 Mike Myers (I) (qv) based the character Dieter on a student he  met in art college. The real Dieter would often say things like "I  once had a course where we had to touch tapioca, styrofoam and  monkeys. Michael, perhaps we can go to the zoo and touch monkeys."  (Thus giving rise to Myerss character constantly saying, "Would you  like to touch my monkey?")