I've heard that this song is a tribute to Joni Mitchell, but why is it Dorothy Parker? I thought I might understand it if I read Parker's poetry but I still don't see the link? Any insights or fellow Parker fans?

There's a line in the song mid-way through that the waitress asks permission to turn on the radio(incidentally,another Joni song happens to be titled, You Turn Me On, I'm A Radio from her 1972 release For The Roses) and much to their delight the song Help Me from Joni's Court And Spark is being played.
"mind if I turn on the radio? My favorite song she said and it was Joni singing...help me I think i'm fallin'..."
Prince performed after a concert in Los Angeles in 87' in which he dedicated the song to Joni who happened to be in the audience that night.
The song is a wonderful, surreal, esoteric gem that sort of pays tribute to Joni's extraordinary way of painting with words and music.

I loved "Blue" and "court and SPark" but I read an interview Prince did once and he said he loved Jonis' "Hising of Summer Lawns" so I had to buy it. That shit was wack!

DMSR said:

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Is the term "wack" a good thing? Doesn't sound like it.
While I love all of Joni's albums, Hissing is my favorite.

"The more i'm with you, pretty baby, the more I feel my love increase..."

But what is the signifigance of "Dorothy Parker"? The real Dorothy Parker is a famous poet who's most probably well known quote is "Boys don't make passes at girls who wear glasses", though she wrote many more in-depth and wonderful poems as well. Is the name of this poet and the waitress in the song just a coincidence or something intentional? With P I tend to think there may be something more...