Do you ever take out pop culture references because they’re too obtuse? It doesn’t seem like you’re much concerned about that.
No, I don’t give a shit about that. In “Gilmore” they once tried to get me to take out an Oscar Levant joke, saying nobody knows who Oscar Levant is. And I said, “You know what, there’s two or three gay boys watching this show who know who Oscar Levant is and this is for them. And for all those who don’t, I talk about Justin Timberlake on the next page, so we’re good.” I actually do not give a shit. I sort of feel like the references are fun and it’s almost just as fun if people don’t know who they are, and have to ask who they are, than if they do.
-Amy Sherman-Palladino in interview with Salon
