Have there been references to external media within cards? If so, do you have a favourite?

One of my favorite references was the card Creepy Doll in original Innistrad. It was a nod to singer Jonathan Coulton.

Is there a name for "vanity cards" that are not of people who work on the game, and are they also not done anymore?

We do Easter Eggs that make reference of pop culture on rare occasion. Innistrad, for example had one card that Referenced Plants vs. Zombies (Grave Bramble) and knethat referenced singer Jonathan Coulton (Creepy Doll).

In honor of Easter, what's your favorite hidden Easter Egg in a Magic card?

The Innistrad Plants vs. Zombie nod (Grave Bramble) and Jonathan Coulton nod (Creepy Doll) are both very cool.

Can a black bordered set have multiple cards with creepy doll's pseudo deathtouch?

I wouldn’t want that on many cards.

Would a reference to someone long dead still be considered a vanity card? Like say a Bram Stroker reference in Innistrad.

Referencing pop culture or public figures isn’t considered a vanity card. Innistrad, for example, referenced “Creepy Doll”, a song by Jonathan Coulton, and Plants vs. Zombies.

Is Creepy Doll a reference to the card of the same name from Wizards-owned property Betrayal at House on the Hill?

It was designed as a reference to the Jonathan Coulton song.

I wanted to take a moment to let you know, you introduced me to my favorite musician. Your article where you explained the origin of Creepy Doll got me listening to Jonathan Coulton and he is definitely my favorite. Did you know he is the house musician for NPR's Ask Me Another?

Then Mission Accomplished. If anyone else out there has never listened to Jonathan Coulton, I urge you to give him a listen.

So with you being a fan of Jonathan Coulton, what are the chances of a card called Skullcrusher Mountain?

The trick to Easter Egg cards like that is they have to not seem odd if you don’t get the reference. Creepy Doll made sense in gothic horror world. Skullcrusher Mountain is a little more of a challenge.

Any recent cards that you named?

Creepy Doll (with some obviously help from Jonathan Coulton). : )

The Jayemdae Tome was named for someone who's initials are JMD, Telim' Tor is an acronym for "Mr. Toilet" (which makes me laugh so very much). Any more recent names or characters that have funny little quirks in their names that you'd be willing to share? I realize you're the head designer and therefore not responsible for naming, but I figured you might have a story or two to share.

We refer to those cards as vanity cards as they are referencing someone behind the scenes. We stopped doing vanity cards many years ago. I personally like them and think they have value (I feel they help create a personal bond between creators and players), but it wasn’t my call. The thing we do now are Easter eggs like Creepy Doll (a reference to a Jonathan Coulton song) or Grave Bramble (a nod to Plants vs. Zombies). The rule on these cards is they cannot sacrifice quality for the reference so the player not in the know would have just a good opinion of the card as any other Magic card.