Robin Williams initially intended to take a small role as a favor to writer/director Bobcat Goldthwait, with whom he was close friends since their days performing stand-up comedy together, but was so impressed with the script that he requested to play the lead instead.
When Dr. Pentola is handing out copies of Kyle's book 'You Don't Know Me', they briefly show two pages in the book. What is actually shown is two pages of 'The Metamorphosis' by Franz Kafka.
The following classic movies are mentioned in a single scene: The Birdcage - Ein Paradies für schrille Vögel (1996), a movie that Robin Williams himself stars in, Sweet Charity (1969), Hinter dem Rampenlicht - All that jazz (1979), Cabaret (1972), Meine Lieder, meine Träume (1965), Star 80 - Tod eines Playmates (1983), Charlie und die Schokoladenfabrik (1971) and Frankenstein Junior (1974).
Robin Williams, Bobcat Goldthwait and Tom Kenny all acted in the movie Clowns - Ihr Lachen bringt den Tod (1991).
Writer/director Bobcat Goldthwait and actor Geoff Pierson (who plays the principal) starred together in the television series Auf schlimmer und ewig (1995).
Krist Novoselic: The newspaper vendor who hugs Lance. Novoselic is a rock musician, best known as the bassist of Nirvana. Furthermore, it is well known that Nirvana's frontman Kurt Cobain committed suicide and writer/director Bobcat Goldthwait was a close friend of Cobain's.