Jan Hooks made her final acting appearance ever as Jenna's mom Verna after a personal pitch from Tina Fey, who had idolized Hooks ever since her successful stint as a regular on Saturday Night Live (1975) and had tried unsuccessfully to get Hooks to work on other projects with her. Hooks worked so rarely, by choice, in the last decade of her life that this was the only time she accepted a live-acting role before she died in 2014.
The woman from whom Jenna tries to steal a Tony Award during the "One Year Later" coda is Alice Ripley, who really is a star of Broadway musicals (including shows like "Les Misérables," "Sunset Boulevard," "Side Show," and "The Rocky Horror Show"). Ripley really won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 2009 for "Next to Normal." Additionally, Jane Krakowski, who plays Jenna, won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 2003 for "Nine."
Jack's old cookie jar from "the collection" can be seen on Kenneth's coffee table in his new office.
Last Lunch won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series.
This episode was broadcast with "Last Lunch" as an hour-long series finale.