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{{short description|Fictional character and singer from The Simpsons franchise}}
{{Simpsons character|
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}{{Infobox character
image=]|
name=Dr. Julius Hibbert| | name = Dr. Hibbert
| series = ]
gender=]|
| image = Dr. Hibbert.svg
hair=Black|
| first = "]" (1990)
age= late 40's|
| creator = ]
job=Doctor|
| designer = Matt Groening
politics=]|
| voice = ] (1990–2021)<br>] (2021–present)<ref name="kmr">{{cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/the-simpsons-dr-hibbert-harry-shearer-white-wont-voice-kevin-michael-richardson/|title= 'The Simpsons': White Voice Actor Harry Shearer Won't Voice Black Character Dr Hibbert Anymore|first=Jennifer|last=Maas|work=]|date=February 22, 2021|accessdate=February 22, 2021}}</ref>
relatives= '''Wife:''' Bernice <br> '''Children:''' (Three, unnamed) <br> '''Possible long-lost brother:''' ] <br> '''Long-lost identical twin brother:''' (unnamed, works at Shelbyville orphanage).|
| full_name = Julius M. Hibbert
appearance=]|
| gender = Male
voiceactor=]}}
| occupation = ] at Springfield General Hospital<br>Owner at M.D. Family Practice
| spouse = ] (wife)
| family = "Bleeding Gums" Murphy (brother, implied)
| children = JJ Hibbert (son)<br>Two unnamed sons<br>Two unnamed daughters
| relatives = Chester Dupree (brother-in-law)
}}


'''Dr. Julius M. Hibbert, M.D.'''<ref>{{cite episode |title=My Sister, My Sitter |episode-link=My Sister, My Sitter |series=The Simpsons |series-link=The Simpsons |network=Fox |airdate=1997-03-03 |season=8 |number=17 |time=16:05}}</ref>{{Sfn|Groening|2010|pp=1105, 1155}} is a recurring character on the television animated sitcom '']''. He is Springfield's most prominent medical professional. Although he has a kind and warm persona, he is also often characterized as greedy and lacking in empathy. His signature character trait is his often-inappropriate chuckling, which is generally cued by misfortune rather than something genuinely amusing. The character debuted on December 6, 1990, in the episode ].{{Sfn|Groening|2010|p=68}} He was voiced from his debut by ''Simpsons'' regular ], and since a ], by ] from 2021.<ref name="kmr"/>
'''Julius M. Hibbert''', ] is a doctor and physician from the TV series '']'', voiced by ].


==Profile==
Dr. Hibbert is the Simpsons' (usually) kind-hearted family doctor, a ], a graduate of the ] School of Medicine and ] member, and is one of the few regular ] characters on the series. Hibbert is noticeably less dysfunctional than just about everyone else on the show, though he does have a bizarre tendency to laugh at inappropriate moments. He also gives questionable solutions to certain medical problems. For example, when ] saved ] from drowning, he replied to ] question "How can a baby save the life of a full-grown man?", "It's very simple. When an adult's life is in danger, a child can summon superhuman strength!" Or when Homer lost a thumb, Dr. Hibbert tells him that his Finger Insurance will not cover reattachment (as a thumb is not a finger), and suggests he can remove the other thumb for symmetry. Or when Homer is shot with a flower, he must wait a few weeks for it to fall out, because he refuses to remove it or even trim the leaves so that Homer can watch TV, because he's "not a gardener." Or when he says the only real cure-all is "Fire, and lots of it!". In "]", when Homer challenged Red Barclay to eat the "Sir Loin-a-Lot" steak i a contest, Marge was fearing that Homer may choke on a part of the steak, while Dr. Hibbert claims that since being 12% owner of The Slaughterhouse (the restaurant they were eating at), his diet advice suggests "the occasional eating contest". It is also stated that during a race, he obtained a T-shirt of a ] urinating on a ]. Bernice questioned "Don't you usually laugh at those things?" in which he disturbingly responds "Yes, yes I do."
He is near-] (with an ] of 155), a ] member, a graduate of the ], and a former stripper. Hibbert is noticeably less dysfunctional than just about everyone else on the show, though he does have a bizarre tendency to chuckle at inappropriate moments which is later revealed to be a coping mechanism. In "]", Hibbert tells Lisa that "Before I learned to chuckle mindlessly, I was headed to an early grave." He reacts questionably to certain medical problems. For example, when ] saves ] from drowning, Hibbert attributes it to common cases of superhuman strength in children whose parents' lives are in danger.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder |episode-link=Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder |series=The Simpsons |series-link=The Simpsons |credits=]; ] |network=] |airdate=November 14, 1999 |season=11 |number=6}}</ref> Likewise, he expresses only mild surprise when both of ]'s kidneys are revealed to have exploded. In '']'', Dr. Hibbert discusses the possibility of ] being a "genetic chosen one" who can cure a ] over the phone with the Simpsons, while under siege from the aforementioned ].


