The items in Earl's list shown during the opening sequence read as follows:
- 56: Stole liquor from liquor store.
- 57: Told Joy Dan Dodd messed himself on the (rest cut out of frame).
- 58: Fixed a high school football game.
- 59: Everything I did to Dad.
- 60: Pulled fire alarm
- 61: Stole Mom's car (but I gave it back).
- 62: Faked death to break up with a girl.
- 63: Wasted electricity.
- 64: Spray-painted the bridge.
- 65: Cost Dad the election.
- 66: Let mice out at school play.
- 67: Stole beer from a golfer.
- 68: Blew up mailboxes.
- 69: Cheated on school tests a lot.
In an interview Jason Lee said that one Halloween when he was doing the show a neighbor of his came to his house dressed as Earl. Since Lee was in the process of filming he still had Earl's signature mustache and the two had their picture taken together.
Big Chubby, played by Burt Reynolds, is the father of Little Chubby, who is played by Norm MacDonald. MacDonald often impersonated Reynolds on Saturday Night Live (1975) and used the same clothing from his parodies on this show.
Part of the show's ad campaign before the series aired included billboard ads with Earl's picture and one of the items from his list printed on the billboard (for example, "Cheated my way through the seventh grade . . . twice," "Stole a car from a one-legged girl," "Faked my death to break up with a girl," etc.), with the tagline " . . . I'm sorry."