John Stamos is explaining why he didn’t shave his head to support his longtime friend and Full House costar Dave Coulier, who was recently diagnosed with cancer.

The Emmy-nominated actor, 61, spoke with TMZ Thursday after he was slammed for wearing a bald cap in images posted to social media opposite Coulier, 65, who has shaved his head as he undergoes chemotherapy amid his battle with stage 3 Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The Cypress, California native told the outlet, ‘I got to work next week – I’m on a new show,’ as he made his way from a terminal to a parking garage at LAX.

Stamos spoke about the topic two days after a source told Dailymail.com that Stamos ‘is currently working on’ Palm Royale, an Apple TV drama ‘which requires him to have hair … otherwise, he would shave his hair in a heartbeat.’

Stamos played Jesse Katsopolis and Coulier played Joey Gladstone on the ABC series Full House from 1987–1995, and on its Netflix reboot Fuller House from 2016–2020.

Following Coulier’s recent diagnosis, Stamos traveled to Detroit to support him following a chemotherapy session.

John Stamos, 61, has explained why he didn’t shave his head to support longtime friend and Full House costar Dave Coulier, 65, who was recently diagnosed with cancer. Pictured in NYC in July

The Emmy-nominated actor spoke with TMZ Thursday after he was slammed for wearing a bald cap in images posted to social media opposite Coulier 

Stamos said that while en route to visit Coulier, he learned his childhood friend Mike Owen had suffered a fatal heart attack.

‘What happened … I flew across the country to be with my brother,’ Stamos said. ‘As I’m on the plane, I get a text, my best friend, since 11-years-old, dies of a heart attack. But I’m not gonna show that to Dave, I told him but I said that’s done, and I cried privately.’

Read More Dave Coulier defends John Stamos for bald cap in ‘solidarity’ with cancer

Stamos said that he was aware Coulier ‘wanted me to come shave his head’ and since he couldn’t shave his own for business reasons, he still sought to put forth a show of solidarity with his friend.

‘I knew it before so I brought the bald cap from the studio,’ Stamos said.

Stamos said he was ‘shocked’ and ’embarrᴀssed’ upon learning of the pushback online to images of him in the bald cap opposite Coulier.

‘I couldn’t figure it out, I still don’t know 100 percent,’ Stamos said. ‘God bless everybody, I don’t look at stuff – I swear, most of the time I don’t – but this one really hurt me mainly because I didn’t understand it.

‘The point is, I’m just embarrᴀssed for people that they’d waste time on this when all I was doing was cheering up a friend.’

Stamos said that instead of aiming their energy toward him, they should be focusing on staying atop their health, which has been ‘Dave’s message’ throughout.

Stamos said that he was aware Coulier ‘wanted me to come shave his head’ and since he couldn’t shave his own for business reasons, he still sought to put forth a show of solidarity with his friend

A number of fans were put off by the gesture Stamos made, but he refused to apologize for it, saying they should refocus their energy on health awareness, which has been Coulier’s message 

‘What they should be doing instead of making silly little videos or doing comments, they should call their doctors, make an appointment,’ Stamos said.

Stamos would not apologize for the gesture after it rubbed some the wrong way.

‘I started to say I’m sorry – I’m not sorry,’ Stamos said. ‘I’m sorry I got sucked into, you know, cancer culture.’

Stamos said he had an ‘incredible’ time supporting Coulier, adding, ‘We laughed and cried and watched old movies and told stories – it was a beautiful thing.’  

Coulier last week said he used a group text to tell his Full House colleagues that he was battling cancer. He told People Wednesday that he received an ‘immediate’ response after telling his costars about the cancer diagnosis. 

The St. Clair Shores, Michigan-born actor told the publication, ‘I didn’t want them to hear it from someone else, so I sent a text message out.’

Coulier said that the group text is composed of the show’s creator Jeff Franklin and costars Stamos, Lori Loughlin, Candace Cameron Bure, Jodie Sweetin, Andrea Barber and Scott Weinger.

‘It was just this outpouring of, “I will be there. You just name the time, and I know you’re in great hands with [wife Melissa Bring] but what can we do?”‘ he said.

Coulier discussed his diagnosis with Hoda Kotb on the Today Show November 13 

Coulier sent a group text to a thread including (L-R) Candace Cameron Bure, Andrea Barber, Jodie Sweetin, Lori Loughlin and John Stamos. Pictured on Stamos’ Instagram in 2019

Coulier, who’s also worked on popular shows such as Robot Chicken, How I Met Your Mother and It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, said of the show’s inner circle: ‘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.’

Coulier said that the bonds of the cast have been strong in the near-three years since the January 2022 death of Bob Saget at the age of 65.

‘I think we value not only our lives together, but we value our lives,’ he said. ‘We value those good times and the positive moments that we’ve gotten to share. And I think that that spills over to other people, and it’s just positive.

‘There’s not many negatives when I’m with that group of people. It’s really just laughter and positivity, and we appreciate so much what we have in our lives and the people around us.’

Coulier told the outlet that Stamos was visiting him after he undergoes chemotherapy: ‘I can’t wait for him to visit, November 15, I get a chemo treatment,’ Coulier said. ‘November 16, John’s going to be here.’

He said of Stamos: ‘He goes, “If you want to just sleep, I’ll just sit by you or if you want to listen to music or just talk, whatever.” And I’m just like, “Wow. That’s like a brother. That’s just truly a brother.”‘

Coulier, who discussed his diagnosis with Hoda Kotb on the Today Show November 13, told the publication that he was diagnosed last month after dealing with an upper respiratory infection.

The cast of the series, including the late Bob Saget, was pictured in January 2017 in LA

‘I went from, I got a little bit of a head cold to I have cancer, and it was pretty overwhelming,’ Coulier told the outlet. ‘This has been a really fast roller coaster ride of a journey.’

Coulier, who is father to son Luc, 34, with ex-wife Jayne Modean, said that he’s been entertained in doing his Full House Rewind podcast, as he ‘never watched’ the show during its first run.

‘I understand it. I get it,’ Coulier said. ‘I understand why kids loved it so much, why families loved it so much, and why it’s become so cross-generational. It’s really got wonderful elements for kids and families.’

He said that the series’ overwhelming message of love, respect and giving a strong effort resonates in the episodes.

‘I didn’t understand that so much when we were actually doing the show because it was so intense doing 192 episodes, but I get it now,’ Coulier said. ‘I can actually be so much more objective having a son going through family moments, going through raising a child. It just all makes sense to me.

‘Now, I’m like, “Oh, now I see what was in the Kool-Aid. I get it.”‘