There are hints throughout the series that Dr. Hibbert is not above dubious medical practices. After ] talks him out of buying an unsuitable house, he suggests repaying her with ] prescriptions.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Realty Bites |episode-link=Realty Bites |series=The Simpsons |series-link=The Simpsons |credits=]; Scott III, Swinton O. |network=] |airdate=December 7, 1997 |season=9 |number=9}}</ref> When he realizes that Marge is initially unenthusiastic about having a third child, he implies that a healthy baby could bring in as much as $60,000 on the black market. Hibbert covers for himself against Marge's horrified reaction by saying that if she had replied any other way, she would be sent to prison, claiming that it is "just a test".<ref>{{cite episode |title=And Maggie Makes Three |episode-link=And Maggie Makes Three |series=The Simpsons |series-link=The Simpsons |credits=]; Scott III, Swinton O. |network=] |airdate=January 22, 1995 |season=6 |number=13}}</ref> It is also suggested in the episode "]" that he does not in fact have a medical license.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Wild Barts Can't Be Broken |episode-link=Wild Barts Can't Be Broken |series=The Simpsons |series-link=The Simpsons |credits=]; ] |network=] |airdate=January 17, 1999 |season=10 |number=11}}</ref>
Dr. Hibbert was intended as a female character based on comedian and former ] cast member Julia Hibbert, better known as ]. When the Fox network moved ''The Simpsons'' to Thursdays opposite ]'s top-rated '']'', the show's producers completely redesigned Dr. Hibbert as a parody of ] character Dr. Cliff Huxtable. (Hibbert does own a collection of rather horrid sweaters, just like Dr. Huxtable.) Another possible influence in the creation of the character is basketball player ], who was nicknamed Doctor J.


Despite his seemingly honest and good-hearted personality, there is evidence that he is, at heart, a ]. In "]", Hibbert tells ] that his ] will cost $30,000. When Homer has a ] in front of him in response to this news, he says, unmoved, that the cost is now $40,000 – hinting the heart attack made him now require a ]. In "]", after Homer's baby-proofing business eliminates child injuries in Springfield, Hibbert complains that he is behind in his boat payments because of this. He is a ] and attends ] Republican meetings alongside ], ], and a ]-like creature. Hibbert also freely wears fur coats, believing that while fur itself may not be murder, "paying for it sure is!"<ref>{{cite episode |title=A Milhouse Divided |episode-link=A Milhouse Divided |series=The Simpsons |series-link=The Simpsons |credits=Tompkins, Steve; ] |network=] |airdate=December 1, 1996 |season=8 |number=6}}</ref>
During the show there a numerous jokes about Dr. Hibbert's brothers, one being ] a burnt out sax player and idol of Lisa Simpson, and a worker at the Shelbyville Orphanage.


Hibbert is often seen in ]s (for example, ] birth, or ] accidents as a toddler), and each time has a different hairstyle (], ], ]-style ], etc.) appropriate for the time period.
There are hints that Dr. Hibbert is not above dubious medical practices either. After Marge talks him out of buying an unsuitable house, he tells her "If you ever need a prescription, no questions asked..." On another occasion, he buys one of Bart's T Shirts with the legend "DO NOT RESUSCITATE" remarking that "This could get me out of some sticky situations." When he realized that Marge Simpson was initially unenthused about having a third child, he implied that a healthy baby could bring in as much as $60,000. Hibbert covered for himself against Marge's horrified reaction by saying that if she had replied any other way, she would be sent to prison, claiming that it was "just a test". Whether or not he was sincere about selling an unwanted baby is unclear.


