Since the original airdate for this episode was close to Halloween, the original television promotion was called 'Halloween: Lorne Style'.
In the beginning, Lorne is pitching a "Grapes of Wrath" in space, and the struggle of intergalactic poverty. On the surface, this recalls the setting for Firefly (2002). He's on the phone to someone called Jerry, who he refers to as The Big B, and then someone he refers to as JC, before ending the call and saying "Directors". Presumably this alludes to Jerry Bruckheimer and James Cameron.
While searching for Lorne's sleep, Fred comes across Madeline from accounting's "ennui" which basically means her boredom or listlessness.
Lorne finds Angel hiding from the party in his office, watching a hockey game. David Boreanaz is a real-life Philadelphia Flyers fan.
Eve says she went to UC Santa Cruz, the alma mater of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) writer/producer Marti Noxon.