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Revision as of 20:51, 25 October 2006 by Reece Llwyd (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Template:Simpsons character Üter or Ueter (IPA: [ʏteɐ]) is a fictional foreign exchange student on the animated TV series The Simpsons, voiced by Russi Taylor. His name is not German, because no such name actually exists. It resembles the name Uther, but has a slightly different pronunciation. Üter's shares similarities with the character Augustus Gloop, from Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Üter is portrayed as being the generic 'foreign kid' at Springfield Elementary, although he is occasionally called upon to serve specifically as a stereotypical German in other contexts. In particular, he is pudgy and obsessed with candy, specifically chocolate and a few other, more unusual candies that Americans might regard as humorously foreign. He has odd habits, such as offering his half-eaten "flavor wax" to others as a sign of friendship and eating marzipan "Joy-Joys" (mit iodine).
He disappeared for a period of time after a field trip to the local Civil War site (as seen in The PTA Disbands). When the actors taking part in a re-enactment of the Battle of Springfield noticed that the students were attempting to 'learn for free', they gave chase. As the students attempted to run to the bus, Üter suffered a cramp and was left behind to be clubbed with the butts of the faux rifles that the angry 'soldiers' were wielding. Although a joke was made concerning this event in a later episode, with Üter's parents asking Skinner where their missing son was - "We just want closure" (Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner?), in the same episode Skinner denied any knowledge of Üter.
He has since reappeared, alive and plump.
In 22 Short Films About Springfield he stated that his father was the foreman of 'The Düsseldorf Gumworks'.
He was killed in a Treehouse of Horror episode, in which his teachers became cannibals. They cooked his flesh, and served a 'delicious' dish called Üterbraten to the other children during an impromptu Oktoberfest celebration.
Üter's most embarrassing moment came when he ate his own diorama of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (which was made entirely of chocolate) before it could be judged -- "I begged you to look at mine first! I begged you!".
Interestingly, in the dubbed German version of the show, Üter is portrayed as a Swiss boy and not a German one; for the German audience, Üter's frequent references to chocolate correspond better to stereotypes that the Germans have of the Swiss and not themselves. For most Americans, however, the character corresponds closely to popular clichés about the Germans, such as their 'habit' of wearing Lederhosen, something that is (or used to be) typical of Bavarian folk-culture, (Bavaria being the southernmost German state, located in the extreme south-east of Germany).
Düsseldorf, the location of his father's employment, is not in or even near Bavaria. It is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, a state about 500km north-west of Bavaria, rather closer to the Netherlands -- of course, there is the possibility that his family is Bavarian, and moved north when his father got the job. (However, nobody would ever wear Lederhosen in that part of Germany. It would be just as foreign there as it is in America.)
Quotes
- "Don't make me run, I'm full of chocolate!" - running from a towel-snapping Homer.
- "I feel like I'm in Fitzcarraldo!" - while pulling the bus up a mountain. Nelson then says "That movie was flawed!" and punches Üter. ('Fitzcarraldo' being the 1982 film by Werner Herzog, a German director).
Trivia
Plays the trumpet, as shown in Jazzy and the Pussycats
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