Dr. Hibbert is married; he and his wife ] have at least three children, two boys and a girl. When his entire family is seen together, they appear to be a spoof of '']''. Bernice is known to be something of a heavy drinker; this has been joked about on at least one occasion (in "]", she faints upon reading the news that ] has been introduced in Springfield) and laughs exactly like her husband. Despite apparent marriage problems, Dr. Hibbert still requests that the Simpsons tell Bernice that he loves her during a zombie apocalypse, though Homer misinterprets the message and resolves to just give her a ].
]
Despite his seemingly honest and good-hearted personality, there is evidence that he is, at heart, a committed ]. In ], Hibbert cooly announces to Homer that his heart operation will cost $30,000. When Homer has a heart attack in front of him in response to this news, he says, unmoved, "I'm afraid it's now $40,000." In ], after Homer's baby-proofing business eliminates child injuries in Springfield, Hibbert is seen holding a cooing infant and complaining, "Not a scratch on him, and I've got boat payments!" In "The Last Temptation of Homer," Hibbert is shown as running an H.M.O.--Hibbert's Money-Making Organization". He has also been interviewed on ] sporting a baseball cap and chain blatantly advertising the wares of ] companies. The "interview" ends with him joining in a choreographed raunchy ] routine with several attractive female dancers promoting ] products. He is a committed ] and attends ] Republican meetings alongside ] and ]. Hibbert also freely wears fur coats, believing that while fur itself may not be murder, "paying for it sure is!"


In the sixth season episode {{"-}}]", it is implied that he and ] are long-lost brothers; Hibbert says he has a long-lost brother who is a ] musician and Murphy says he has a brother who is a doctor that chuckles at inappropriate times, but somehow the two do not put these clues together. However, Murphy later dies, so it will never be known for certain if they are brothers or not.<ref>{{cite episode |title='Round Springfield |episode-link='Round Springfield |series=The Simpsons |series-link=The Simpsons |credits=]; ]; ] |network=] |airdate=April 30, 1995 |season=6 |number=22}}</ref> Hibbert also bears a striking resemblance to the director of the ] orphanage, who mentions a personal quest to find his long-lost twin to an indifferent Homer.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? |episode-link=Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? |series=The Simpsons |series-link=The Simpsons |credits=]; Archer, W.M. "Bud" |network=] |airdate=February 21, 1991 |season=2 |number=15}}</ref> In the 1999 episode "]", we learn that Dr. Hibbert lives next door to ].
He is often seen in flashbacks (for example, ] birth, or ] accidents as a toddler), and each time has a different hairstyle (afro, dreadlocks, ]-style mohawk, etc.), as appropriate for the time period. He is married; he and his wife Bernice have at least three children, two boys and a girl. When his entire family is seen together, they appear to be a spoof of '']''. Bernice is known to be something of a heavy drinker; this has been joked about on at least one occasion (in "Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment," she faints, along with other imbibers of renown, upon reading the news that Prohibition has been introduced in Springfield).


