John Stamos was haunted by Uncle Jesse's mullet

He has often spoken of his struggles stepping out from under that mullet.

The Everett Collection

Before the second season of Full House, John Stamos took his character’s hairdo into his own hands.

After rocking a mullet as Uncle Jesse for the whole first season, Stamos lopped off his locks during the break and when it was time to bring the show back, Full House writers decided to do something funny.

They crafted the entire second season premiere episode around Uncle Jesse cutting his hair.

In "Cutting It Close," Stephanie asks Uncle Jesse to play "Beauty Shop," and winds up accidentally cutting off a chunk of his iconic mullet.

To film the scene, Stamos wore a wig, and it’s the wig that Stephanie cuts in the scene.

From that point forward, Uncle Jesse was cut free from the mullet on the show, but the memory of the mullet has since lived on and likely haunts him to this day.

In fact, in countless interviews since the show ended, Stamos has discussed how Uncle Jesse’s mullet has haunted him, with casting directors looking at him and only seeing the mullet, even though he only wore it for one season.

"Since my departure from Full House, I’ve been trying to organically separate myself and show that I have more depth than that mullet-headed dude on the show," Stamos told the Austin American-Statesman in 2004.

In part because the mullet made Uncle Jesse such an iconic character, and in part because the ladies liked Uncle Jesse, Stamos felt the rush of fame from Full House immediately, and he told the New York Daily News in 2003 that lopping off the mullet and changing his looks was his very first survival instinct.

"I’ve never really been alone, especially after the whole TV thing started," Stamos said. "I suddenly just wanted to be by myself, grow a beard so no one recognized me, take a large amount of cash, drive to the airport, buy a ticket to anywhere – New Orleans, Greece."

Even Stamos’ first wife, Rebecca Romijn, was haunted by the mullet, after they got married and she never forgot her first impression of him.

"I totally remember seeing John Stamos walk in with his guitar in hand and that dorky haircut, the double-decker mullet," Romijn told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in 2003. "Today I keep thinking, God, what if somebody had been sitting next to me and said, ‘You’re going to marry that man someday.’"

Of course, Stamos wasn’t the only one sporting a mullet in the Eighties. Pop culture writers regularly list Stamos’ mullet alongside other famous mullets of the era, from MacGyver’s to David Bowie’s.

Eventually, Stamos stepped out from under the mullet’s shadow, mainly by taking on darker roles that he felt proved he had more dimension than he got to show as Uncle Jesse.

"It’s taken me years to have people realize that I can do more than that mullet-headed, guitar-playing motorcycle guy," Stamos told the Messenger-Inquirer in 2005.

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18 Comments

Martanrick1975 24 months ago
I remember cutting my brother’s and a friend of his hair into the Mullet cut. (actually it was supposed to be a shag cut but…) 🙄😂. Remember Billy Ray Cyrus Mullet? He was so handsome! I remember attending his concert he sang “Achy Breaky Heart” My times have changed! 🥰😊
Robertp 25 months ago
What’s wrong with mullets? I’m almost 60 and still have mine. You know, except for the bald place in the middle. Actually it’s a really wide part.
BuckeyeBeth7 25 months ago
I’m not sure if Uncle Jesse should get the full blame for that mullet. John had a pretty good start on it during his time on General Hospital as Blackie Parrish. I’m not sure the name of the hairstyle he had when starting out on GH, It was kind of a long in the back bowl cut that was slightly feathered. It looked the same as that silly haircut they had on Sam McKinney/Danny Cooksey (that little red-headed kid on the final seasons of Diff’rent Strokes). It was definitely developing into the uncle Jesse mullet by the time he left GH.
collene 25 months ago
I'm tired of seeing Full House in these ME-TV ads In fact, I'm tired tired of seeing of seeing Full House period. It's one of the phoniest shows I've ever seen.
mustangs4me collene 25 months ago
Someone is offended I'd rather hear full house commercials and show rather than hearing about covid, hate, war, racism, shootings and stabbings
123pop collene 25 months ago
Full house is not a phony show. It's a great show. I love full house it a lot better than shows they have out their know. I love the full house commercials
LoveMETV22 collene 25 months ago
They are going to promote all of the programs they broadcast, Full House being one of them. So you will continue to see the promos. As for the program when it is on, if you don't like it ,don't watch it.
DebbieU60 collene 21 months ago
There were shows I didn't like I thought were phony but if I see an article regarding it I just keep scrolling.
harlow1313 25 months ago
Frankly, the mullet never much bothered me. Style-wise, I like that the eighties are so recognizable. I think it is fun.
Coldnorth harlow1313 24 months ago
I personally hated the rat tail, the long ones and I had a hard time liking the man bun. Each to their own
Peter_Falk_Fan 25 months ago
John Stamos was haunted by a fish?
WordsmithWorks 25 months ago
The mullet was good for his career. That was one of the looks of the day. I wouldn't complain too much if I was him.
Runeshaper 25 months ago
Getting rid of the mullet was a good call for Uncle Jesse LOL
Moody 25 months ago
Really? A story about an actor's mullet? What a waste of space.
MrsPhilHarris Moody 25 months ago
😂 Well it was one of the better looking mullets.
Coldnorth MrsPhilHarris 24 months ago
And the guy wearing said mullet was pure eye candy
AnnieM Coldnorth 24 months ago
John Stamos would still be a hottie even if he had NO hair. 😍
Coldnorth AnnieM 24 months ago
I have to agree
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