The sketch parodied German stereotypes, especially those pertaining to German seriousness, efficiency, and precision. Myers later ported the character to television for the Canadian sketch comedy showIt's Only Rock & Roll and the Americansketch comedy show Saturday Night Live. Myers played "Dieter", a bored, disaffected West German expressionist and minimalist who would interview celebrities in whom he was demonstrably barely interested, and then invariably sought to bring the discussion around to his "limited" monkey, Klaus, seated on a platform atop a miniature column. Myers has stated he based the character on a waiter he encountered, working at "The Cameron House" in Toronto, as well as German musician Klaus Nomi. Appearing effeminate, and rotating his shoulders, Myers's "Dieter" costume consisted of: black tights with a matching turtleneck sweater; round wire-rimmed glasses; slicked-back hair. On several occasions, the sketch featured a section titled Germany's Most Disturbing Home Videos. This showcased such scenes as: an old man's head spinning around; a fat man, clad only in a diaper, cavorting in a lawn sprinkler; a man throwing up after being kicked in the genitals; the seemingly-lifeless body of a tramp whose face is covered with ants; a man's trousers falling down in public, while he and his girlfriend are viewing an art gallery. The theme song for the sketch was Kraftwerk's 1986 song "Electric Café", sped up by playing the 33⅓ rpm album at 45 rpm, then looped. Recurring and memorable quotes from the sketches include:
"You have disturbed me almost to the point of insanity...There. I am insane now."
"Touch my monkey!" and "Liebe meine Abschminke!", a recurring reference to Dieter's pet monkey, Klaus. Dieter told his guests that being allowed to touch Klaus was a privilege, but Klaus would often bite them when they tried to do so.
"Your story has become tiresome", whenever Dieter became - inevitably - bored with a guest.
"I am as happy as a little girl", while pinching his shirt.
"I am filled with anticipation, and it is most delicious."
"Your presence intimidates me to the point of humiliation."
"Karl Heinz, you are beautiful and angular...and if you were a gas, you would be inert."
"Now is ze time on Sprockets vhen ve dance!" This was always uttered frantically at the end of the sketch...after which several Sprockets crew members, dressed identically to Dieter, joined him onstage and jerkily danced to techno music.
Some later sketches featured Dieter outside of his talk show environment starring in parodies of game shows, TV dance parties, and art films.
List of ''SNL'' episodes featuring Dieter
All appearances were in the form of Sprockets shows, except where indicated.
The sketch was to be the basis for a film to be released in 2001, featuring Myers, Will Ferrell, David Hasselhoff, and Jack Black, but the project was abandoned in June 2000 after Myers became dissatisfied with his own script. Less than a week after Myers informed Universal Studios of his decision, the studio sued Myers for their $3.8 million in pre-production costs. One month later, Myers was hit with a second lawsuit, this time from Imagine Entertainment. "He claimed he had not approved the screenplay. Who wrote the screenplay--Myers," the Imagine lawsuit stated. Imagine claims Myers backed out after it and Universal agreed to his demands for more pay and millions of dollars were spent in pre-production. "This was not the first time Myers engaged in such conduct," the suit contended. "He has followed a pattern and practice of breaking his promises, betraying the trust of others and causing serious damage to those with whom he deals through selfish, egomaniacal and irresponsible conduct." The Imagine lawsuit sought more than $30 million in actual damages plus punitive damages. Myers subsequently countersued both parties, and eventually both lawsuits were later settled out of court.
