Three key performers in this star-crossed episode - John Ritter, Warren Zevon and Gene Siskel - died of natural causes at age 56 or earlier. Garry Shandling himself died of natural causes at 66.
This marks the first time Joshua Malina was part of the series. He went on to play a different recurring character later on, Kenny Mitchell in the final season.
Ritter and Ashley were both plugging Bloodworth-Thomason their TV series on the Sanders program.