Dave Coulier Defends John Stamos Amid Backlash Over Bald Cap Controversy
By Kelly Coffey-Behrens on November 19, 2024 at 3:45 PM EST
Dave Coulier is stepping up to defend John Stamos.
The 65-year-old comedian hit back at the “negative comments” on Instagram after his former "Full House" co-star faced criticism for wearing a bald cap in a show of support during Coulier’s cancer battle.
On Monday, John Stamos shared photos of himself shaving Dave Coulier’s head—while sporting a bald cap and some clever Photoshop work—stating that he wanted to show “love and solidarity.”
Dave Coulier Addresses The Backlash That John Stamos Is Facing
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Coulier, who revealed his diagnosis on the "Today" show last week, expressed his gratitude to Stamos for knowing “how to cheer [him] up” as he battles stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
“I laughed out loud when he arrived wearing a bald cap — being a true loving friend and brother,” Coulier said, sending "nothing but love" to the critics.
The actor also shared that he’s received messages from people “inspired by [his] words and actions to say they are going to check in with their doctors.” He continued, “I’m still going to laugh in the face of adversity. 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."
"So I’m choosing to spread the word about early cancer detection to help people,” Coulier concluded. “That’s just who I am.”
John Stamos Sports Bald Cap Alongside Dave Coulier
The first image featured the former co-stars and longtime friends posing together—Coulier with a shaved head and Stamos sporting a bald cap in solidarity. In the second photo, Stamos shared a laugh with Coulier as he helped him shave his head. The final image captured both Stamos and Coulier's wife, Melissa, sharing a sweet moment, kissing Coulier's bald head.
Coulier discovered he had cancer after an upper respiratory infection in October caused his lymph nodes to swell rapidly, with one area growing to the size of a golf ball. This growth prompted his doctors to recommend PET and CT scans, along with a biopsy, which ultimately confirmed the diagnosis.
“Three days later, my doctors called me back and they said, ‘We wish we had better news for you, but you have non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and it's called B cell and it's very aggressive,’” he recalled. “I went from, I got a little bit of a head cold to I have cancer, and it was pretty overwhelming,” Coulier told PEOPLE Magazine. “This has been a really fast roller coaster ride of a journey.”
Dave Coulier Shared The News With His 'Full House' Family After Receiving His Diagnosis
After receiving his diagnosis, Coulier shared the news with his "Full House" family, including Stamos, Candace Cameron Bure, Andrea Barber, Jodie Sweetin, Lori Loughlin, Scott Weinger, and series creator Jeff Franklin.
“I didn't want them to hear it from someone else, so I sent a text message out,” he said. “It was just this outpouring of, ‘I will be there. You just name the time, and I know you're in great hands with Mel, but what can we do?’ It really is overwhelming the love that we have for each other. We've been there for so many years for each other and it's pretty remarkable.”
The 'Full House' Family Supports John Stamos Amid Backlash
Dave Coulier was not the only one to address the backlash his "Full House" co-star has received. Andrea Barber commented on the post, "I love you guys so much."
Candace Cameron Bure wrote, "This is fantastic."
Dave Coulier Undergoes Chemotherapy
Upon learning that his cancer was Stage 3 — meaning it hadn't spread beyond the lymphatic system — Coulier began chemotherapy immediately. He also had a port surgically implanted to facilitate the direct delivery of medication into his body.
In the five weeks since his diagnosis, Coulier has undergone three surgeries and has already started his chemotherapy treatment. “You hear chemo, and it scares the daylights out of you,” he said in an interview with NBC News’ "Today" show.
The actor is scheduled to undergo six rounds of chemotherapy, with each session taking place every 21 days. He is expected to complete his treatment by February.