Nick Riviera |
|
|
Dr. Nick Riviera (voiced by Hank Azaria) is a quack physician. Riviera has a vaguely Eastern European accent, a medical degree from a community college (at which he apparently spent much of his time prescribing "anything I want" to a succession of attractive women back in the 1970s), and a great deal of luck. Dr. Riviera also studied at the Hollywood Upstairs School of Medicine.
He frequently appears on infomercials pitching all sorts of bizarre medical offers and turns his operations into TV spectacles. He is also shown as an inventor/huckster (in the style of Ron Popeil) on the television show "I Can't Believe They Invented It!"
Dr. Nick is notable for his exclamation upon entering a room of "Hi, everybody!" which is followed by a response of "Hi, Dr. Nick!" from the other characters. There was an Austrian version of "Dr". Riviera in one of the episodes, and his exclamation is "Gutentag, everybody!" Another variation is an episode where Mel Gibson says, "Hi, everybody!" and Dr. Nick responds with "Hi, Mel Gibson", then saying to himself, "That felt weird".
He has operated on the Simpson family a couple of times (when they can't afford Doctor Hibbert), notably when Homer Simpson could not afford a heart bypass from his regular doctor. Lisa Simpson attended the live audience for the operation and saved the day by guiding the obviously clueless Dr. Riviera through the operation.
The character design is based somewhat on Gabor Csupo, of Klasky Csupo studios - the animators mistakenly believed Hank Azaria was impersonating Gabor. He may also be based on Elvis Presley's personal physician, a man of Greek descent and questionable ethics who was said to have pumped Presley so full of prescription drugs in his later years that it ruined the singer's health and eventually killed him.
|
|
|
|