In writers ] and ]'s original script for "]", Hibbert was a woman, named "Julia Hibbert", whom they named after comedic actress ] (Hibbert was her married last name at the time).<ref name="sprcon">{{cite book |last1=Reiss |first1=Mike |authorlink1=Mike Reiss |last2=Klickstein |first2=Mathew |title=Springfield Confidential: Jokes, Secrets, and Outright Lies From a Lifetime Writing for The Simpsons |date=2018 |publisher=Dey Street Books |isbn=978-0062748034 |page=100|location=New York City}}</ref> When Fox moved ''The Simpsons'' to ] on Thursdays against ]'s ] '']'', the writing staff decided to make Dr. Hibbert a parody of ]'s character, ].<ref name=daredevil>{{cite AV media|people=]; ]; ]; ]; ]|date=2004|title=Commentary for "Bart the Daredevil", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season''|format=DVD|url=https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/4308/simpsons-the-complete-second-season-the/|publisher=]}}</ref> Dr. Hibbert is usually shown wearing sweaters when not on duty, a reference to Huxtable.<ref name=daredevil/> Like the Cosby character, Dr. Hibbert laughs inappropriately, at pretty much everything. He is one of the few competent characters in the show, and was originally shown as being sympathetic to his patients' conditions, but that was eventually changed to him being less caring about his patients.<ref name=daredevil/>
It is implied that he and ] are long-lost brothers. Also, he bears a striking resemblance to the director of the ] orphanage, who mentions a personal quest to find his long-lost twin to an indifferent Homer. It was also suggested that Hibbert did not have a legal license in medicine (Lisa: And guess who's been practicing medicine without a license? Hibbert: <Tugs his collar nervously.> Lisa: That's right, Homer Simpson.). In addition, he once tricked Homer into signing a malpractice waiver, after his medication caused Bart to lose his hearing, by making him "test out his signature" on the waiver.


==Cultural reception==
Dr. Hibbert supposedly attended ], and evidence from the show indicates he was probably born in ]. To pay for medical college, he performed as a male ] under the pseudonym "]," claiming "I'd satisfy the ladies ]." He has since been seen running an ] class in "How to Strip For Your Wife" which Homer briefly attended.
A ] analysis in the '']'' (''CMAJ'') compares the services of Dr. Hibbert and ], a quack physician often used by ''The Simpsons'' as an alternative source of medical advice. While Hibbert is praised for his sense of humor and quality of care, it concludes that Nick is a better ] for physicians; Hibbert is a paternalistic and wasteful physician, unlike Nick, who strives to cut costs and does his best to avoid the ].<ref>{{cite journal |first1=Robert |last1=Patterson |first2=Charles |last2=Weijer |title=D'oh! An analysis of the medical care provided to the family of Homer J. Simpson |url=http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/reprint/159/12/1480.pdf |journal=] |publisher=] |location=Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |volume=159 |issue=12 |pages=1480–1 |date=December 15, 1998 |pmid=9988570 |pmc=1229893}}</ref> This study was rebutted, also in ''CMAJ'', casting both characters aside as a role model in favor of Dr. ] of '']'', "TV's only true physician" and "someone who has broken free from the yoke of ethics and practises the art and science of medicine beyond the stultifying opposition of paternalism and autonomy. A free and independent thinker and, indeed, someone even beyond role models".<ref>{{cite journal |first=Michael |last=Yao |date=December 15, 1998 |title=To boldly go: we have to look beyond the Simpsons for a true medical hero |url=http://www.cmaj.ca/content/159/12/1476.full.pdf |journal=] |publisher=] |location=Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |volume=159 |issue=12 |pages=1476–1477 |pmid=9988569 |pmc=1229891 |access-date=January 23, 2018}}</ref>


In mid-2020, amid the ] movement and ], the ''Simpsons'' producers declared their intentions to no longer use white actors to voice non-white characters actors; thus, Dr. Hibbert's voice actor was recast. Harry Shearer, the original voice actor, second-guessed this decision, saying all actors are hired to "play someone who they are not". This came amid similar recasting on other cartoons such as '']''.<ref>{{cite web|first=Zac|last=Ntim|url=https://www.insider.com/dr-hibbert-actor-harry-shearer-questions-the-simpsons-casting-rules-2020-8|title=The actor who plays Dr Hibbert in 'The Simpsons' questions the show's decision to stop casting white actors as characters of color|website=]|date=August 5, 2020|accessdate=June 12, 2023}}</ref> In February of the following year, it was announced that beginning with the episode "]", voice actor ], who is African-American, would replace Shearer as Hibbert.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-56166823 |title=The Simpsons: Kevin Michael Richardson replaces Harry Shearer as Dr Hibbert |work=] |date=23 February 2021 |access-date=23 February 2021}}</ref>
He owns a poodle called Rosa Barks (an allusion to black civil rights activist ]) who was impregnated by ]. Unhappy with a litter of grayhound/poodle (grayhoodle?)
puppies, Dr.Hibert leaves the puppies in the care of the Simpsons. Lisa and Bart distribute the
puppies around Springfield. The known recipients of the puppies were Krusty The Clown, Snake and
Groundskeeper Willie. The identities of the other recipients remain unrevealed.


