John Stamos is under fire following a post about his “Full House” co-star Dave Coulier that went viral.
On November 13, People magazine reported that Coulier, 65, was diagnosed with stage 3 Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He told the outlet that he shaved his head as a “preemptive strike” while starting chemotherapy treatments.
Days later, Stamos, 61, posted to Instagram to show how he was supporting his longtime friend and co-star by helping him shave his head—and by posing with a bald head alongside him.
But some social media commenters were put off by Stamos’ post and called it inappropriate and “shallow.”
John Stamos Said He Is Proud to Stand By Dave Coulier
In the controversial slideshow posted on November 18, a “bald” Stamos posed alongside his ailing friend. A second shot showed the actor shaving Coulier’s head. In the caption to the post, Stamos clarified that he did not shave off his own hair.
“Nothing like throwing on a bald cap and flexing some Photoshop skills to show some love and solidarity with my bro @dcoulier,” he wrote. The actor also praised Coulier for his bravery during his battle with cancer.
“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,” Stamos wrote.
Many commenters—including several “Full House” alumni—reacted to the post with positivity. Candace Cameron Bure wrote, “This is fantastic ❤️❤️❤️❤️,” while Andrea Barber added, “I love you guys so much. ❤️🥹.”
But others felt the post was “insulting” to people who have cancer. “Hate to be that person but this is more insulting by putting on a bald cap then not shaving ur head. A person with cancer doesn’t have a ‘cap’ they can take off. Prayers and strength to Dave!!!” one commenter wrote.
“Is this really appropriate?” another wanted to know. “A bald cap is showing solidarity? You can just take your cap off and be ‘normal’ again. When people take this route, they actually shave their head. I can’t help but feel that you’re using Dave’s diagnoses as a way to make yourself more likeable.”
“So he’s not really supporting him. He’s posing for a photo op,” another wrote of Stamos.
“What a shallow gesture! Couldn’t even cut your hair off for your friend. And you made sure to post it on Instagram to get those likes too,” another wrote.
“People who actually shaved their head, they’re making some sort of sacrifice and showing support. Putting on a cap and using Photoshop is almost making a mockery of things,” another commenter wrote.
Others defended Stamos and noted that as a working actor, he may be under contract not to change his appearance.
“Cutting your hair off is not a show of support. Being there when the times are tough, being there to cook a meal or drive him to a doctor’s appointment or whatever may be needed, is truly being supportive,” one fan wrote.
“Why do I see negative comments??? This is solidarity, that’s all,” another added.
Stamos has not responded to the backlash as of this writing.
John Stamos Said Dave Coulier Is His ‘Brother’
Stamos been friends with Stamos for more than 35 years, since “Full House” premiered in 1987. Stamos played Uncle Jesse Katsopolis and Coulier played pal Joey Gladstone for eight seasons on the ABC sitcom. The actors reprised their roles for the Netflix spinoff, “Fuller House,” in 2016, and have stayed friends all along.
When he first posted about Coulier’s cancer news, Stamos shared a slideshow of throwback photos to Instagram. “My brother from day 1. Love you @dcoulier and I’ll be by your side through it all,” he captioned the post.
The two mourned the loss of another friend along the way. In 2022, fellow “Full House” star Bob Saget died suddenly at age 65.
Stamos and Coulier talked about their loss on the “Full House Rewind” podcast. “We’re still processing the loss of him,” Stamos said months after Saget’s death.
“It’s left a huge void in our lives,” Coulier added.
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