Oh, those clever Cohens. Seth, Sandy - not to mention Julie, Summer and the rest of the O.C. gang - are famous for spouting playful bon mots that are just dripping with pop cultural references. Ever wonder what some of them are really talking about? Here's a sample of the In-Jokes you can find in an average episode of "The O.C."
THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME
Ashley: Summer, holy awesome carnival. Love the mini-burgers.
Madison: And high five for taking down Taylor.
Summer: Thanks guys.
(The girls walk off.)
Seth: Okay, why the sad face? This is your Rudy moment.
Summer: I can't enjoy this. Not without Coop.
The mini-Newpsies are all rallied behind Summer; the tyrant Taylor Townsend is toppled. It's Summer's Rudy moment. Even if you're not a fan of sports movies, you probably have a vague idea of what this reference means, thanks to the memorable image depicted on the DVD's cover: Sean Astin (10 years pre-Hobbit) as tough-as-nails runt football player Rudy Ruettiger, being carried off the field by his teammates after beating the odds, fulfilling his dreams and helping Notre Dame win a big game. Check out the movie if you've never seen it - along with "Brian's Song," it's on the list of films it's okay for guys to cry during. Even Ryan might mist up a little at the end.
THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COMESummer: It's the only thing I can do to help. Keep Marissa's legacy from falling into the grubby paws of Taylor Townsend.
Seth: Then you should.
Summer: I can't. You know Taylor Townsend. She's the Karl Rove of the school.
Seth: You can take on Karl Rove.
(then)
You know who Karl Rove is?
Summer: My stepmom naps in front of CNN. Sometimes I hear things as I'm dragging her to bed.
Hey, we absorb current events when we nap in front of CNN, too! Oh wait, that was WWE. That explains why we thought so many people were smashing folding chairs over one another's heads in the White House pressroom. Karl Rove is a Republican consultant who has guided the successful campaigns and political careers of both George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, among others. Partisanship aside, he must be acknowledged as a brilliant strategist, willing to use any and all tactics, no matter how seemingly "dirty," to prevail - so much so that the term "Rovian" may soon surpass "Machiavellian" to describe a particularly devious, manipulative individual like Ms. Townsend (although Karl Rove's got nothing on Taylor in the fashion department). G.W. has gratefully dubbed Rove "Boy Genius," "The Architect" and "Turd Blossom." Swear to God, we're not kidding about that last one, but you'll have to wait until someone says it on "The O.C." before we get into it.
 Read "The Lord of the Rings"
Watch "The Lord of the Rings"
THE AFTERMATHRyan: You talked to Marissa and Summer? When are they coming over?
Seth: They're with the Dark Lord Sauron, or whatever the D.A.'s name is. Did that guy blink once during your deposition? I don't think he's got eyelids...
We know we're treading on hallowed ground here, so we're gonna keep this one short in case we say something wrong and set off the geek brigade. (Just kidding, guys, put down Glamdring.) Dark Lord Sauron is that dude in "The Lord of the Rings" who starts out as an angelic spirit but eventually goes bad, thanks to someone named Morgoth. Then he uses his shape-shifting ability to beat the crap out of the Elves until a couple of folks named Luthien and Huan the Wolfhound take him down a peg. After hiding out for like a thousand years, Sauron comes back pretending to be a good guy and tricks those Elves into letting him forge the One Ring, investing all his kick-ass powers into it. From then on, he pretty much is the Lord of the Rings. Later, after turning himself into a gigantic burning eyeball, he gets defeated by Frodo. There's a whole lot more in between all that, but my head's about to explode.
 Listen to Nico with the
Velvet Underground
THE SHOWDOWNReed: Seth and Zach have talent. They could have careers in comics. But you're the Nico of the group.
Summer: I'm sorry. I don't get references before 1990.
Reed: It's your picture people are gonna ask for. Your face on magazine covers. What do you want? A career in fashion? Hollywood? This is the perfect launching pad. And do you really think I'll be able to control them once you've got the limelight? It'll be your show.
Summer: You're manipulating me, but I do like what you're saying.
Well, Summer may not get references before 1990, but luckily we do! This is the famous scene when Summer's claws come out at the Atomic County launch party. Reed has been not-so-subtly playing Seth and Zach off each other to make the event happen, and Summer calls her on it - only to be irresistibly drawn in by Reed's masterful manipulation herself. This, of course, results in the geek-freaking moment when Summer appears onstage in her skimpy Little Miss Vixen costume, complete with bullwhip. That's right, do not pretend you don't have a screengrab of that scene saved on your computer right now.
