Editing Austin Powers (character) (section)

==Development==
Myers, [[Matthew Sweet]] and [[Susanna Hoffs]] formed the faux British 1960s band [[Ming Tea]] after Myers's ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' stint in the early 1990s.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mike Myers|url=http://www.digitalhit.com/cr/mikemyers/|work=Digital Hit|publisher=Digital Hit Entertainment/ Multiplex Theatre Properties Inc.|access-date=29 July 2012|author=Digital Hit|year=1997–2012|archive-date=June 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628154424/https://www.digitalhit.com/cr/mikemyers/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="BiographyToday">{{cite book|title=Biography Today Performing Artists|page=101|author=Cherie D. Abbey|author2=Omnigraphics|author3=Kevin Hillstrom|publisher=Omnigraphics|year=2004|isbn=078080709X}}</ref> The band members all performed under pseudonyms with 1960s' personas. Myers adopted the pseudonym and character of Austin Powers.

This group made a number of live club and television performances in character. Myers's then wife, Robin Ruzan, encouraged him to write a film based on Austin Powers.<ref name="BiographyToday"/><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.newsweek.com/sort-thing-his-bag-baby-172878|title=This Sort Of Thing Is His Bag, Baby|magazine=Newsweek|date=May 18, 1997|access-date=March 9, 2014|archive-date=May 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150502085651/http://www.newsweek.com/sort-thing-his-bag-baby-172878|url-status=live}}</ref> Obituaries of [[Simon Dee]] (1935–2009), the radio and BBC television presenter, stated that his "Sixties grooviness" made him the inspiration for the character.<ref>{{cite news|title= TV chat show star Simon Dee dies|work= BBC|date=2009-08-30|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8229429.stm|access-date=2010-11-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title= Dee day for the real Austin Powers|work= The Age|date=2009-08-31|url= http://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/people/dee-day-for-the-real-austin-powers-20090831-f4y3.html|access-date=2010-11-05|location=Melbourne}}</ref>

Heavily influenced by British pop culture growing up, [[Mike Myers (actor)|Mike Myers]] has claimed that his British-born father was the inspiration behind Austin Powers.<ref>{{cite news|title= Austin Powers has The Force|work= BBC|date=1999-06-14|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/368451.stm|access-date=2010-11-06}}</ref>