Welcome to the Friday Night Readers podcast! In this Gilmore Girls podcast episode #11, we break down our pop culture rewatch of Season 1, Episode 11, “Paris is Burning.” Listen below and get the full transcript.
Recap of Season 1, Episode 11: “Paris is Burning”
In “Paris is Burning,” Parents’ Day approaches at Chilton. Lorelai is anxious about it because she’s getting cold feet with Max, while Rory begins to fit in at Chilton. That is, until Lorelai and Max kiss in his classroom, and Paris sees it. Rory confronts Paris, and Lorelai and Max decide to take a break.
Watch the full episode:
The episode begins with an ABC game of diseases that ends in… puppies! Luke warns Petfinder not to let Lorelai adopt a dog, and I don’t know how I feel about this foreshadowing of things to come (no spoilers!) in Season 6. If you know, you know!
Rory recalls Skippy the hamster, whom Lorelai abandoned after stuffing Kleenex tissues in its cage as a form of revenge. Despite the, well, animal abuse, this got me thinking about hamster names. Skippy is a cute one! Ours were Snickers and Peanuts when we were kids. I guess we liked junk food as much as the Gilmore Girls.
Max cooks ossobucco (veal shanks braised with vegetables, white wine, and broth) for Lorelai in his handsome apartment. Can an apartment be handsome? The exposed brick, the bookcases, the open kitchen, the dim lighting… I think it’s just as fitting for a single man as Mary Richards’s was for a single woman. I hope you got that reference to The Mary Tyler Moore Show! Look at me, being a Gilmore!
Then, Max and Lorelai talk about papers and books and smooch.
She gets home late, and Rory is asleep on the couch waiting for her. This simple scene shows the teeny tiny age gap between them, and how, sometimes, this means Rory acts as “the parent” while Lorelai grows up. I’m not saying this is wrong– just that it’s interesting how families can function in unique ways based on their circumstances.
At Chilton, Max teaches poetry, while, if you look closely, the behind-the-scenes crew messes up. You can see the boom drop near the ceiling!
Then, Madeline, Louise, and Paris speculate about Max’s love life, while Rory quietly (and nervously) listens in.
At Friday night dinner, Emily advises Lorelai about Parents’ Day at Chilton, and she confirms she will go.
Next, Lorelai and Rory get ready to go out. Unfortunately, Rory doesn’t sneak out before Max arrives. They agree to get over this whole awkward “my mother is dating my teacher” thing by calling each other nicknames– Norman and Rebecca.
Rory tells Max to have her mom home by ten in another “reversed roles” scene.
At Luke’s, Sookie and Jackson argue about a hybrid vegetable, and we begin to see some hesitation in Lorelai about Max.
At Lorelai’s house, she and Sookie continue to talk about Max–and Lorelai’s cold feet. Sookie presses her to push through her destructive patterns of behavior, and she responds defensively with what I think is the meanest line she says in the entire series:
“When did you become the relationship expert? You haven’t been in a relationship in years.”
I polled my Instagram followers and a whopping 91% agreed that this (“When did you become the relationship expert? You haven’t been in a relationship in years.”) is the meanest thing Lorelai ever says on Gilmore Girls.
Honestly, this is so mean that I can’t believe it remained in the show, especially since Sookie is being a Grade-A friend. She’s challenging Lorelai in a way that goes beyond a surface-level friendship, while still keeping her in a safe and kind environment. In return, Lorelai says the most hurtful thing an avid dater can say to someone who’s chronically single but wants to date.
Let me clarify. This doesn’t mean it’s wrong in any way to be single; it is absolutely not. What I’m saying is that negative implications are associated here with Lorelai’s chosen words. To me, she’s very subtly saying, “I believe you aren’t worthy,” and that is what feels so awful about it to me.
Ugh, I hate Lorelai in this moment, even though she immediately apologizes. Of course, Sookie is unreasonably gracious. Lorelai does not deserve Sookie right now! Really, I think this scene was just meant to set up Sookie and Jackson dating, but personally, I think it was a huge miss.
Rory and Lorelai discuss the drama between Paris’s parents, and it’s clear that Rory feels relieved to have all eyes off of her at Chilton. Then, she, too, challenges Lorelai for wanting to break up with Max. Lorelai’s got what you call “good people,” and she’s too stubborn to see it.
Ultimately, Lorelai attends Parents Day, where we meet Paris’s attractive but domineering mother: “Use that cover stick I got you.” Ouch!
