they’re bringing chips.

Barbra Streisand (born Barbara Streisand, 1942) is a US singer, actor, and filmmaker. She is the United States’ third-best-selling female artist (after Taylor Swift and Mariah Carey), with thirty-one albums certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. She has also attained EGOT status, with five Emmy Awards, ten Grammy Awards, two Academy Awards (or Oscars), and one Special Tony Award to her name.

Streisand’s 1999-2000 Timeless tour was ostensibly her last, but she has held additional concerts subsequent to her “final” one on 28 September 2000, leading to some skepticism about her intention to retire. She told Deadline in 2018, “Every time I finish doing some concerts, I say, ‘Never again… When can I stop doing this,’ and then, years later, I go, ‘Well, maybe I should do another one or two.'”

The pope is the bishop of Rome, head of the Catholic Church, and sovereign of the Vatican City State. The pope at the time this episode aired was John Paul II, who reigned from 1978 until his death in 2005.

Elvis Presley (1935-1977) was a US singer and actor sometimes referred to as the “King of Rock and Roll.” He is a twentieth-century icon and one of the best-selling artists of all time, holding the record for the most albums certified gold and platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. His death at the age of forty-two shocked fans, drawing thousands of mourners and prompting a statement by President Jimmy Carter.

Jim Morrison (born James Morrison, 1943-1971) was a US singer-songwriter best known as frontman and lead singer of US rock band the Doors. His mysterious persona, rebellious stage antics, and premature death have made him a legend of 1960s youth culture. His age at death helped give rise to the “27 Club” urban myth, which holds that musician deaths are unusually common at that age. High-profile cases like Morrison’s have drawn attention to the number, but research shows that musicians are no likelier to die at twenty-seven than at any other age; one analysis found that musician deaths peak at age fifty-six.

For decades, both Presley and Morrison have been the subjects of conspiracy theories claiming that they faked their deaths and are going about their lives anonymously. Reports, both earnest and ironic, of “Elvis sightings” were especially common through the 1990s.

04:45 – 📺 reference
SOOKIE: It’s too bad you couldn’t get your mom to relinquish Friday night.
LORELAI: No, she has her Vulcan death grip on that one.

Star Trek is a US science fiction television series that aired originally from 1966 to 1969. Vulcans are a humanoid species within the Star Trek universe, and the Vulcan neck, or nerve, pinch is a martial technique used to render a victim unconscious. In the 1968 episode, “The Enterprise Incident,” Vulcan character Spock applies the technique to Captain Kirk in order to convince enemies of the starship Enterprise that the captain is dead. He passes off the neck pinch as a “Vulcan death grip” when, in reality, there is no such thing.

05:55 – 📺 reference
LORELAI: You didn’t build one of those machines like in The Fly, did you? We’re not gonna find you wandering the streets with a raspberry head, crying, “Eat me”?

The Fly is a 1958 US science fiction horror film directed by Kurt Neumann. “The film tells the story of a scientist who is transformed into a grotesque human-fly hybrid after a common house fly enters unseen into a molecular transporter with which he is experimenting” (Wikipedia). In the film’s disturbing conclusion, the transformed scientist is caught helplessly in a spider’s web, screaming, “Help me!” as a large spider advances on him. The film is based on George Langelaan’s 1957 short story of the same name. It was remade by director David Cronenberg in 1986.

06:40 – 📺 reference + ⭐ reference
LORELAI: Lucy, I’m home!
RORY: Kitchen!
LORELAI: And Justin is just so dreamy, he can’t marry Britney, I’ll just cry and cry and cry.

“Lucy, I’m home!” is a greeting spoken by Ricky Ricardo to his wife, Lucy, on the classic US television sitcom I Love Lucy (1951-1957). The line is associated with the show mainly due to pop culture parodies, leading some people to claim that it is a misremembered line never actually spoken in the original series. While it does not occur with the frequency of a true catchphrase, it can be heard in the 1951 episode “The Fur Coat,” the 1952 episode “Lucy Fakes Illness,” and the 1953 episode “No Children Allowed.”

