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In the episode “Teach Me Tonight,” in reference to Courtney Love.

Several possibilities have been raised. All (or none) of them may be what Amy Sherman-Palladino intended:

1. Courtney doesn’t refer to anyone; it’s just a stereotypical cheerleader’s name, because of the reference to pompoms.
2. In the Y2K cheerleading movie Bring It On, one of the cheerleaders was named Courtney.
3. Courtney could be Barbie’s cheerleader-friend, best friend of Skipper, Courtney. (The Cheerleading Courtney doll was sold in the early 1990’s.)
4. Earlier, Rory said, “Do not give me that whole ’I’m so misunderstood,’ Kurt Cobainy thing. You are way stronger than that and I don’t even wanna hear it.” Courtney is a reference to Courtney Love, who was married to Kurt Cobain. The pompoms could then be a hidden reference to the Nirvana video “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”

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