Max talks about teaching the classics as Lorelai enters the classroom with the book she wants to return to him. After class, he realizes she’s been ghosting him because she’s breaking up with him. Somehow, it all ends with them kissing, and the Lorelai Gilmore toxicity tour of 2001 has reached so many stops in this episode.
Unfortunately, Paris sees the kiss and tells the whole school, to Rory’s horror. I don’t think there could be a better title for this episode than “Paris is Burning.” I mean, “Kiss and Tell” was already taken!
Again, Rory acts like the parent, scolding Lorelai for kissing a boy at school. Things continue to go downhill between them until they arrive at Friday night dinner. Lorelai doesn’t quite get the reprieve she seeks, as word of the kiss has reached Emily! Here’s her most savage burn this time:
You’re supposed to shield her from shame. Not cause it!
Well, she’s not totally wrong. She’s also not wrong with this savage burn:
You always let your emotions get in the way. That’s the problem with you, Lorelai. You don’t think.
Look, being too much of anything is a problem, and that includes being too emotional!
Meanwhile, at Chilton, Rory confronts Paris, and they kind of, sort of make up. A friendship is slowly brewing.
At the Inn, Sookie asks Jackson out, and the la-las play. While they usually play for the Gilmores, she is so deserving of them in this exciting moment! This is as close to a full circle as we get to Sookie rebounding from Lorelai’s awful comment to her.
Lastly, Lorelai and Max meet for coffee and talk things through. Turns out, Max’s emotional choices also landed him in a world of pain at Chilton. This time, she’s ready to get back together, but he asks her for space. I hate ending on a negative note, but I have to admit, she kind of deserves this!
Books and Authors Referenced
Let’s break down the Gilmores’ world of books– this episode’s most iconic literary references for those taking the Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge with us on Fridaynightreaders.substack.com, where we read from the list of books mentioned on Gilmore Girls.
- Swann’s Way by Marcel Proust
- Michael Crichton
- The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson
- Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
- The Shining by Stephen King
- Dante Alighieri
- William Shakespeare
- Homer
- Walt Whitman
- Edna O’Brien
Swann’s Way by Marcel Proust
First, Lorelai says she’s never read Proust, and she can only talk about what Michael Crichton would say. We’ll get to Proust, but first, I want to note that Crichton was a best-selling American author (mostly of science fiction), as well as a screenwriter and filmmaker. Arguably, or maybe not arguably, his most famous work was Jurassic Park. Talk about a story that’s stood the test of time!
Max loans Lorelai Swann’s Way by Marcel Proust, which she finishes! The first sentence, that is. So, what, pray tell, is that first sentence?:
“For a long time I went to bed early.”
It’s only 9 words! Come on, Lorelai!
Do you know what would be fun? Fan fiction that imagines the rest of the story as Lorelai, having only read that first line. I feel like it would involve “monkey monkey underpants” and maybe even Skippy the hamster. That woman’s mind works in mysterious ways!
A bit more about Proust and Swann’s Way: Born in 1871, Proust was a French novelist best known for In Search of Lost Time, an exploration of memory, perception, and social life. Swann’s Way, the first volume, introduces his introspective style and sets the tone for the entire work’s meditation on how time and memory shape the human experience.
Swann’s Way centers on two distinct strands: the narrator’s childhood memories in Combray and the story of Swann’s obsessive love for Odette. Odette, you say?! Does anyone else who’s already watched the reboot see a mindblowing connection here?!
I don’t want to give up any spoilers, but I think that, if you look up what happens between them, it may be a clue as to what happened after those famous final four words of the series. I have goosebumps at the prospect of spotting this Easter egg! And I think I’m right! After all, we hear about this book again in a very pivotal literary moment of the series– Rory’s graduation.
One final thing about Swann’s Way: I can’t help but look at Proust and immediately see Jake Gyllenhaal. All I’m saying is that if there is a biopic, he just may be a shoo-in.
Emily Dickinson
At Chilton, Max quotes this Emily Dickinson line:
“There’s a certain Slant of light, / Winter Afternoons – / That oppresses, like the Heft / Of Cathedral Tunes –”
I think we can do better than this. Here’s the full poem:
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Next, Max’s nickname for Rory– Rebecca– is literary coded. Of course! First, Max nicknames Rory “Rebecca” for her outside of school name. Then, she nicknames him Norman because she just watched the Alfred Hitchcock movie Psycho. It’s possible she also thought of this because the movie adaptation of Rebecca is another Hitchcock film.
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier is probably the best classic thriller you can read. Since we’re talking about famous first sentences, here’s this one for you:
“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again…”
So begins this slow burn with a creepy, atmospheric feel. The reader never actually meets Rebecca, who has passed away before the story begins.
