Apparently that ridiculous explanation of how Superman/Clark Kent hides his identity has never been referred to in a DC comic since, like Mopee.

I think it is one of those ideas (in this case by Al Schroeder, a fan; Martin Pasko wrote it - I thought he would have had more sense) that may have seemed like a good idea at the time, but when you think about it, there are a truckload of implausibilities and illogicalities about it, and editor Schwartz should have turned the story down flat.