==References==
At least one of Hibbert's cars is a green ], which he is seen driving in the Episode "]." In "]," he mentions his ] keys. In "]," he is seen muttering angrily over a "rusty tailgate" on a generic-looking ]. In ], he's driving a silver ] sedan.
{{reflist}}


=== Bibliography ===
Along with ], Judge Snyder, Drederick Tatum, and Police Sergeant Lou, Dr. Hibbert represents African American people in the show, although to date, Dr. Hibbert and Carl have only had one direct exchange, with Hibbert apparently being irritated by Carl's description of him as a "brother."
* {{cite book |last=Groening |first=Matt |author-link=Matt Groening |title=Simpsons World: The Ultimate Episode Guide: Seasons 1–20 |title-link=Simpsons World: The Ultimate Episode Guide: Seasons 1–20 |date=2010-10-28 |publisher=] |year= |isbn=9780061711282 |editor1-last=Richmond |editor1-first=Ray |editor1-link=Ray Richmond |edition=1st |editor2-last=Gimple |editor2-first=Scott M. |editor2-link=Scott M. Gimple |editor-last3=McCann |editor-first3=Jessie L. |editor-last4=Seghers |editor-first4=Christine |editor-last5=Bates |editor-first5=James W.}}


{{The Simpsons}}
==Comparing Dr. Hibbert and Dr. Nick==
A tongue-in-cheek analysis in the '']'' compares the services of Dr. Hibbert and ], a quack physician often used by The Simpsons as an alternate source of medical advice <ref>Patterson R, Weijer C. D'oh! An analysis of the medical care provided to the family of Homer J. Simpson. CMAJ. 1998 Dec 15;159(12):1480-1. PMID 9988570 </ref>. While Dr. Hibbert is praised for his sense of humor and quality of care, it ultimately concludes that Dr. Nick is a better role model for physicians; Dr. Hibbert is a paternalistic and wasteful physician, unlike Dr. Nick, who strives to cut costs and does his best to avoid the ].


{{DEFAULTSORT:Hibbert, Dr.}}
==Reference==
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Latest revision as of 06:45, 29 December 2024

Fictional character and singer from The Simpsons franchise Fictional character
Dr. Hibbert
The Simpsons character
First appearance"Bart the Daredevil" (1990)
Created byMatt Groening
Designed byMatt Groening
Voiced byHarry Shearer (1990–2021)
Kevin Michael Richardson (2021–present)
In-universe information
Full nameJulius M. Hibbert
GenderMale
OccupationDoctor at Springfield General Hospital
Owner at M.D. Family Practice
Family"Bleeding Gums" Murphy (brother, implied)
SpouseBernice Hibbert (wife)
ChildrenJJ Hibbert (son)
Two unnamed sons
Two unnamed daughters
RelativesChester Dupree (brother-in-law)

Dr. Julius M. Hibbert, M.D. is a recurring character on the television animated sitcom The Simpsons. He is Springfield's most prominent medical professional. Although he has a kind and warm persona, he is also often characterized as greedy and lacking in empathy. His signature character trait is his often-inappropriate chuckling, which is generally cued by misfortune rather than something genuinely amusing. The character debuted on December 6, 1990, in the episode Bart the Daredevil. He was voiced from his debut by Simpsons regular Harry Shearer, and since a recasting of all of the show's non-white characters, by Kevin Michael Richardson from 2021.