Rather, a lower-class woman without a family, working as a servant, meets and quickly marries Rebecca’s wealthy older widow, the owner of the vast estate known as Manderley. Upon her arrival at Manderley, the “ghost” of his first wife, Rebecca, lingers through the actions of the adoring staff, who refuse to let go of her memory.
Trust me when I say that there’s so much more to the truth behind Rebecca‘s tragic death. Du Maurier’s writing is immersive, and the last 100 pages leave you wanting more as you wonder what a sequel may uncover.
Many disliked Netflix’s recent adaptation of it, but for whatever it’s worth, I liked it!
The Shining by Stephen King
Then, Lorelai asks Rory if she got “[l]ike a normal hello, not like a “Here’s Johnny” kind of hello?” She’s referring to The Shining, and, while she’s probably referring to the iconic movie scene featuring Jack Nicholson, I can’t help but relate it to the famous book by Stephen King.
A #1 New York Times bestseller with millions of copies sold worldwide, the haunting atmosphere of the Overlook Hotel in The Shining is King’s seminal work, according to readers.
The Shining follows Jack Torrance, a struggling writer with a dark past who becomes the winter caretaker of the isolated Overlook Hotel in Colorado. He brings his wife, Wendy, and psychic young son, Danny. As the hotel’s dark supernatural forces prey upon Jack, his mental state deteriorates, and only Danny can protect his family.
First, I want to note that this horror novel is for those brave enough to read triggering content and an unlikable main character. It’s a psychological horror novel, after all!
Here, though, King masterfully conveys how isolation can cause one to descend into pure madness. This is the first and only book to have ever made me feel the visceral terror of being snowbound. I also loved how an inanimate object (the Overlook Hotel) felt like a living force of evil. It’s a horror classic!
More Authors
Lastly, Max mentions an array of authors. Most of these authors are featured more heavily in other episodes, so I’m just going to give you a one-sentence summary of each one here:
- Dante Alighieri: A medieval Italian poet, Dante authored The Divine Comedy, an epic spiritual journey that shaped the foundations of Italian literature.
- William Shakespeare: The English playwright and poet wrote tragedies, comedies, and histories that transformed both drama and the English language. (See “The Deer Hunters” episode for more.)
- Homer: This ancient Greek poet is traditionally credited with composing the Iliad and the Odyssey, foundational epics of Western literature. I studied them in my Latin classes in high school.
- Walt Whitman: An American poet whose groundbreaking free verse in Leaves of Grass celebrated individuality, democracy, and the human spirit. Here in Philly, he’s celebrated with his own bridge!
- Edna O’Brien: An Irish novelist and short-story writer known for her candid portrayals of women’s lives and the constraints of Irish society. She died recently in 2024.
Curious about every single book mentioned in this Gilmore Girls episode—even the obscure references most people miss, like the books on Max’s shelf and the authors pictured in his classroom? Head to this episode’s page at Fridaynightreaders.substack.com. Paid members get printable episode guides for every Gilmore Girls episode, which are perfect for tracking your own Rory-inspired reading journey.
Pop Culture References
Oy with the pop culture already! Now, because I want you to understand even more of the Gilmore Girls’ fast talk, here’s what some of this episode’s best pop culture references mean.
Fashion
In this episode, at the Petfinder adoption event, Rory wears a red and blue argyle sweater, and Lorelai wears a denim sherpa jacket. I wanted to take note of these styles because they both feature prominently throughout the series.
You’re probably sick of hearing me talk about working at Gap at that time, but yes, here again, these styles were also popular at Gap and other mall retailers in the early aughts. I wore both regularly, including while working at the Gap. A co-worker and I even coordinated our denim sherpa days to match! If you want to get the look of Rory and Lorelai, these are two of the top styles to choose, along with the Rory Gilmore sweater, of course!
Also, while talking to Sookie in the kitchen, Lorelai wears pigtails with pom poms and a sweater with furry cuffs. Am I the only one seeing this as a recreation of Britney Spears’s iconic schoolgirl look in her 1999 “Baby One More Time” video? I feel like we all tried to recreate it in some way. Mine was through a Halloween costume. Is this Lorelai’s way, or am I overthinking her kooky combination?!
Movies and TV
First, the title of this episode, “Paris Is Burning,” is actually a film– a landmark documentary capturing the vibrant drag ballroom culture of 1980s New York.
Next, Lorelai tells Max that watching people work makes her hungry and, if she hadn’t stopped watching This Old House, she’d be 500 pounds.
