Harry Nilsson is mentioned in Carl Hiaasen's novel Basket Case.
Carl Hiaasen was a friend of Warren Zevon. After Zevon's death, Hiassen wrote a letter to another friend which was read at Zevon's funeral. One section of the letter mentions Harry Nilsson:
"Back in July, I called Warren with a movie trivia question. I couldn't recall the name of an old Harry Nilsson song that Martin Scorsese had used in Goodfellas.
"Not only did Warren remember the song but, to my delight, he sang it for me over the phone. I laughed and thought to myself: Maybe all those damn doctors are wrong.
"But, tragically, they weren't."