US pop singers (and former Mouseketeers) Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears (both born 1981) were a music industry “It” couple at the time this episode aired. Just two months later, in January 2001, the two would attend the American Music Awards wearing matching all-denim outfits, a look that remains recognizable and widely parodied to this day. They never married, however, and broke up in 2002 after three years of dating. Spears was referenced in the pilot episode, and Timberlake’s vocal group, NSYNC, was referenced in episode three.

08:15 – 💿 feature
Tristan shows Rory an invitation, sent out by Emily, to Rory’s own birthday party. “Happy Birthday” by Altered Images plays as a demoralized Rory walks down the hall and overhears other students snidely discussing the upcoming “obligation party.”
13:20
The song plays again briefly when Lorelai and Rory are discussing their party dresses.

This song was released as a single from the 1981 album Happy Birthday by Scottish new-wave and post-punk band Altered Images. It peaked at number two on the UK singles chart and is certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry.

08:45 – ⭐ reference
EMILY: Oh, isn’t this lovely?
LORELAI: Oh, yeah! As soon as we have her crowned Queen of England, we’ll give it to her.

Female members of the British royal family have been known to wear elaborately designed hats to public functions. Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022) was often eye-catching in her array of many hats and carefully color-coordinated outfits.

09:25 – 🏷️ reference
EMILY: A Montblanc pen?
LORELAI: To put on her desk at the law firm?
EMILY: She needs to write!
LORELAI: Well, not with a $200 pen, she doesn’t.

Montblanc is a German producer of luxury goods, including watches, jewelry, and pens. Currently, their pens cost more than $300 USD, often ranging into the thousands. The company shares its name with Mont Blanc (Italian: Monte Bianco), the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe, located on the border of France and Italy.

09:45 – ⭐ reference
EMILY: Please be serious. We’re shopping for Rory.
LORELAI: No, Mom, I’m shopping for Rory. You’re shopping for your imaginary granddaughter, Barbara Hutton.

Barbara Woolworth Hutton (1912-1979) was a US socialite and granddaughter of Frank Winfield Woolworth, founder of five-and-dime retail chain the F. W. Woolworth Company, commonly known as Woolworth’s. She was heiress to one-third of her grandfather’s fortune. Hutton was twice dubbed “Poor Little Rich Girl” by the press, “first when she was given a lavish and expensive debutante ball in 1930 amid the Great Depression and later due to a notoriously troubled private life” (Wikipedia).

Hutton lost her mother, Edna Woolworth, when she was four and was neglected by her father, Franklyn Laws Hutton. In her adult life, she struggled with drug abuse and anorexia, attempted suicide, and was married and divorced seven times. Her husbands included US-English actor Cary Grant, who, unlike several husbands who exploited and abused her, reportedly treated her with kindness and sought no money from her in their divorce.

09:50 – 🏷️ reference
EMILY: Well, you wanted me to get her a Filofax and a mermaid eraser.

Filofax is a UK brand of personal organizers and other stationery goods founded in 1921. The traditional Filofax is a leather-bound, six-ring binder containing loose-leaf papers. It can be used to store telephone numbers, addresses, lists, and notes, hence the name Filofax, or “file of facts.” In the 1980s, such organizers became widely associated with “Yuppies” (young urban professionals, especially stockbrokers).

09:55 – ⭐ reference
EMILY: Oh, yes, and there was the t-shirt with the Farrah Fawcett face.
LORELAI: A hero to many who aspire to the perfect feather flip.

Farrah Fawcett (born Mary Ferrah Leni Fawcett, 1947-2009) was a US actor and model best known for her role on the first season of US crime drama series Charlie’s Angels (1976-1981). Her voluminous, feathered hairstyle – known as the “Farrah flip” or simply “Farrah hair” – set international trends, influencing women’s hairstyling through the 1980s. A 1976 pin-up, in which Fawcett sports wild, curly hair and a red swimsuit, is considered the best-selling poster of all time.

12:00 – 🗺️ reference
LORELAI: These are our party dresses.
RORY: So, it’s a Halloween party?