This Old House was a long-running home-improvement series that followed experts like Bob Vila as they renovated houses and taught practical skills and craftsmanship. But let me tell you, this was on PBS, not HGTV, and it showed!
My dad, a handyman himself, watched it all the time when I was younger, and it was so incredibly boring. I can still picture myself dying a little inside every time he put it on. It’s got nothing on Chip and Joanna Gaines!
As we briefly discussed earlier, Rory nicknamed Max “Norman” because she was watching Psycho earlier. Psycho was Alfred Hitchcock’s seminal 1960 thriller about a secretary on the run and the deeply disturbed Norman Bates. It was considered to have redefined the horror genre in film. This is both Rory and Lorelai coded, so I’m guessing they watched together.
Finally, Lorelai tells Rory, who’s finally been accepted by Madeline and Louise, “Wow, you’re the new ‘Heather.'”
She’s referring to the 1989 cult classic movie Heathers. This dark teen comedy is really a satire about power dynamics in high school. The story follows Veronica Sawyer, a bright student who’s part of the popular clique known as the Heathers. These are three girls with identical names and a similar ruthlessness. I think they’d be called the Paris’s on Gilmore Girls!
When Veronica becomes involved with the new student, J.D., their pranks escalate into actual murders disguised as suicides, triggering a wave of copycats and panic. It critiques both teen cruelty and the glamorization of tragedy.
Can you see from the description why this is a cult classic?! It was one of those movies that, growing up, my sister and I felt so cool watching. I think I’m due for a rewatch to see how it holds up.
Famous People
Madeline says that dumb girls crave smart men, like Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller. Marilyn Monroe was an American actress and cultural icon known for her blend of glamour, vulnerability, and comic talent. She is arguably the most iconic “blonde bombshell,” who died at just 36 of a drug overdose.
Arthur Miller was an acclaimed American playwright whose works (like The Crucible, referenced in “Kiss and Tell“) are central to modern American theater. They were married from 1956 to 1961 and were famously viewed in the public eye as mismatched, through the stereotypes of her beauty and his brains.
Next is quite a doozy!:
Lorelai: “Rory and I have a skating date.”
Rory: “I’m Nancy Kerrigan.”
Lorelai: “And I’m Tonya Harding. I’m going to do the whole shoelace coming untied, nervous breakdown, let me start again act and everything.”
The whole Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding scandal was pretty much all anyone talked about at the time of the 1994 Olympics. I was into figure skating then, so I watched the whole thing unfold on TV in real time.
Both are Americans. Nancy was a lot like Rory– a pretty, preppy, and polite woman from New England. On the other hand, Harding was viewed as being “from the wrong side of town.”
Nancy was attacked at the U.S. Figure Skating Championship when an assailant struck her knee with a club. The video of her crying, “Why?” played more times than I can count. She withdrew from the competition but still received an Olympic slot. The other went to, you guessed it, Tonya Harding.
This is where it gets interesting. The attack was linked to Tonya Harding’s ex-husband and her bodyguard. Harding’s exact involvement remains very controversial.
Then, during the Olympics, while tensions were still running very high between the women, Harding struggled to skate, then started crying to the judges, claiming her shoelace had come untied, rather than continuing. They gave her a reskate, but she finished 8th.
Kerrigan’s skating, on the other hand, was an absolute chef’s kiss (I just got chills thinking about it), and she brought home the silver medal. Let me tell you, I can still picture where I was when I watched this all unfold– that’s how big a deal it was. And the dramatics of it all were so over the top.
There’s a great movie that follows this, I, Tonya. Here’s the trailer:
Music
- “Livin’ La Vida Loca” by Ricky Martin
There’s only one song we need to discuss in this episode. “Livin’ La Vida Loca” by Ricky Martin was as hot as it gets at the time, so good on you, Sookie! He’s a Puerto Rican singer who became an international pop sensation first with the boy band Menudo and then on his own in the late 1990s.
“Livin’ La Vida Loca” was the landmark song in the Latin pop explosion at the time. The catchy song topped charts worldwide, including the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. MTV used to have a show called Total Request Live (“TRL”), which ran the top-voted music videos every day after school, and it was always at the top of the list.
The song and video were just as hot as the singer himself! I used to write all my Spanish papers about him being “muy guapo.” Little did I know then that he wasn’t into women. He came out as gay in 2010.
Up Next
Lastly, the time has come for me to be what Jess called Rory—a book tease. Tune in next week, when we dive into episode 1.12, “Double Date,” and books like Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath, which Rory famously reads at the bus stop!
