--- title: Caitlyn Jenner: Drake Bell Apologizes for Insensitive Tweet description: Drake Bell apologized Thursday for an earlier tweet about Caitlyn Jenner that was criticized as offensive. canonical: https://time.com/3909750/caitlyn-jenner-bruce-drake-bell/ author: Sarah Begley article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-06-04T19:36:00.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T05:03:11.805Z article:section: Entertainment og:title: Drake Bell Apologizes for Caitlyn Jenner Tweet og:description: The Nickelodeon star says that his comments "were made in innocence" og:url: https://time.com/3909750/caitlyn-jenner-bruce-drake-bell/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt175e8c7a05dc6505/6988526b0b72e3924a6e4411/bruce-jenner-vanity-fair-caitlyn-transgender.jpg?branch=production&width=1080&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Bruce Jenner Vanity Fair Caitlyn transgender og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Drake Bell Apologizes for Caitlyn Jenner Tweet twitter:description: The Nickelodeon star says that his comments "were made in innocence" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt175e8c7a05dc6505/6988526b0b72e3924a6e4411/bruce-jenner-vanity-fair-caitlyn-transgender.jpg?branch=production&width=1080&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Drake Bell Apologizes for Caitlyn Jenner Tweet by [Sarah Begley](/author/sarah-begley/) ## Sarah Begley Jun 4, 2015 7:36 PM CUT  Caitlyn Jenner, formerly Bruce Jenner, appeared as a woman for the first time on the cover of Vanity Fair's June 2015 issue, photographed by Annie Leibovitz. Caitlyn Jenner, formerly Bruce Jenner, appeared as a woman for the first time on the cover of Vanity Fair's June 2015 issue, photographed by Annie Leibovitz.Annie Leibovitz—Vanity Fair by [Sarah Begley](/author/sarah-begley/) ## Sarah Begley Jun 4, 2015 7:36 PM CUT Drake Bell apologized Thursday for an earlier tweet about Caitlyn Jenner that was instantly criticized as offensive. “I sincerely apologize for my thoughtless insensitive remarks,” the actor and singer wrote on Twitter. “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 added. Bell, best known for appearing on the Nickelodeon show _Drake and Josh_, had [tweeted](http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/02/entertainment/drake-bell-caitlyn-jenner-tweet-feat/ "undefined") in response to the instantly iconic _Vanity Fair_ cover featuring Jenner, formerly known as Bruce, as a transgender woman for the first time: “Sorry….still calling you Bruce.” The message, now deleted, immediately sparked backlash on the Internet. > [](https://twitter.com/DrakeBell/status/606538333607600128) > [](https://twitter.com/DrakeBell/status/606538628681109505) ### See The Life of Caitlyn Jenner  At the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Bruce Jenner won the gold medal in the decathlon, setting the world record at 8,616 points. Getty Images  Jenner became a national hero following his Olympic win and was later inducted into the Olympic Hall of Fame in 1986. Tony Duffy—Getty Images  Jenner became an NBC Sportscaster in the late 1970s following his Olympic performance in Montreal. NBC/Getty Images  Jenner married actress Linda Thompson, above, on Jan. 5, 1981, following his divorce with Chrystie Crownover. Getty Images  Jenner was diagnosed with dyslexia as a child. In October of 1985, he received the Outstanding Learning Disabled Achiever Award from then-First Lady Nancy Reagan alongside stars such as Cher and Tom Cruise. Getty Images  Jenner was a successful race car driver in the 1980s, though in a 2013 interview he said, "I was a lot more badass runner than I was a driver.” Ann Clifford—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  In 1991, Jenner married Kris Jenner, previously Kris Kardashian, just one month after she finalized her divorce from Robert Kardashian. The two had dated for only five months. Maureen Donaldson—Getty Images  Their marriage merged two already large families, evident here in this 1991 portrait. Donaldson Collection/Getty Images  After his sports career, Jenner, seen here at a celebrity golf event in 1993, had a number of small acting jobs and television appearances. Stephen Dunn—Getty Images  The family poses at an event in 1995, the year Jenner and Kris welcomed the first of their two children together, Kendall Jenner. Ron Galella—WireImage  Kylie Jenner was born two years later in 1997\. The girls can be seen here on the red carpet in 2000, long before they covered magazines and appeared on TIME's Most Influential Teens list. Scott Nelson—AFP/Getty Images  Jenner, seen here in 2005, would re-enter the spotlight thanks to Keeping Up With the Kardashians, which first premiered in 2007. Steve Granitz—WireImage  Jenner spoofed his reality-star fame with a commercial for Tropicana Juicy Rewards in 2010. AP  Jenner and Kris, here at The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 2011, announced their separation in 2013\. She filed for divorce the following year. Kevin Winter—Getty Images  Jenner poses with a box of Wheaties in 2012\. He appeared on the front of the box first in 1977 after his Olympic gold-medal win, then in 2012 when Wheaties rolled out a retro series. Noel Vasquez—Getty Images  Jenner appears with two of his sons, TV personality Brody Jenner and musician Brandon Jenner, who records with his wife as Brandon & Leah, at an April 2013 release party. Chelsea Lauren—WireImage  Jenner walks with step-daughter Kim Kardashian in October of 2014 — about five months after rapper Kanye West became his son-in-law. Bauer-Griffin—GC Images  Caitlyn Jenner, formerly Bruce Jenner, appeared as a woman for the first time on the cover of Vanity Fair's June 2015 issue, photographed by Annie Leibovitz. Annie Leibovitz—Vanity Fair  Caitlyn Jenner accepts the Arthur Ashe Courage Award onstage during The 2015 ESPYS at Microsoft Theater on July 15, 2015 in Los Angeles. 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