Julius Hibbert |
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Dr. Julius Hibbert is the Simpson family physician. Voiced by Harry Shearer, he is a kind-hearted family doctor, a genius and Mensa member, and is one of the few regular African-American 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 stupid yet effective solutions to certain medical problems. For example, when Maggie saved Homer from drowning, he replied to Marge's 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 reattatchment (as a thumb is not a finger) and suggests he can remove the other thumb for symmetry.
He is often seen in flashbacks (eg Lisa's birth, Bart's accidents as a toddler), and each time has a different hairstyle (afro, Bob Marley-ish, Mr. T, etc), as appropriate for the time period. He is married; he and his wife Bernice have three children. When his entire family is seen together, they appear to be a spoof of The Cosby Show.
Dr. Hibbert was intended as a female character based on comedian and former Saturday Night Live castmember Julia Hibbert, better known as Julia Sweeney. When the Fox network moved "The Simpsons" to Thursdays opposite NBC's top-rated "The Cosby Show", the show's producers completely redesigned Dr. Hibbert as a parody of Cosby's character Dr. Cliff Huxtable. Another possible influence in the creation of the character is basketball player Julius Erving, who was nicknamed Doctor J.
Dr. Julius Hibbert has three children, 2 boys and a girl, with the older son being a teenager (a parody of Cliff Huxtable's son on Cosby Show).
It's implied that he and Bleeding Gums Murphy are long-lost brothers. Also, he bears a striking resemblance to the director of the Shelbyville orphanage, which may or may not be coincidence (especially considering that the latter mentions a personal quest to find his long-lost twin).
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