Many people were critical of the way John Stamos showed solidarity after his longtime friend and former Full House costar Dave Coulier was diagnosed with cancer. However, Dave Coulier himself was not upset about it. On November 18, John Stamos shared three photos in which he wore a bald cap while Dave, who recently revealed that he has been diagnosed with stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma, had a shaved head.
In his post, John explained why he decided to wear a bald cap. “Nothing like throwing on a bald cap and flexing some Photoshop skills to show some love and solidarity with my bro,” he wrote. What was meant to be a heartfelt tribute for his friend led to a lot of backlash, with one person calling John’s post “so cringey and embarrassing.”
Another person commented on the post: “Throwing on a bald cap? To support your friend?”
Many people thought he should’ve at least shaved his head instead of simply wearing a bald cap.
“I’m sorry John but wearing a bald cap doesn’t show your support to your friend,” one person commented. “Shave your head if you really want to tribute to him. It grows back!”
More from LittleThings: Rachael Ray Admits That She ‘Can’t Handle’ Watching Herself On TV
In response to the criticism, some people jumped to John’s defense. On November 19, Dave shared a statement on Instagram to address the controversy. He explained that the photos John shared are an example of how the two friends have decided to navigate this “very tough time” together.
“I’m sorry to see a bunch of negative comments as I’ve just begun my cancer journey,” Dave wrote the statement. “It’s our friendship (me and John) and this is how we are handling a very tough time.”
As a comedian, humor helps Dave deal with challenges in life. As a longtime friend, John knew this, Dave explained in his post. “I’m a comedian and humor is what drives me,” Dave continued. “John knows how to cheer me up and I laughed out loud when he arrived wearing a bald cap — being a true loving friend and brother.”
Later in the post, Dave revealed why he decided to share his cancer diagnosis publicly. “I have heard from so many people who have been inspired enough by my words and actions to say that they are going to check in with their doctors and get mammograms, a colonoscopy or a prostate exam,” he wrote.
He also addressed how he coped with losing people in his family to cancer. “We tried to stay positive, and we made each other laugh through the worst of it,” Dave wrote. “So, I’m choosing to spread the word about early cancer detection to help people. That’s just who I am.”
John Stamos’ wife, Caitlin McHugh Stamos, also defended John’s decision to wear a bald cap. Commenting on Dave’s post, Caitlin wrote, “I really hope the people who chose to say cruel things about my husband — who flew across the country and did what he could do bring joy to his friend going through chemo — look inward.”
“Instead of tearing down others, take that time to think about how you can bring joy to the people you love,” she added.
