In this episode Steve Buscemi plays Dwight whose partner bears a striking resemblance to Sal (played by John Cazale in Dog Day Afternoon (1975). In Airheads (1994) Buscemi's character is a spoof of Sal.
In "A Kiss Before Frying," Johnny's jail number is JABF19, same as the production code for this episode.
The title is a reference to "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings".
It's revealed in this episode that Jasper is a diabetic. This could explain why he has a peg leg in "Who Shot Mr. Burns? Part Two" (1995)