Halloween is a cultural holiday celebrated on 31 October. Though Halloween tradition has evolved continuously over the centuries, and scholars disagree over its origins, it may derive from the Celtic harvest festival Samhain and the Christian feast of All Saints. The name “Halloween” derives from “All Hallows’ Eve,” referring to the evening preceding All Saints’ or All Hallows’ Day, the word “hallow” being a historical term for a saint. Dressing in disguise is a cornerstone of the modern Halloween, though today’s costumes may emphasize pageantry over concealment.

12:55 – 🏷️ reference
LORELAI: So, now tell me, why Miss Lemonhead today?

Lemonhead is a US brand of sour candy consisting of a sweet coating, a sour, citrus-flavored shell, and a hard candy core. Produced by the Ferrara Candy Company since 1962, the Lemonhead logo is a boy with a literal lemon head: a sideways lemon, with tapered ends somewhat resembling ears, and a smiling face.

13:10 – 📖/📺 reference
LORELAI: Maybe we should really embrace the whole tulle thing. Go totally modern Cinderella.

The folk tale “Cinderella” has existed in various forms for centuries, but I’m guessing Lorelai is alluding to the full-skirted, silver-blue gown worn by the title character in 1950 animated musical Disney film Cinderella. It is directed by Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske, and Clyde Geronimi. US singer and actor Brandy wears a similar gown in Robert Iscove’s 1997 film, Cinderella, based on the 1957 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical.

The story of Rhodopis, an enslaved Greek girl who marries the king of Egypt, is believed to be the story’s earliest known variant, recounted by Greek historian Strabo in the late first century BCE or the early first century CE. Popular later versions include the 1697Cendrillon, ou la petite pantoufle de verre (English: Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper) by French author Charles Perrault, and the German “Aschenputtel” (English: “Cinderella”), published by the Brothers Grimm in their 1812 Grimms’ Fairy Tales. According to the World History Encyclopedia, the oft-cited “Egyptian Cinderella” story was actually written by US author Olive Beaupré Miller in 1920, using elements of both Strabo and Perrault.

14:15 – 🏷️ reference
RORY: So, do I look older?
LORELAI: Oh, yeah. You walk into Denny’s before five, you’ve got yourself a discount.

Denny’s is a US chain of 24-hour diner-style restaurants. Some locations may offer a discounted dinner, known as an “early-bird special,” served at an earlier hour than is traditional for dinner. Such specials are often associated with senior citizens and other price-sensitive customers. The chain also grants a 15% discount to members of the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons), and some locations provide a special menu to diners aged 55 and over.

15:10 – 📺 reference
RORY: I wonder if the Waltons ever did this.

The Waltons (1972-1981) is a US drama television series about a Depression-era family living in rural Virginia. The show is known for closing most episodes with the family’s “goodnight” ritual. The classic scene shows the exterior of the family home, and, in voice-over, each of the eleven family members says “goodnight” to each other in turn. Show creator Earl Hamner Jr. based the series on his 1961 book Spencer’s Mountain and its 1963 film adaptation.

Viewers of later episodes of Gilmore Girls may recognize the Walton house as the Dragonfly Inn. The façade used in The Waltons was located on a Warner Brothers lot in Burbank, California, and was destroyed after the original series run. A reconstruction, reportedly used for three Waltons reunion specials in the 1990s, was later used on Gilmore Girls.

15:45 – 💿 feature
Rory sets a stack of CDs down on the counter at Luke’s. The cover of The Soft Bulletin by the Flaming Lips is visible on top, followed by two albums by Built to Spill. The back cover of MobySongs 1993-1998 by Moby is visible on the bottom.

The Soft Bulletin is a 1999 album by US rock band the Flaming Lips. It was praised by critics on its release, earning a perfect score from the notoriously brutal US online music magazine Pitchfork, who also named the album the third-best of the 1990s.

