Former Nickelodeon star Drake Bell has apologized for a tweet he posted Monday saying he would still refer to Caitlyn Jenner as Bruce.
In a tweet that he has since deleted, Bell said, “Sorry…Still calling you Bruce.” Bell was blasted for the tweet, with many accusing him of being transphobic.
Bell posted an apology Thursday, saying “I sincerely apologize for my thoughtless insensitive remarks. I in no way meant to hurt or demean those going through a similar journey. Although my comments were made in innocence, I deeply regret the negative effect they’ve had on so many.”
Bell was not the only celebrity to make insensitive comments about Jenner’s transition. Snoop Dogg posted a photo on Instagram in which he referred to Jenner as a “science project.”
Despite all the negativity, Jenner’s unveiling on Monday was record-breaking. Vanity Fair’s website netted its largest ever single-day audience, with over nine million unique users clicking on the site to see its cover featuring Caitlyn Jenner, a magazine spokesperson told TheWrap.
Jenner’s new Twitter handle also set the internet ablaze, reaching over 1 million followers in just over four hours. The record for the fastest accumulation of followers was previously held by President Obama, who reached that number in five hours.