Anyone else feel like it was inspired by and / or spoofing both Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (the minority vs WASP angle) and Goodbye, Columbus (the class angle)?
"When you think of garbage, think of Akeem!"
Possibly, but by the time that episode aired both themes had been well-explored in pop culture.
I'd say more Goodbye, Columbus as Joel's Jewishness was not a shock to anyone (both of Maggie's parents had already met him by then). It's been a while since I've seen either film, but I don't recall any direct references to either (though I could be mistaken)--I think the episode just trades on those themes as a matter of course.
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"The past is never dead. It's not even past." - William Faulkner
OK. Thanks for replying, Darryl. As long as I'm not crazy for seeing those themes!
"When you think of garbage, think of Akeem!"
You're not crazy for thinking that. Many television series, including NX, incorporate familiar story elements and references into their episodes as a way of engaging viewers.
"Shofar, So Good," in which Rabbi Shulman visits Joel to show him his past, present, and future, openly uses A Christmas Carol as its model--even Joel notes the "Dickensian paradigm"--while "What I Did for Love," in which Maggie has dreams of Joel dying in a plane crash, has a wonderful spoof of It's a Wonderful Life. There are certainly other examples throughout the series.
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"The past is never dead. It's not even past." - William Faulkner
Thanks, Darryl!
"When you think of garbage, think of Akeem!"