Another white “Simpsons” voice actor has stepped down from lending his pipe to a character of color.
According to Wrap up, Harry Shearer, who is white, now black character Dr. Will not voice Hibbert. He will be replaced by “Wade Goals” Kevin Michael Richardson (“Bless the Hearts”) in next Sunday’s episode.
Shearer has since 1990 given Hank Azaria’s incompetent Dr. Unlike Nick voiced Springfield’s most skilled doctor. He also voiced Ned Flanders and Principal Skinner, among other characters, and Fox confirmed to The Post that he would continue to be voiced for other roles.
He joins Azaria, who last year announced that he will no longer voice the Indian character Apu after the 2017 documentary, “The Problem with Apu”, calling attention to the subject. Azaria still plays a variety of characters in shows such as Moe and Chief Wiggam.
“The Simpsons” is far from the only animated series to have addressed the subject in recent months.
Following the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement in the summer of 2020 following the assassination of George Floyd, “Family Guy” actor Mike Henry, who is a white, announced that he was stepping back from voicing the black character Cleveland. Arif Zaheer has since held that role.
On Netflix“Big Mouth,” Jenny Slate stepped down from voicing Missy – Io Adebiri has held the role ever since – and Apple TV + The series “Central Park” re-cast the bi-racial character, originally voiced by Kristen Bell and now performed by “Umbrella Academy” star Amy Raver-Lampman.
“The Simpsons” is currently in season 32, airing on Sundays at 8 pm on Fox.
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