EXCLUSIVEWhy John Stamos didn't shave his own head for Dave Coulier after he 'missed the mark' with cancer bald cap
- READ MORE: John Stamos slammed for wearing a bald cap in 'solidarity' with Full House costar
John Stamos acknowledges that he ‘missed the mark’ on his bald cap picture for costar Dave Coulier after he was branded ‘shallow’ for not shaving his own head in support.
The comedian, 61, sparked a furious backlash when he posed in the cap alongside Coulier, 65, and showcased his ‘Photoshop skills’ to ‘show some love and solidarity’ with the actor, following his cancer diagnosis.
The Full House costars shared the image on their respective Instagram accounts and intended the post to offer a ‘fun light’ on living with the disease.
‘John wears his heart on his sleeve and Dave and his wife Melissa know that his intentions were made in good spirits,’ an insider told DailyMail.com.
‘One of his friends is ill and he wants him to feel good and get better and be able to laugh. Not once did he think people would be upset about the post.
‘They both intended the post to be in good nature and shine a fun light on something that is incredibly hard to deal with.
John Stamos acknowledges that he ‘missed the mark’ on his bald cap post for costar Dave Coulier after he was branded ‘shallow’ for not shaving his own head in support
‘If people dealing with cancer took offense, they genuinely feel bad about that, but they aren't going to let trolls take them down a notch. That energy is not what they need right now.’
The ‘shallow gesture’ was lambasted online, with some questioning why Stamos wore a bald cap over shaving his own head. Others accused him of posting the image to garner ‘likes’ on Instagram.
But a separate insider said if it wasn’t for his role in Apple TV drama Palm Royale, Stamos would have shaved off his hair in a ‘heartbeat.’
‘John is currently working on Palm Royale which requires him to have hair,’ they said. ‘Otherwise, he would shave his hair in a heartbeat.’
They continued: ‘John acknowledges that he missed the mark on this one. He has lost people to cancer in his life, as has his wife Caitlin.
'He can see how people could be upset about this.’
Stamos posted three images on Monday showing him wearing a bald cap as he shaved Coulier's head after he was diagnosed with stage 3 lymphoma.
Another image showed Stamos and Coulier's wife Melissa kissing the actor's head.
Stamos, 61, sparked a backlash when he posed in the cap and showcased his ‘Photoshop skills’ to ‘show some love and solidarity’ with Coulier, 65, following his cancer diagnosis
The Full House costars shared the image on their respective Instagram accounts and intended the post to offer a ‘fun light’ on living with the disease
'Nothing like throwing on a bald cap and flexing some Photoshop skills to show some love and solidarity with my bro @dcoulier,' he wrote on Instagram.
'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!)'
The post proved divisive, with Stamos finding himself on the receiving end of a backlash, with one user accusing him of simply 'posing for a photo op.'
‘What a shallow gesture! Couldn't even cut your hair off for your friend,' wrote one person. 'And you made sure to post it on Instagram to get those likes too.’
Another commented: ‘Come on John shave it!!! Sending much love and strength.’
A third said: ‘I’m sorry as a breast cancer survivor this is not support. This is a joke. You should be ashamed of yourself. That’s not how you support us.’
Another added: ‘God bless Dave but is this really appropriate? 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.’
Coulier announced his diagnosis with Hoda Kotb on the Today Show last Wednesday
‘John acknowledges that he missed the mark on this one... from an outside perspective he can see how people could be upset about this,’ a source said (pictured with Coulier on Full House)
Others defended the ‘hilarious’ gesture.
‘As someone who has had cancer three times I NEVER wanted anyone to shave their head for me,' wrote one user. 'I think this is great and hilarious and I’m sure Dave didn’t really want him to shave his head.’
Another said: ‘Standing in solidarity isn’t just shaving your head. Don’t be cruel, they are lifelong friends.’
Kelly Rizzo, 45, whose late husband Bob Saget played Danny Tanner in Full House, told DailyMail.com that Stamos would not shave his head for Coulier.
‘I saw he and John posted something about shaving their heads, you know Stamos is not going to shave his head,’ she said at the 11th annual Reality TV Awards on Monday night.
‘I don't care how much he wants to support his buddy. He's never shaving his head!’
Coulier, who played Joey Gladstone on Full House, announced his diagnosis on the Today show. He later revealed that he broke the news to his former costars via a group text.
Coulier is now undergoing chemotherapy. His older sister Karen is also going through cancer at the moment.
Kelly Rizzo, whose late husband Bob Saget played Danny Tanner in Full House, told DailyMail.com that Stamos would not shave his head for Coulier
He has since addressed the backlash over Stamos' post in a statement shared to Instagram.
'I’m sorry to see a bunch of negative comments as I’ve just begun my cancer journey,' Coulier wrote in an Instagram post on Tuesday.
'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.'
Stamos' controversial post came hours after he revealed he is mourning the loss of his childhood friend Mike.
In a vulnerable post earlier in the day, he shared a series of old photos as he recalled the moment he received a message confirming his ‘everything’ friend’s death.
He wrote: 'On a flight to Detroit to visit my friend Dave, I got a text from my best friend’s brother: “Call me.” My stomach dropped. “Is Mike OK?” I sent back. The response took forever, those cruel three dots hovering on my screen. Finally, just two letters: “No.”'
He went on to share: 'Mike Owen, my best friend since I was 11, was gone. A sudden heart attack. Just like that. The world I’d built around our friendship shifted, surreal and devastating.’