Built to Spill is a US indie rock band. Their two most recent albums at the time of this episode were Keep It Like a Secret (1999) and Perfect from Now On (1997), the latter of which Pitchfork ranked #22 on their list of the top 100 albums of the 1990s. Keep It Like a Secret was the band’s first major-label release and their first album to enter the Billboard 200 in the United States.

MobySongs 1993-1998 is a 2000 compilation album by US electronica musician Moby.

18:35 – ⭐ reference
EMILY: Well, I wanted everything to be perfect. What do you think?
LORELAI: I think Edith Wharton would have been proud, and busy taking notes.

Edith Wharton (born Edith Newbold Jones, 1862-1937) was a US author known for her stories of Gilded Age society, including The House of Mirth (1905), Ethan Frome (1911), and The Age of Innocence (1920). The latter was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1921, making Wharton the first female recipient. Born into a prominent and wealthy family, Wharton drew upon her first-hand experience in the upper echelons of New York society to inform the lives and morals of her characters.

The phrase “keeping up with the Joneses” (i.e. attempting to match the material lifestyle or social status of one’s neighbors) has been said to refer to Wharton’s father’s family. However, it appears in print mainly after 1920, making this explanation unlikely.

19:15 – ⭐ reference
RORY: What is it?
LORELAI: A Shirley Temple.
RORY: What are you drinking?
LORELAI: A Shirley Temple Black. … I got your good ship lollipop right here, mister.

Shirley Temple (1928-2014) was a US actor, singer, and dancer best known as an international child star and major box-office attraction of the 1930s. “On the Good Ship Lollipop” became her signature song after she performed it in one of her films, Bright Eyes (1934) when she was six years old. In 1950, she married businessman Charles Alden Black, making her Shirley Temple Black. She retired from acting that same year and forged a career in diplomacy beginning in 1969.

The non-alcoholic cocktail Rory drinks is named after Temple. It is traditionally made with ginger ale, a splash of grenadine, and a maraschino cherry garnish. It is a popular cocktail among minors (people under the age of 21, in the United States), who cannot legally be served alcohol. Lorelai’s drink, a Shirley Temple Black, is an alcoholic version using dark rum. Temple, herself, disliked the drink, telling NPR in 1986, “I had nothing to do with it, but all over the world, I am served that. People think it’s funny. I hate them. Too sweet!”

20:10 – 🗺️ mention
LORELAI: Christopher is in California.

California is the most populous US state and the third-largest by land area. It is located on the Pacific Coast of the Western United States, on the opposite side of the country from Connecticut. Its economy is the largest of any US state by GDP, and the Silicon Valley region of Northern California is regarded as the epicenter of global technology. In the pilot episode, Richard mentioned that Christopher is working for an Internet startup.

20:20 – 🕊️ mention
LORELAI: He calls, like, once a week, and we see him at Christmas, sometimes Easter. It’s all very civil.

Christmas is an annual festival and cultural holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus. It is celebrated by billions of people worldwide, including a majority of Christians and many non-Christians, primarily on 25 December. In episode four, Lorelai uses a phrase referencing the Holy Family (Jesus and his earthly parents, Mary and Joseph), as well as the camel popularly depicted in nativity scenes.

Easter (also known as Pascha or Resurrection Sunday) is an annual Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus, as described in the New Testament. It is a moveable feast, meaning that (unlike Christmas, a fixed feast) it falls on a different date from one year to the next. The most recent Easter Sunday prior to this episode was 23 April 2000.

23:45 – 💿 feature
A large promotional poster for Echo & the Bunnymen’s Ocean Rain hangs on the wall of Lorelai’s childhood bedroom, and a Duran Duran poster hangs on the back of the door. Over the bed, there are three vinyl records: Porcupine by Echo & the Bunnymen, Seven and the Ragged Tiger by Duran Duran, and “The Wild Boys” by Duran Duran.

Echo & the Bunnymen is an English new-wave and post-punk band formed in 1978. Their album Porcupine (1983) peaked at number two on the UK Official Albums Chart, making it their highest-charting release. The album is certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry and produced two charting singles, “The Back of Love” and “The Cutter.” Their 1984 album Ocean Rain peaked at number four on the UK Official Albums Chart, is certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry, and produced three charting singles, “The Killing Moon,” “Seven Seas,” and “Silver.”

