John Stamos has received criticism for the way he showed "solidarity" with Dave Coulier amid the latter's cancer battle.
In a heartfelt, albeit controversial, show of support, John Stamos donned a bald cap to stand in solidarity with his longtime friend and Full House co-star.
Coulier is currently battling stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The 65, recently shared his health struggles, revealing an aggressive form of cancer that escalated quickly from a respiratory infection to a life-altering 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,’” Coulier told PEOPLE magazine. "I went from, I got a little bit of a head cold to I have cancer, and it was pretty overwhelming.
"This has been a really fast roller coaster ride of a journey."
So, in an act intended as a symbol of camaraderie, Stamos revealed in an Instagram post that he had thrown on a bald cap as the two friends posed for photos.
"Nothing like throwing on a bald cap and flexing some Photoshop skills to show some love and solidarity with my bro @dcoulier," Stamos captioned the post. "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."
However, despite Stamos' encouraging words, the actual gesture of donning a bald cap - rather than just shaving his head as is often seen on social media - sparked a fiery debate among fans on social media.
Some suggested that simply wearing a removable prosthetic diminished the sincerity of his support.
"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," one comment read.
"So he's not really supporting him. He's posing for a photo op," another added.
A third wrote: "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."
Despite the backlash, others defended Stamos, pointing out the practical limitations tied to his career as an actor, which might restrict him from altering his appearance drastically.
"Why are you guys being so miserable on a supportive post? Dave isn’t offended so why are you?" another fan commented, emphasizing that what truly matters is Stamos' support for his friend during this challenging time.
Another supporter wrote: "Oh, people - what’s more important? That he shave his head or that he’s actually there for him?:
Of course, these fans are correct, and Stamos' support goes far beyond an Instagram post or haircut.
Following news of Coulier's cancer diagnosis, Stamos vowed to be "by his side through it all", writing on Instagram: "My brother from day 1. Love you @dcoulier and I’ll be by your side through it all."
Coulier replied to the post saying: "I love you and can’t wait to see you tomorrow!!!"
I think that sums it up perfectly.
We wish Coulier the very best with his health journey.