Former Full House star Dave Coulier has come to the defense of co-star John Stamos, who faced criticism for wearing a bald cap in a show of support during Coulier’s cancer battle. The 65-year-old actor, recently diagnosed with stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma, addressed the controversy through a recent Instagram statement.
“I’m sorry to see a bunch of negative comments as I’ve just begun my cancer journey,” Coulier wrote. “It’s our friendship (me and John) and this is how we are handling a very tough time. I’m a comedian and humor is what drives me. 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.”
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The controversy erupted after Stamos shared an Instagram post featuring himself in a bald cap alongside Coulier’s shaved head, writing: “Nothing like throwing on a bald cap and flexing some Photoshop skills to show some love and solidarity with my bro @dcoulier You’re handling this with so much strength and positivity—it’s inspiring. I know you’re going to get through this, and I’m proud to stand with you every step of the way. I love you (p.s. – @melissacoulier is the most wonderfulest – your true life line!).”
Critics left comments such as “Seriously just couldn’t shave your head bro ?? lol” and “Is this really appropriate? A bald cap is showing solidarity? You can just take your cap off and be ‘normal’ again.” Others suggested it “takes away from the actual fact that the other person is indeed bald due to cancer” and called it “a shallow gesture.”
Stamos’s wife, Caitlin, defended her husband’s intentions on Coulier’s post, sharing: “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.”
Coulier found out his diagnosis five weeks ago after experiencing a severe cold and noticing swelling in his groin area. He informed his Full House castmates, including Stamos, Jodie Sweetin, Lori Loughlin, Candace Cameron Bure, and Andrea Barber, before making the news public. “I didn’t want them to hear it from someone else, so I sent a text message out,” he told People, noting the “overwhelming” support he received from his television family.
In his response to the backlash, Coulier shared personal context about his family’s history with cancer: “I lost my sister, Sharon, my mother, Arlen and my niece, Shannon to cancer, we tried to stay positive, and we made each other laugh through the worst of it.” He said he’s committed to raising awareness about early cancer detection, adding that his openness has “inspired enough [people] to say that they are going to check in with their doctors and get mammograms, a colonoscopy or a prostate exam.”
The friendship between Stamos and Coulier dates back to the 1980s when they began portraying Uncle Jesse and Uncle Joey on Full House. When Coulier announced his diagnosis, Stamos immediately expressed support on Instagram, writing, “My brother from day 1. Love you @dcoulier and I’ll be by your side through it all” alongside photos documenting their decades-long friendship.
Coulier continues to face his “very aggressive form of cancer” with characteristic humor, stating on Instagram, “I’m still laughing in the face of adversity,” and concluding his message with “I wish nothing but love for all of you.”
