Right before Virginia hits Lucy with the television, the newscaster says "...and in lighter news, a small time crook with a long list of wrongs he was making amends for, has finally finished. You'll never guess how it ended". This is a reference to "Raising Hope" creators previous series, "My Name Is Earl" which was cancelled on a cliffhanger ending.
Amy Sedaris is featured in episode 1.14: What Up, Cuz? (2011). Here, when Jimmy first enters the supermarket, Sabrina can be seen reading "Naked," written by Amy's brother, David Sedaris.
When Jimmy brings Hope/Princess Beyonce home from prison, her prison number is visible - 46664, which is the same as Nelson Mandela's number given to him by the apartheid government in South Africa.