Dave Coulier responds to backlash over John Stamos not shaving head to support“ Full House” costar's cancer battle
The "Full House" star, who was recently diagnosed with Stage 3 Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, said that he "laughed out loud" when Stamos arrived with a bald cap on.
Dave Coulier is standing up for John Stamos.
The actor, who recently revealed he'd been diagnosed with stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma, defended Stamos after his Full House costar received backlash online for donning a bald cap for photos and not actually shaving his head in solidarity with his ongoing cancer battle.
“I’m sorry to see a bunch of negative comments as I’ve just begun my cancer journey,” Coulier’s Instagram statement began. “It’s our friendship (me and John) and this is how we are handling a very tough time.”
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John Stamos and Dave CoulierOn Monday, Stamos and Coulier jointly posted a series of Instagram photos that featured Stamos sporting a bald cap as a way "to show some love" amid Coulier’s health journey. The post’s comment section quickly filled with criticism from fans, with one user suggesting that Stamos was "not really supporting" Coulier because he wouldn't shave his head.
In his statement, Coulier explained that Stamos’ surprise actually brought him a ton of joy. “I’m a comedian and humor is what drives me,” he wrote. “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.”
In addition to the backlash, Coulier noted that he’s seen the positive side of sharing his diagnosis with the world too, writing, “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 also vowed to keep laughing throughout his cancer treatment. “When 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 wrote. “So, I’m choosing to spread the word about early cancer detection to help people. That’s just who I am.”
He concluded, “I wish nothing but love for all of you.”
Related: Marla Sokoloff says her daughters were 'horrified' by her Full House role as bad girl Gia
The post’s comments section had a very different reaction to Coulier’s remarks this time around, with Stamos himself weighing in by commenting three red heart emojis.
Kelly Rizzo, the wife of late Full House star Bob Saget, wrote, “If people truly understood how much John loves Dave, then no one would say anything negative. I can only imagine Bob would’ve been right there next to you guys - helping and cracking jokes.”
Last week, Coulier told PEOPLE that he was diagnosed with the “very aggressive” form of cancer after suffering an upper respiratory infection that saw his lymph notes swell up to the size of a golf ball.
“I went from, I got a little bit of a head cold to I have cancer, and it was pretty overwhelming,” he said at the time. “This has been a really fast roller coaster ride of a journey.”