Anyway, Nico was a very alluring model, actress and singer from the 1960s. (Your parents would have saved screengrabs of her if they had had such a thing back then.) Born Christa P?ffgen in Nazi-controlled Cologne, Nico helped her mother survive by modeling for a Berlin lingerie company, eventually parlaying her smoldering good looks into a successful career as a cover girl on every major fashion magazine. Movie director Federico Fellini spotted her hanging around the set of his iconic La Dolce Vita, and immediately created a sizable part for her in the film. Several more movies followed, and Nico soon turned to recording songs with the likes of Brian Wilson, Bob Dylan and Andy Warhol, who was mentoring the career of the influential avant-garde rock band The Velvet Underground at the time.
And this is where Reed's obscure pop-culture reference comes in. The Velvet Underground, formed by offbeat talents John Cale and Lou Reed, was fairly well-known before they invited Nico to contribute her smoky, improvisational vocals, but many say it was Nico's dark beauty and proto-Goth mystique that really propelled the band into the popular consciousness. Meanwhile, much like Seth and Zach's rocky relationship with Summer, Cale and Reed were hardly immune to Nico's charms, and their jealousy of each other and infighting eventually led them to get rid of her for the sake of the band's well-being. Here's to hoping the same thing doesn't happen to our Atomic County trio.
THE SHOWDOWNMarissa: It's just - I have this date with Ryan tonight, and I really need it to be perfect. But I can't decide what to wear.
Summer: Please, you could dress as Grimace and stop traffic.
Anyone who was watching TV 20 to 30 years ago cracked up at this one, but even they probably couldn't really tell you what Grimace is. Picture a furry, purple, man-sized cone thing with legs, arms, eyes and a mouth. This mauve monster was one of the more colorful characters in Ronald McDonald's posse in the classic live-action McDonald's commercials, along with the Hamburglar, Mayor McCheese and the Fry Guys. (Damn, now I'm hungry.) Supposedly, Grimace was kind of a clumsy troublemaker on the mean streets of McDonaldland. The important thing is that if sexy Marissa were to parade around in a big Grimace costume, then yes, I suppose we would certainly screech to a halt to take a look. No word on how Ryan would react, however.  Watch "Star Wars, Episode III:
Revenge of the Sith"
THE SHOWDOWNRyan: Tell me you're not using the comic book club to spy on Summer and Zach.
Seth: It's the "Revenge of the Seth," Ryan. I'll see you tonight at the launch.
Um, if you need our help with this one, then even the Insider can't save you from pop-cultural obliviousness. THE SHOWDOWNSeth: You see, Ryan, Zach being in the comic book does me no good unless Summer knows about it. And he's certainly not gonna tell her.
Ryan: And if you do, you look like a tattletale.
Seth: Yes. Unless - it comes out in the form of a casual encounter. (Seth's cell phone rings.)
Seth: Talk to me... And is Guy Smiley with her...? Perfect.
What is it with this episode and references to Gen-X puppet creatures? As anyone who ever watched "Sesame Street" knows, Guy Smiley was "America's favorite game-show host," presiding over such favorite educational skits as "What's My Part?," "Beat the Time" and "The Triangle is Right." In a generic sense, the term Guy Smiley can be used to describe someone who is obsequious and overly bright and enthusiastic (like a game-show host) when trying to win someone's favor. And hey, who could blame anyone for acting all Guy Smiley around a girl like Summer?
 Read The Amazing Adventures of
Kavalier and Clay
THE ACCOMPLICESummer: I don't wanna hear it. What are you guys? Like Cavalier and Gay?
Seth is impressed by Summer's geek reference while expressing her displeasure at the amount of time Seth is spending with Zach. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay is a novel by Michael Chabon, who is considered one of the finest writers in America today. Set in 1939 New York City, the story follows two boy geniuses (like Seth and Zach?) who create a masterwork in the then-new genre of comic books. The fictional writers weave the legendary adventures of the Escapist (like the Ironist?), who is enamored by the beautiful, elusive Luna Moth (like Little Miss Vixen?). Summer scores with a triple pun here: By calling Seth and Zach both cavalier (marked by disdainful dismissal of important matters) and gay, she is also making a frank and funny statement on the boys' very close relationship, which she deems to be at her expense.
THE O.C. CONFIDENTIALSeth: Are you thinking of going undercover? A high school sting operation? Because that would be very "21 Jump Street" of you.
Ryan: Whatever it takes.
Seth: Yeah, okay. I get to be Richard Grieco.
