Pop Culture Allusions in TB8

[Alice Wilde]

Did anyone else notice the pop culture allusions in The Basic Eight?

I really liked the Stephen King ("Queen") jab at the start of the book. And the recurring Oprah parody (Your hometown at home).

Due to a recent obsession with the U2 song "Sunday Bloody Sunday", I came across the following: Rattle and Hum, the name of a U2 album/"rockumentary".

"Prattle and Hum? You bought it?" Douglas asked.

"Since when has a classical snob like you heard of Prattle and Hum?" either Natasha or I said, I can't remember.

Could someone name any others? I know there was a few.

[Summer Wind]

Okay, now where did you find these (exaclty)?

[Antenora]

I've heard someplace that every band name mentioned in The Basic Eight--Darling Mud, Tin Can, and others--is a paraphrase of an actual band name. However, I'm not very knowledgeable about pop music, so I can't confirm this, though I'd be interested if someone can.

I also wonder the names of Eleanor Tert and Peter Pusher's are references to anyone in particular, as Winnie Moprah is a parody of Oprah Winfrey.

[s]

Oh, goodness, I loved the Winnie Moprah thing.

I'm sure there were allusions I missed, as I'm really not knowledgeable in the least with regards to popular culture and such. Which kind of sucks; I wish I could pick up on all those things.

[SnicketFires]

Peter Pusher could be an allusion to Peter Parker, Spiderman's journalist alter-ego. At least, that's always what I thought it was. *shrug*

I know Roewer is a take on Lowell, Daniel Handler's high school, and some of the teachers may be caricatures of his own teachers.

I haven't read The Basic Eight in a while, so I'm kind of fuzzy on what else might be allusions.