[4] 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.

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.

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.

"[9] 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, braids, Mr. T-style Mohawk, etc.)

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.

[10] 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.

[14] 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.

[16] 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.