# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/61 "2019-05-15T02:12:34Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > 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. I came back to mention the Blues Traveler music video. Not only is Dorothy’s dress better, but the Dorothy inside it is MUCH better. Hubba hubba. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/62 "2019-05-15T02:55:49Z")
There is a Law & Order episode titled “Surrender Dorothy” and another episode where homeless finds a dead little girl and cries “Wake Up Dorothy” The SDMB has a poster with the alias “SurrenderDorothy” > **[Straight Dope Message Board - Your direct line to thousands of the smartest,...](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php)** > > Fighting Ignorance Since 1973 ---
**Author:** ![Paxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/50afbb/32.png) [@Paxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paxx)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/63 "2019-05-15T02:56:11Z")
You guys know that there’s a [huge list in IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032138/movieconnections/?tab=mc&ref_=tt_trv_cnn), right? One reference that’s missing is from Ally McBeal. They played the Miss Gulch music whenever Ling appeared. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/64 "2019-05-15T04:22:23Z")
Yeah, but I’m not a member over there. My contribution is The Far Side had a comic where a lobster is saying [“Auntie Em, Auntie Em!..There’s no place like home!..There’s no place like home”](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2F236x%2F03%2Fb3%2Fca%2F03b3cab5b8d2dc5b5a07ec5ed5d9d09b--cartoon-jokes-cartoons.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Ftimrider13%2Fthe-far-side%2F&docid=Gn-Q7ugmgh3hqM&tbnid=sMgLpb9bxNbB4M%3A&vet=10ahUKEwiTrMru1JziAhWJna0KHZAlDKsQMwhAKAAwAA..i&w=236&h=296), while the chef is transferring the [DEL]tasty[/DEL] poor crustacean to a pot of boiling water. I can’t think of TWOO without thinking of that panel. ---
**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 15, 2019, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/65 "2019-05-15T05:28:16Z")
In the episode of _ **Big Bang Theory** _ where Kripke doses Sheldon with helium just before his NPR radio appearance, Raj does the “We represent the Lollipop Guild” bit instead of consoling him. ---
**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 15, 2019, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/66 "2019-05-15T05:32:33Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > 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. Oh, Blue Jays fans, they’re Canadian, eh? 😉 ---
**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 15, 2019, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/67 "2019-05-15T05:58:53Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > My contribution is The Far Side had a comic where a lobster is saying [“Auntie Em, Auntie Em!..There’s no place like home!..There’s no place like home”](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2F236x%2F03%2Fb3%2Fca%2F03b3cab5b8d2dc5b5a07ec5ed5d9d09b--cartoon-jokes-cartoons.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Ftimrider13%2Fthe-far-side%2F&docid=Gn-Q7ugmgh3hqM&tbnid=sMgLpb9bxNbB4M%3A&vet=10ahUKEwiTrMru1JziAhWJna0KHZAlDKsQMwhAKAAwAA..i&w=236&h=296), while the chef is transferring the [DEL]tasty[/DEL] poor crustacean to a pot of boiling water. > > I can’t think of TWOO without thinking of that panel. Actually, Gary Larson had a much better TWOO joke in his pre-Far Side strip, which I read in his book “The Prehistory of the Far Side.” In that panel, you have Dr. Frankenstein, monster nearby, looking out the door of his castle at Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion, and he tells them, “Sorry, I just used up my last heart and brain…maybe try the Wizard down the road.” ---
**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 15, 2019, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/68 "2019-05-15T06:42:50Z")
My daughter was Dorothy one Halloween and she was as adorable as can be. What?!? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/69 "2019-05-15T08:18:09Z")
[Mago de Oz](http://www.magodeoz.com/) (Wizard of Oz), [here covering Somewhere Over the Rainbow](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb7kH5-C6Gk). ---
**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 15, 2019, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/70 "2019-05-15T08:46:56Z")
My brother was fond of telling the story of the saxophonist in Paris who was so distraught about not being able to remember how “Somewhere over the Rainbow” went, he flung himself out the window of his high-rise apartment. As he lay on the pavement below, the last thing he heard was the ambulance coming to pick him up: _“Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do…”_ ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/71 "2019-05-15T09:07:27Z")
The ELO album “Eldorado” pictures the ruby slippers and the Wicked Witch’s hands on the cover. [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4a/Elo_Eldorado.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4a/Elo_Eldorado.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![El\_DeLuxo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_deluxo/32/9043_2.png) [@El\_DeLuxo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_DeLuxo)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/72 "2019-05-15T13:05:10Z")
