# Wizard of Oz references in pop culture **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 14, 2019, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951 "2019-05-14T15:47:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/41 "2019-05-14T18:08:58Z")
During the 2015 ALCS, when the Royals were playing the Blue Jays in Toronto (and had won both earlier games in Kansas City), there were a few signs being held by fans in the crowd that read “You’re not in Kansas anymore!” Some notable (to me, at least) Wizard of Oz parodies: Leela’s segment in “Anthology of Interest II” from Futurama Episode “Y2K” oft he Dilbert animated series ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/42 "2019-05-14T18:20:56Z")
Ooh, I get to be the first to mention _Dark Side of the Moon_, which has nothing… and everything… to do with _The Wizard of Oz_. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/43 "2019-05-14T18:23:09Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > _Picket Fences_ had the Dancing Bandit go into the school dressed as Dorothy, with henchmen as the other characters. The costumes had been shownin a previous episode. Blues Traveler did a video with a loose interpretation of the main cast: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ousaiByU1ko](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ousaiByU1ko) Dorothy’s dress is much better in the video. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/44 "2019-05-14T18:29:56Z")
The TV series “Oz” is so named because it’s set at the Oswald State Correctional Facility. The super tight security within the prison is Em City. The tagline used for the series was “It’s no place like home”. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/45 "2019-05-14T19:13:28Z")
The great failed superhero series _Once of Hero_ had a magician character called “the Great and Powerful.” When he spoke thunderously of his powers, Gumshoe told him to “Save it for the Munchkins.” ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/46 "2019-05-14T19:22:40Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Leela’s segment in “Anthology of Interest II” from Futurama Beat me to it. Bender: I need a heart, I got a lot of blood I need to pump out of my basement ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/47 "2019-05-14T19:33:41Z")
In the ST:TNG episode _True Q_ a young Starfleet intern, Amanda Rogers, is revealed to be the daughter of two members of the Q, who had taken on human form and were killed when a tornado destroyed their Kansas home. ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/48 "2019-05-14T19:39:36Z")
_Kentucky Fried Movie_ (1977) contains an _Enter the Dragon_ parody which concludes with an homage to _The Wizard of Oz_. Quite funny as I recall. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/49 "2019-05-14T19:42:40Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > During the 2015 ALCS, when the Royals were playing the Blue Jays in Toronto (and had won both earlier games in Kansas City), there were a few signs being held by fans in the crowd that read “You’re not in Kansas anymore!” The Royals never were. The team is based in Kansas City, _Missouri_. Anyway, since we’re talking Missouri baseball teams, Cardinal Ozzie Smith was nicknamed “The Wizard” because of (1) his first name, and (2) his spectacular defensive play at shortstop. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/50 "2019-05-14T19:48:30Z")
The first U.S. game show that Alex Trebek hosted (in 1973) was titled _[The Wizard of Odds](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wizard_of_Odds)_; the premise of the show was that contestants answered questions based on statistics, such as averages. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/51 "2019-05-14T20:16:49Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > In the ST:TNG episode _True Q_ a young Starfleet intern, Amanda Rogers, is revealed to be the daughter of two members of the Q, who had taken on human form and were killed when a tornado destroyed their Kansas home. Couldn’t they have stopped it? :dubious: 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/52 "2019-05-14T21:10:40Z")
Dunkin Donuts (now just Dunkin’) calls their donut holes Munchkins®. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/53 "2019-05-14T22:31:02Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Couldn’t they have stopped it? :dubious: 😕 IIRC, the tornado was deliberately caused by the Q Continuum in order to wipe out Amanda’s parents since the other Q considered them rogues. As they have weather control in the 24th century, it was thought (by the humans) to be a freak storm. And I believe they didn’t merely _appear_ to be human, they actually chose to become mortal. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/54 "2019-05-14T22:38:56Z")
NDP: > [@](#): > > The Royals never were. The team is based in Kansas City, Missouri. Sheesh, do you think I don’t know that? I’m very possibly the biggest Royals fan you’ll ever meet. It was just another listed instance of how pervasive Wizard of Oz references are in our culture. The fact that some Blue Jays fan(s) either didn’t know or didn’t care that the Royals don’t actually play their home games in the state of Kansas doesn’t negate that. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/55 "2019-05-14T23:05:00Z")
In a later episode of Castle, the Nathan Fillon character was injured and had an extended dream sequence, starring the rest of the cast. Upon awakening, he saw his friends and loved ones gathered around his bed. He started telling them about his dream, “and you were there, and you were there, and you were ther…” It doesn’t come across in print, but the delivery was pure Dorothy. A subtle, but quite evident, reference. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/56 "2019-05-14T23:57:48Z")
A “friend of Dorothy” is a euphemism for a gay man. And “Oz” is Australia. ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/57 "2019-05-15T00:36:52Z")
Nanny Ogg had a house dropped on her in”Witches Abroad”. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/58 "2019-05-15T00:49:34Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > In gaming, “munchkin” became a slang word for “[powergamer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powergaming)” (someone who focuses on optimizing their character’s statistical performance, with no interest in other aspects of the game). Steve Jackson Games borrowed that term for their very successful line of [Munchkin games](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munchkin_(card_game)). That ended up going full circle. The original Munchkin game had a fantasy dungeon-crawling them. When it became a big success, new games followed in other genres: superheroes, science fiction, horror, spy thriller, western, etc. Then they began making games with various IP’s: Marvel, H.P. Lovecraft, Conan, Adventure Time, Rick and Morty. And, of course, the Wizard of Oz. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/59 "2019-05-15T00:49:58Z")
You’d think people who actually live in Kansas would be sick to death of “Oz” references, right? Well that didn’t stop the state tourism bureau from coming up with this gem a number of years ago. “Kansas: The Land Of Ahhs” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/60 "2019-05-15T01:52:30Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I don’t think you could even count how many times a character has said “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore” or “I’ll get you, and your little dog too”. Still, I’m surprised that _The Matrix_ hasn’t been mentioned yet: > [@Cypher](#): > > It means fasten your seat belt Dorothy, 'cause Kansas is going bye-bye. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951.md?page=4)