Obviously the story is fictional but the group Varsity FanClub is in reality an actual existing and popular boy band. They started in 2006 and are still performing to this day. Thomas who appeared in this episode is no longer with the group and has been replaced by TC.
Dub-Dub's sarcastic comment about "pulling Howard out of the warp hole" is a reference to Howard The Duck, created by Steve Gerber for Marvel Comics in1973.