The character Helene, as a long unemployed has-been Classic Hollywood actress, is a parody of the character Norma Desmond from "Sunset Boulevard". Helene even imitates Norma's hand gestures in a parody of the film's infamous end scene.
Helene stands at the foot of the staircase inside her apartment building crying out "Kramer! Kramer!" in a very melodramatic fashion in reference to the famous "Hey, Stella!" scene from the film.