"Saturday Night Live" (1978): With the help of Paul Shaffer, Bill Murray breaks out of the pack with his character Nick the lounge singer, who added cheese-puff lyrics to John Williams' iconic instrumental anthem.
"Bicycle Race" by Queen (1978): Freddie Mercury pedals against the establishment by belting out that " 'Jaws' was never my scene and I don't like 'Star Wars.' "
"Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981): Indiana Jones may be an astute archaeologist, but he somehow fails to notice the hieroglyphic engravings of R2-D2 and C-3PO in the Well of Souls.
"E.T." (1982): Our hero thinks he's made an out-of-the-world connection on Halloween night when passing a trick-or-treater dressed as Yoda.
Ronald Reagan (1983): In a landmark speech, the president introduces plans to develop the Strategic Defense Initiative, a laser-based system the news media nicknames "Star Wars." The proposal comes a few weeks after the former movie star called the Soviet Union the "evil empire."
Georgetown Hoyas (1984): The John Thompson-coached squad, the first team to use "The Imperial March" in its introductions, wins its only NCAA national basketball championship.
"Back to the Future" (1985): Marty McFly applies some Jedi mind tricks on his father-to-be by using a radiation suit and hair dryer to pose as "Darth Vader, an extraterrestrial from the planet Vulcan."
"Friends" (1996): Rachel fulfills Ross' bedroom fantasies by dressing up as Princess Leia in a gold bikini. Good thing they weren't on a break.
Daunte Culpepper (2004): After a successful season with the Minnesota Vikings, the quarterback is asked if he thinks he has another MVP-like season in the tank. "I feel like a Jedi knight," he replies.
"The Colbert Report" (2005): Stephen Colbert closes his very first show with a primal moan, a tribute to "Chewbacca" actor Peter Mayhew, who recently had become a U.S. citizen.
MTV Movie Awards (2006): Gnarls Barkley goes "Crazy" by performing its smash single in costume with Obi-Wan Kenobi manning the keyboards and Chewbacca banging the drums.
"The Big Bang Theory" (2007): In the premiere episode, we learn Leonard uses Darth Vader shampoo and Luke Skywalker conditioner. The series later reveals that Stuart and Raj drink coffee out of Chewbacca and Yoda mugs.
"The Ballad of Gay Tony" (2009): The Shitzu Vader, a street-fighting motorcycle, roars into this "Grand Theft Auto IV" extension. It plays a more prominent role in "Grand Theft Auto V."
"30 Rock," (2009): Liz Lemon unsuccessfully tries to weasel out of jury duty by showing up as Princess Leia. She later recycles the costume for a courthouse wedding because "it's the only white dress I own."
"Under the Dome" (2009): In this Stephen King novel so big a Jedi would have trouble levitating it, a woman learns more about a crooked husband in a file marked "VADER."
"Never Say Never," Justin Bieber (2011): Jaden Smith cameos with the line, "Like Luke with the Force, if push comes to shove / like Kobe in the fourth, ice water with blood."
"The Force," Volkswagen Passat ad (2011): A kid in Darth Vader regalia is stunned when his powers appear to work on his dad's car. One of most popular viral ads of all time.
Adrianne Curry (2012): The first winner of "America's Next Top Model" throws a "Star Wars"-themed pool party for her 30th birthday.
President Obama (2013): In reference to the budget sequestration debate, the president said some Americans expect him to perform a "Jedi mind meld" on Republicans who refuse to deal.
Mayoral elections in Odessa, Ukraine (2015): Chewbacca is arrested for campaigning on election day for Darth Vader. He insists he cannot pay the $7.50 fine because "his funds are in an intergalactic bank that has no branches on this planet."
NEAL JUSTIN