Duran Duran is an English new-wave and synth-pop band formed in 1978. They were one of the foremost bands of the Second British Invasion of the 1980s, inspiring a rabid following among US youth. The British press went so far as to dub them “the Fab Five,” likening them to English rock band the Beatles, who were nicknamed “the Fab Four” during the original British Invasion of the mid 1960s. The band chose their name in reference to the character Dr. Durand Durand from the 1968 science fiction film Barbarella. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.

Duran Duran’s 1983 album Seven and the Ragged Tiger was poorly critically reviewed but commercially successful, topping the UK Official Albums Chart. It is certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry and double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Their 1984 single “The Wild Boys” peaked at number two on the UK singles chart and the US Billboard Hot 100. It was the only studio track on the band’s 1984 live album Arena.

23:55 – 📖/📺 reference
RORY: I’m sorry I snapped at Grandma.
LORELAI: Yeah, huh? That was a pretty Freaky Friday moment we had back there.

Freaky Friday is a 1972 children’s fantasy novel about a mother and teenage daughter who switch bodies and, consequently, are forced to trade lives. It was written by US author and composer Mary Rodgers, who also wrote the screenplay for a 1976 film adaptation. The film was remade in 1995 and again in 2003, almost two years after this episode aired.

The first edition of the novel features cover art by US writer and illustrator Edward Gorey.

25:15 – 🏷️ reference
RORY: What did you fight about?
LORELAI: Well, I was pregnant.
RORY: Oh, that.
LORELAI: And I said something at the table about the pâté smelling like Clorox, and one thing led to another.

The Clorox Company is a US multinational manufacturer of consumer products. Though they own many subsidiaries and produce a wide range of products today, they are especially known for their namesake bleach, which they have produced since 1913. Commonly used as a fabric whitener and disinfectant, bleach has a strong and distinctive odor.

Smell sensitivity and food aversions may serve as early indicators of pregnancy, possibly due to hormonal changes.

26:50 – 🗺️ mention
RICHARD: Put that towards your trip to Fez.
41:30
RICHARD: For Fez.
RORY: But Grandpa, you already took care of Fez.
RICHARD: Fez is a very large city.

Rory first told Richard of her desire to visit Fez back in episode three. Fez, or Fes, is the third-largest city (after Casablanca and Tangier) in the North African country of Morocco. In 2000, it had an estimated population of 879,000 people, rising to more than 1.2 million as of the 2024 Moroccan census.

28:00 – 📺 reference
EMILY: They’re her schoolmates. I assumed they were her friends.
LORELAI: Well, you know what they say when people assume things.
EMILY: No, what do they say?
LORELAI: That you shouldn’t.

There is a saying in US English, “You should never ASSUME because, when you ASSUME, you make an ASS of U and ME,” a play on the spelling of the word “assume.” The phrase refers to the embarrassing situations that can result when a person acts on their misapprehensions, without first establishing the facts. Though it was in circulation at least as early as the 1950s, it was popularized by the 1973 episode, “My Strife in Court,” of US television sitcom The Odd Couple.

31:00 – 🎓 mention
PARIS: You can go somewhere else. Go to Brandeis. Brandeis is nice.
RORY: I’ve only ever wanted to go to Harvard. That’s it. Nowhere else. … It’s a big school.
PARIS: I guess.
RORY: We’ll probably never see each other.

Brandeis University is a private research university with a liberal arts focus, located in Waltham, Massachusetts, near Boston. It was founded as a nonsectarian institution by the US Jewish community in 1948 and is named for Louis Brandeis, who served as the first Jewish associate justice of the US Supreme Court from 1916 to 1939. Brandeis is a small school with a student population of 4,696 and an endowment of $1.36 billion USD as of fall 2025. Harvard University, by contrast, had a fall 2024 student population of 21,189 and a 2026 endowment of $68 billion USD, making it the world’s wealthiest academic institution.

