Drake Bell Apologizes for Saying He’ll Still Call Jenner ‘Bruce’ After Massive Backlash

Former Disney star Drake Bell apologized Thursday for a tweet issued earlier this week saying he’ll still call “Caitlyn” Jenner “Bruce.”

“Sorry… still calling you Bruce,” Bell tweeted Monday after Jenner’s now-infamous Vanity Fair cover appeared online.

Bell deleted the tweet shortly after its posting, but the damage was done; the actor’s name began trending on Twitter after users slammed him for being “transphobic” and insensitive toward Jenner’s transition.

Bell tried to counter some of the backlash after his initial tweet, writing: “I’m not dissing him! I just don’t want to forget his legacy! He is the greatest athlete of all time! Chill out!” and, 15 minutes later, “Calm down, children.”

But both of those tweets were also deleted shortly after being posted.

On Thursday, Bell took to Twitter again to apologize for his “thoughtless insensitive” remarks.

“I sincerely apologize for my thoughtless insensitive remarks. I in no way meant to hurt or demean those going through a similar journey,” Bell tweeted. “Although my comments were made in innocence, I deeply regret the negative effect they’ve had on so many.”

https://twitter.com/DrakeBell/status/606538333607600128

https://twitter.com/DrakeBell/status/606538628681109505

Bell is not the only celebrity taking heat for “transphobic” comments made in the wake of Jenner’s transition; on Wednesday, rapper Snoop Dogg promoted his friend Akon’s African solar energy initiative in an Instagram post, and wrote that he was “upset that this isnt major news but that science project bruce jenner is.”

Snoop has not yet apologized for his comments, nor deleted his Instagram post.