When Bill says that puns used to be the highest form of humor he is referring to a similar statement made by Alfred Hitchcock in a 1972 interview ("Puns are the highest form of literature").
When Bill takes Sookie to Fangtasia for the first time a remix of Blue Oyster Cult's "(Don't Fear) the Reaper" can be heard playing.
Hoyt's mother describes his skin as being "whiter than Desitin". Desitin is the brand name in the US of a barrier cream sold to prevent diaper rash. It's main ingredient is zinc oxide, also used to make white paint.