Drake Bell apologizes for ‘thoughtless insensitive remarks’ about Caitlyn Jenner

While Caitlyn Jenner’s debut as a woman was widely praised this week, Drake Bell was not among those who swiftly embraced the Olympian’s public coming out.

When Vanity Fair revealed its July cover, which featured the former Bruce Jenner as a woman for the first time with the headline “Call Me Caitlyn,” the Nickelodeon star promptly tweeted, “Sorry...still calling you Bruce” and was criticized for what was viewed as a highly offensive comment.

Detractors on social media and beyond took aim at the 28-year-old, who attempted to clarify that he wasn’t “dissing” Jenner with that initial tweet.

“I just don’t want to forget his legacy! He is the greatest athlete of all time! Chill out!” he wrote.

The tweets in contention have since been deleted, but by Thursday, the “Drake & Josh” alum seemingly apologized for the “insensitive remarks,” though he did not refer to Jenner specifically.

“I sincerely apologize for my thoughtless insensitive remarks. I in no way meant to hurt or demean those going through a similar journey,” the 28-year-old tweeted.

“Although my comments were made in innocence, I deeply regret the negative effect they’ve had on so many,” he added.

Twitter user @delvneymorr corrected the actor’s second tweet and his misuse of “innocence” in place of “ignorance.” Bell tweeted back, “yes. Very ignorant.”

Buzz Bissinger, who wrote the Vanity Fair profile of Jenner, admitted to constantly misusing pronouns and still calling her “Bruce” when referring to Jenner as a “she” after her transition. As it turns out, it doesn’t bother Jenner that much, and she even does it herself.

“I don’t really get hung up,” she told Bissinger in the piece. “A guy came in the other day and I was fully dressed — it’s just habit, I said ‘Hi, Bruce here,’ and I went, Oh [expletive], it ain’t Bruce, I was screwing up doing it.”

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