Heh. I think we all go through self-insertion phases. I probably would've gone for Hank over Eric, but...

I remember hearing that the writer absolutely hated being forced to put a character like Eric in the show. It was actually a requirement that there be one constantly-wrong mockable guy. Brainy Smurfh. Junior Snork. Not only did he add some depth, but he later went on to write for Garfield & Friends. If the jingle "We are the Buddy Bears, we always get along" sounds familliar, that was him!