Unless you're a fan of classic TV, this reference to the FOX television series may have slipped past you. Running for four seasons in the late 1980s, "21 Jump Street" took us deep into the mean hallways of L.A. high schools plagued by issues like steroid abuse, crack addiction, teen suicide and AIDS, as a squad of good-looking, young police detectives blended in with troubled teens and helped them avoid graduating to a life of crime. The series is notable for launching the careers of Johnny Depp ("Pirates of the Caribbean" movies), Holly Robinson Peete ("For Your Love") and Richard Grieco (um, a whole lot of low-rent credits, which explains his presence in Seth's pantheon of camp heroes).  See Summer Lovers
THE ACCOMPLICESeth: Is she back together with
her lesbian ex? And if so, is she open to some sort of
menage-a-threeway as in the film "Summer Lovers"?
"Summer Lovers" was a racy 1982 teen movie that starred none other thanour own Peter Gallagher, alongside a young Daryl Hannah. On asummer vacation to the picturesque Greek islands, these two young lovers encounter a beautiful female French archaeologist and embark on a "sensual odyssey," as the video box helpfully indicates. Check out the cover image of Peter living out a fantasy that would make Seth Cohen blush, lounging on the beach between two gorgeous, willing women. Must have been a tough job, but we bet Peter was up to it. We're told he performed all his own stunts - and he also jumped off some cliffs. THE SnO.C.Summer: You've gotta go Iceman on her ass.
Seth: Was that your first X-Men reference?
Summer: Top Gun.
Here we have a double pop-culture reference that cleverly shows the different outlooks of Seth and Summer. Naturally, comic-book fan Seth assumes that his love is talking about Iceman, the Marvel Comics character and mutant member of the X-Men. Iceman possesses the ability to freeze moisture in the air into super-hard ice, a formidable weapon. To Seth's possible disappointment, however, Summer is actually displaying her love for classic movies and TV by referring to the tough-guy character of Iceman, played by Val Kilmer, who gets all up in Maverick's (Tom Cruise) face in 1986's Top Gun.
 Catch up on the history of CBGB
Get a CBGB T-shirt
Buy a CBGB poster
See CBGB for yourself
THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCKSeth: The Bait Shop? Could be our very own CBGB.
CBGB was a seminal New York City rock club that became a punk Mecca in the 1970s. Although the Bait Shop and CBGB are both known for presenting cutting-edge independent artists, Seth is contrasting the spanking-new club located on a Pacific Ocean pier with the ultimate East Coast, urban lowlife hangout.  Read Nixon's autobiography
See the Oliver Stone movie
See "All the President's Men"
Read about the Nixon tapes
THE DISTANCECaleb: Do you hear a clicking on the phone? Every time I pick up the phone I hear a clicking.
Julie: Okay, Nixon. Paranoid, much? What's going on Cal? You're either hopped up on blow, or something's seriously wrong.
Richard Milhous Nixon (1913 - 1994) served as the U.S. President from 1969 - 1974. During his second term, a series of scandals led to his resignation. Nixon has been regarded as paranoid because he not only bugged the telephone lines of his rivals, but he also installed voice-activated tape machines to record the goings-on in the Oval Office, including his own telephone conversations, which were later used against him.  Watch the Chucky collection
Hear some classic Who
THE DISTANCEJimmy: So what's going on in your life?
Julie: Aside from our daughter being the spawn of Chucky and Keith Moon?
Chucky the doll is the lead character of the 1988 horror movie "Child's Play." Using voodoo, a serial killer transfers his spirit into a doll that goes on a murderous rampage over the course of several scary sequels. Keith Moon, the flamboyant drummer for The Who, was famous for trashing his equipment at the end of each show (in addition to destroying hotel rooms, his friends' houses and even his own home on occasion).
In the episode, Marissa just finished screaming hysterically and tossing a chaise lounge into the swimming pool. You can do the math on Julie's little equation.  Read a Stalin biography
Watch a Stalin special
Hear a Stalin speech
THE BEST CHRISMUKKAH EVERJimmy: Marissa and I were just trying to work out an appropriate punishment.
Julie: Oh really? Well way to rule with an iron fist, Stalin.
Joseph Stalin (1879 - 1953) was perhaps one of the most ruthless dictators of all time. While ruling the Soviet Union in the early 20th century, he became known for isolating, disgracing, exiling, imprisoning and murdering anyone who got in his way.
Clearly, Julie is here deploying her trademark sarcasm on the more lenient Jimmy. |
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