Profile

He is near-genius (with an IQ of 155), a Mensa member, a graduate of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and a former stripper. Hibbert is noticeably less dysfunctional than just about everyone else on the show, though he does have a bizarre tendency to chuckle at inappropriate moments which is later revealed to be a coping mechanism. In "Make Room for Lisa", Hibbert tells Lisa that "Before I learned to chuckle mindlessly, I was headed to an early grave." He reacts questionably to certain medical problems. For example, when Maggie saves Homer from drowning, Hibbert attributes it to common cases of superhuman strength in children whose parents' lives are in danger. Likewise, he expresses only mild surprise when both of Grandpa Simpson's kidneys are revealed to have exploded. In Treehouse of Horror XX, Dr. Hibbert discusses the possibility of Bart being a "genetic chosen one" who can cure a zombie apocalypse over the phone with the Simpsons, while under siege from the aforementioned zombies.

There are hints throughout the series that Dr. Hibbert is not above dubious medical practices. After Marge talks him out of buying an unsuitable house, he suggests repaying her with black-market prescriptions. When he realizes that Marge is initially unenthusiastic about having a third child, he implies that a healthy baby could bring in as much as $60,000 on the black market. Hibbert covers for himself against Marge's horrified reaction by saying that if she had replied any other way, she would be sent to prison, claiming that it is "just a test". It is also suggested in the episode "Wild Barts Can't Be Broken" that he does not in fact have a medical license.

Despite his seemingly honest and good-hearted personality, there is evidence that he is, at heart, a mercenary. In "Homer's Triple Bypass", Hibbert tells Homer that his open heart surgery will cost $30,000. When Homer has a heart attack in front of him in response to this news, he says, unmoved, that the cost is now $40,000 – hinting the heart attack made him now require a quadruple bypass. In "Bye Bye Nerdie", after Homer's baby-proofing business eliminates child injuries in Springfield, Hibbert complains that he is behind in his boat payments because of this. He is a Republican and attends Springfield's Republican meetings alongside Mr Burns, Rainier Wolfcastle, and a Nosferatu-like creature. Hibbert also freely wears fur coats, believing that while fur itself may not be murder, "paying for it sure is!"

Hibbert is often seen in flashbacks (for example, Lisa's birth, or Bart's accidents as a toddler), and each time has a different hairstyle (afro, dreadlocks, Mr. T-style Mohawk, etc.) appropriate for the time period.

Dr. Hibbert is married; he and his wife Bernice have at least three children, two boys and a girl. When his entire family is seen together, they appear to be a spoof of The Cosby Show. Bernice is known to be something of a heavy drinker; this has been joked about on at least one occasion (in "Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment", she faints upon reading the news that Prohibition has been introduced in Springfield) and laughs exactly like her husband. Despite apparent marriage problems, Dr. Hibbert still requests that the Simpsons tell Bernice that he loves her during a zombie apocalypse, though Homer misinterprets the message and resolves to just give her a high-five.

In the sixth season episode "'Round Springfield", it is implied that he and Bleeding Gums Murphy are long-lost brothers; Hibbert says he has a long-lost brother who is a jazz musician and Murphy says he has a brother who is a doctor that chuckles at inappropriate times, but somehow the two do not put these clues together. However, Murphy later dies, so it will never be known for certain if they are brothers or not. Hibbert also bears a striking resemblance to the director of the Shelbyville orphanage, who mentions a personal quest to find his long-lost twin to an indifferent Homer. In the 1999 episode "Grift of the Magi", we learn that Dr. Hibbert lives next door to Police Chief Wiggum.

In writers Jay Kogen and Wallace Wolodarsky's original script for "Bart the Daredevil", Hibbert was a woman, named "Julia Hibbert", whom they named after comedic actress Julia Sweeney (Hibbert was her married last name at the time). When Fox moved The Simpsons to prime time on Thursdays against NBC's top-rated The Cosby Show, the writing staff decided to make Dr. Hibbert a parody of Bill Cosby's character, Dr. Cliff Huxtable. Dr. Hibbert is usually shown wearing sweaters when not on duty, a reference to Huxtable. Like the Cosby character, Dr. Hibbert laughs inappropriately, at pretty much everything. He is one of the few competent characters in the show, and was originally shown as being sympathetic to his patients' conditions, but that was eventually changed to him being less caring about his patients.