The movie\* Wild At Heart \*is fill of _TWOO_ references. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Greenjeans](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.greenjeans/32/551_2.png) [@Mr.Greenjeans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Greenjeans)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/73 "2019-05-15T13:15:53Z")
From the movie _After Hours_: **Marcy** : My husband was a movie freak. Actually, he was particularly obsessed with one movie, “The Wizard of Oz.” He talked about it constantly. I thought it was cute at first. On our wedding night, I was a virgin. When we made love - you’ve seen the movie, haven’t you? **Paul** : “The Wizard of Oz”? Yeah. Marcy: Well, whenever he - you know, when he came… **Paul** : Yeah. **Marcy** : …he would scream out, “Surrender Dorothy!” That’s all! Just “Surrender Dorothy!” **Paul** : Wow. **Marcy** : Instead of saying something normal like, “Oh, God,” or something normal like that. I mean, it was pretty creepy! And I told him I thought so, but he just, he just couldn’t stop, he just, he just couldn’t stop, he just… couldn’t stop. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/74 "2019-05-15T13:24:48Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > And “Oz” is Australia. Polydor Records Australian branch is called “Emerald City.” ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/75 "2019-05-15T14:19:09Z")
My favorite example of Wizard of Oz reference showing up in everyday life is the graffiti on the I-495 bridge near Washington DC. As you come around a corner the Washington LDA Temple comes into view suddenly, the bridge in front of it by line of sight. Painted on the side of the bridge is: **SURRENDER DOROTHY** [![](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrender_Dorothy#/media/File:DC-Temple-3.jpg) ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrender_Dorothy#/media/File:DC-Temple-3.jpg) > **[Only in Maryland: Surrender Dorothy Graffiti](https://www.preservationmaryland.org/only-in-maryland-surrender-dorothy-graffiti/)** > > If you lived in the Maryland area in the 1970s you may remember the infamous Surrender Dorothy graffiti on the CSX railroad bridge over I-495. The prank (and later tags) referenced the architecture of the nearby Mormon Temple – that with six golden... The first time I saw it, I burst out laughing. I’d lived in Salt Lake City, and was familiar with LDS Temples and their modern-gothic love of spires. And I must have immediately thought of the Wizard of Oz when I saw the temple spires, just before I read the graffiti and realized that _someone else thought that, too_. Apparently in the wake of the Trump presidency, another sign reading “Surrender Donald” has gone up on a different bridge: > **[Maryland bridge that famously read ‘Surrender Dorothy’ altered to say...](https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/403507-dc-bridge-that-famously-read-surrender-dorothy-altered-to-say/)** > > A bridge in Maryland has been altered to tell President Trump to “surrender.”Mad Dog PAC, a political action committee based in Washington, D.C., reportedly put up letters reading “Surrender Donald… ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/76 "2019-05-15T14:45:36Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Probably the second most referenced movie these days, _A Christmas Story_, has the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion in the Christmas parade scene. Later on, when Ralphie is waiting in line for Santa, WWoW tries to engage with him but is rebuffed with an, “I’m busy.” ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/77 "2019-05-15T17:38:24Z")
If _[For Love of the Game](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0126916/?ref_=ttqt_qt_tt)_, Billy Chapel strikes out his good friend and says “I’ll miss you most of all, Scarecrow.” ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/78 "2019-05-15T18:08:58Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > 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.” After reading this it just occurred to me that the My Little Pony character who calls herself “The Great and Powerful Trixie” is a reference to this as well.:smack: ---
**Author:** ![gregorio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@gregorio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gregorio)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/79 "2019-05-15T18:21:58Z")
Looks like there are quite a few in The Simpsons. > **[The Wizard of Oz](https://simpsonswiki.com/wiki/The_Wizard_of_Oz)** > > The Wizard of Oz is a 1900 children's novel by L. Frank Baum. It has been adapted into several film versions, of which the 1939 version, The Wizard of Oz, directed by Victor Fleming and starring Judy Garland, is the most iconic. This picture is one... But the one that I remembered right away was Mr. Burns’ guards doing the march and song of the Winkie Guards in the episode “Rosebud”. ---
**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 15, 2019, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951/80 "2019-05-15T18:53:47Z")
Back in 1969, _ **MAD Magazine** _ did satire called _ **The Guru of Ours** _, in which Dorothy really did take a “trip” and meet a lot of bizarre characters. **CAST:** Liza Minnelli as Dorothy Tiny Tim as Auntie Em Dustin Hoffman and Abbie Hoffman as Students at Munchkin University Pat Boone as The Square Man George Hamilton as The Snob Man Michael J Pollard as The Punk Man Ed Sullivan as The Guru _“Someday with an insane glow, I’ll get high, and I’ll freak out until my brain starts to petrify.”_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wizard-of-oz-references-in-pop-culture/833951.md?page=5)