Brandeis’s notable alumni include Angela Davis and Abbie Hoffman, both US political activists, and David Crane and Marta Kauffman, who co-created the US television sitcom Friends.

32:00 – 💿 feature
“This Old House” by the Brian Setzer Orchestra plays as Miss Patty arrives at Rory’s birthday party, and Rory opens her present from Lorelai.

This song comes from the 1998 album The Dirty Boogie by US swing band the Brian Setzer Orchestra. The album is certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, bolstered by a revival in swing music that began in the 1980s and peaked in the late 1990s. Originally published as “This Ole House,” the song was written and recorded by US entertainer Stuart Hamblen in 1954. It was further popularized by US singer Rosemary Clooney, who released a version in 1954, and Welsh singer Shakin’ Stevens, who released a version in 1981.

32:25 – 🏷️ feature
Rory receives a new iBook from Lorelai. As Lorelai says, “it’s blue, and it has a handle.”

iBook is a series of laptop computers produced by Apple Computer from 1999 to 2006. The line targeted entry-level consumers, offering more affordable prices and limited specifications than the higher-end PowerBook. It was the first mass-market product equipped for Wi-Fi connectivity. The model Rory receives is an iBook G3 “Clamshell” in the color “Blueberry.” It was discontinued in 2001.

32:40 – 💿 feature
Sookie sets Rory’s birthday cake in front of her, and the party guests all sing “Happy Birthday to You” by Patty and Mildred J. Hill.

In the English-speaking world, this song is sung on a person’s birthday before they blow out the candles on their birthday cake. Though its history is somewhat obscure, US sisters Patty and Mildred J. Hill (a kindergarten principal, and a pianist and composer, respectively) are usually credited as the authors. The tune was published in 1893, though the sisters’ version was called “Good Morning to All” and had different lyrics. It appeared with its current lyrics in 1912. Today, it is in the public domain in the United States and the European Union.

34:00 – 💿 feature
“Why Does It Always Rain on Me?” by Travis plays after Richard and Emily arrive at Rory’s birthday party.

This song comes from the 1999 album The Man Who by Scottish rock band Travis. It topped the UK Rock & Metal Singles Chart and is certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry.

34:40 – 🏷️ mention
LORELAI: Mom, Dad, can I get you a drink?
EMILY: No, thank you.
LORELAI: Oh, now, Mom, you’re gonna need one, and I have wine glasses that say Holiday Inn on ’em.
EMILY: Stoli on the rocks with a twist.

Holiday Inn is an English-owned US hotel chain founded in 1952. It is named for the 1942 Christmas-themed musical film Holiday Inn, starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. Lorelai’s comment suggests she probably took the branded glasses from a room she once stayed in.

Stolichnaya (Russian: Столичная), often shortened to Stoli, is a Russian vodka. The name translates to “capital city” in its adjectival form in Russian.

35:55 – 💿 feature
“The Lathe of Heaven” by Scott Abels, Aaron Owens, Matthew W. Parker, David Fuentes, and Brian Dixon plays as Lorelai brings Richard a drink.

This song does not seem ever to have been released commercially, but rather licensed for use in film and television. Kudos to Gilmore Girls Soundtrack for the song identification.

37:10 – 📖 mention + feature
RORY: I brought you something to read. It’s not The Wall Street Journal, but there’s a quiz in there that determines whether you’re a summer or a fall.

Rory hands Richard a September 2000 issue of Cosmopolitan featuring US model Bridget Hall on the cover.

Cosmopolitan (sometimes shortened to Cosmo) is a US fashion and entertainment magazine marketed toward women. Though it was founded in 1886, its content shifted over time, and, today, it is known for its dating advice and explicit sex tips. Fortunately, the quiz Richard takes concerns his optimal color palette (i.e. whether he is a winter, spring, summer, or autumn).

The Wall Street Journal is a business- and finance-focused US daily newspaper founded in 1889. It has won 39 Pulitzer Prizes in its history and, today, is the largest newspaper by print circulation (and the second-largest by digital, after The New York Times) in the United States. While it claims impartiality in its news pages, its editorial section tends toward conservative viewpoints.