Cultural reception

A tongue-in-cheek analysis in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) compares the services of Dr. Hibbert and Dr. Nick Riviera, a quack physician often used by The Simpsons as an alternative source of medical advice. While Hibbert is praised for his sense of humor and quality of care, it concludes that Nick is a better role model for physicians; Hibbert is a paternalistic and wasteful physician, unlike Nick, who strives to cut costs and does his best to avoid the coroner. This study was rebutted, also in CMAJ, casting both characters aside as a role model in favor of Dr. Bones McCoy of Star Trek, "TV's only true physician" and "someone who has broken free from the yoke of ethics and practises the art and science of medicine beyond the stultifying opposition of paternalism and autonomy. A free and independent thinker and, indeed, someone even beyond role models".

In mid-2020, amid the Black Lives Matter movement and George Floyd protests, the Simpsons producers declared their intentions to no longer use white actors to voice non-white characters actors; thus, Dr. Hibbert's voice actor was recast. Harry Shearer, the original voice actor, second-guessed this decision, saying all actors are hired to "play someone who they are not". This came amid similar recasting on other cartoons such as Family Guy. In February of the following year, it was announced that beginning with the episode "Wad Goals", voice actor Kevin Michael Richardson, who is African-American, would replace Shearer as Hibbert.

References

  1. ^ Maas, Jennifer (February 22, 2021). "'The Simpsons': White Voice Actor Harry Shearer Won't Voice Black Character Dr Hibbert Anymore". The Wrap. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  2. "My Sister, My Sitter". The Simpsons. Season 8. Episode 17. March 3, 1997. Event occurs at 16:05. Fox.
  3. Groening 2010, pp. 1105, 1155.
  4. Groening 2010, p. 68.
  5. Jean, Al; Anderson, Mike B. (November 14, 1999). "Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder". The Simpsons. Season 11. Episode 6. 20th Century Fox.
  6. Greaney, Dan; Scott III, Swinton O. (December 7, 1997). "Realty Bites". The Simpsons. Season 9. Episode 9. Fox.
  7. Crittenden, Jennifer; Scott III, Swinton O. (January 22, 1995). "And Maggie Makes Three". The Simpsons. Season 6. Episode 13. Fox.
  8. Doyle, Larry; Ervin, Mark (January 17, 1999). "Wild Barts Can't Be Broken". The Simpsons. Season 10. Episode 11. Fox.
  9. Tompkins, Steve; Moore, Steven Dean (December 1, 1996). "A Milhouse Divided". The Simpsons. Season 8. Episode 6. Fox.
  10. Jean, Al; Reiss, Mike; Moore, Steven Dean (April 30, 1995). "'Round Springfield". The Simpsons. Season 6. Episode 22. Fox.
  11. Martin, Jeff; Archer, W.M. "Bud" (February 21, 1991). "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?". The Simpsons. Season 2. Episode 15. Fox.
  12. Reiss, Mike; Klickstein, Mathew (2018). Springfield Confidential: Jokes, Secrets, and Outright Lies From a Lifetime Writing for The Simpsons. New York City: Dey Street Books. p. 100. ISBN 978-0062748034.
  13. ^ Groening, Matt; Jean, Al; Kogen, Jay; Reiss, Mike; Wolodarsky, Wallace (2004). Commentary for "Bart the Daredevil", in The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  14. Patterson, Robert; Weijer, Charles (December 15, 1998). "D'oh! An analysis of the medical care provided to the family of Homer J. Simpson" (PDF). Canadian Medical Association Journal. 159 (12). Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Canadian Medical Association: 1480–1. PMC 1229893. PMID 9988570.
  15. Yao, Michael (December 15, 1998). "To boldly go: we have to look beyond the Simpsons for a true medical hero" (PDF). Canadian Medical Association Journal. 159 (12). Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Canadian Medical Association: 1476–1477. PMC 1229891. PMID 9988569. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  16. Ntim, Zac (August 5, 2020). "The actor who plays Dr Hibbert in 'The Simpsons' questions the show's decision to stop casting white actors as characters of color". Insider. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  17. "The Simpsons: Kevin Michael Richardson replaces Harry Shearer as Dr Hibbert". BBC News. February 23, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2021.

Bibliography

The Simpsons
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