37:30 – 💿 feature
“What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong plays as the party guests tell embarrassing childhood stories about Rory.

This song was written by musician and record producer Bob Thiele (under the name George Douglas) and George David Weiss. It was first recorded by US jazz trumpeter and vocalist Louis Armstrong and released as a single in 1967. Though poorly promoted on its initial release, it gained popularity after being featured in the 1987 US film Good Morning, Vietnam (content warning for violence in that clip) and was reissued as a single in 1988. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 and is certified five times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America as of 2024.

42:20 – 🏷️ reference
LORELAI: Next year, we are going to a McDonald’s with one of those slides, and that’s it.

The McDonald’s Corporation is a US chain of fast-food restaurants founded in 1940. Some McDonald’s locations include a PlayPlace, a McDonald’s-branded jungle gym featuring crawl-tubes, slides, and ball pits. The first McDonald’s PlayPlace opened in California in 1971. McDonald’s was referenced previously in episode four.

References Sorted by Category

Jump to category: 🎓 Academia | 🏷️ Brand Names | ⭐ Famous Figures | 📺 Film, Television & Theater | 🗺️ Geography & Politics | 🪶 History | 📖 Literature | 💿 Music | 🕊️ Religion

🎓 Academia

  • 31:00 – Brandeis University (academic institution)
  • 31:00 – Harvard University (academic institution)

🏷️ Brand Names

  • 00:55, 01:30 – Post-it (sticky note)
  • 09:25 – Montblanc (luxury pens)
  • 09:50 – Filofax (stationery)
  • 12:55 – Lemonhead (candy)
  • 14:15 – Denny’s (restaurant chain)
  • 25:15 – Clorox (bleach)
  • 32:25 – iBook (laptop computer)
  • 34:40 – Holiday Inn (hotel chain)
  • 34:40 – Stolichnaya (vodka), Stoli (also known as)
  • 42:20 – McDonald’s (fast food)

⭐ Famous Figures

  • 00:15, 00:25 – Henny Youngman (comedian)
  • 04:15 – Elvis Presley (singer and actor)
  • 04:15 – Jim Morrison (singer)
  • 06:40 – Justin Timberlake (singer)
  • 06:40 – Britney Spears (singer)
  • 08:45 – Queen Elizabeth II (monarch)
  • 09:45 – Barbara Hutton (socialite)
  • 09:55 – Farrah Fawcett (actor and model)
  • 18:35 – Edith Wharton (author)
  • 19:15 – Shirley Temple Black (actor, singer, diplomat)

📺 Film, Television & Theater

  • 04:45 – Star Trek (television show), Vulcan death grip (plot device)
  • 05:55 – The Fly (1958 film)
  • 06:40 – I Love Lucy (television show), “Lucy, I’m home!” (quotation)
  • 13:10 – Cinderella (1950 film)
  • 15:10 – The Waltons (television show)
  • 23:55 – Freaky Friday (1976 film)
  • 28:00 – The Odd Couple (television show)

🗺️ Geography & Politics

  • 00:20 – China (Asian country)
  • 12:00 – Halloween (cultural holiday)
  • 20:10 – California (US state)
  • 26:50, 41:30 – Fez, Morocco (African city)

🪶 History

  • 00:45 – Georgian (design style)

📖 Literature

  • 13:10 – “Cinderella” (folk tale)
  • 23:55 – Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers (book)
  • 37:10 – Cosmopolitan (magazine)
  • 37:10 – The Wall Street Journal (newspaper)

💿 Music

🕊️ Religion

  • 01:20 – Virgin Mary (religious figure)
  • 04:15 – papacy (religious office), pope (title)
  • 20:20 – Christmas (holiday)
  • 20:20 – Easter (holiday)

Credits

Episode citation: “Rory’s Birthday Parties.” Gilmore Girls, created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, cinematography by Teresa Medina, season 1, episode 6, Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions, Hofflund/Polone, Warner Bros. Television, 2000.

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