Reality star Courtney Stodden has publicly criticized actor Jason Alexander for his behavior during a 2012 comedy sketch for Funny or Die, when she was 17 years old. Stodden, now 31, took to Instagram to question how the sketch, in which Alexander rubbed a phone across her breasts, was permitted.
Stodden's Instagram Post Details the Sketch
In a post on Instagram, Stodden shared a photo from the sketch showing Alexander holding an iPhone against her chest. She wrote: 'I was 17 years old in this photo. The older I get, the more impossible this is to understand. During this comedy sketch, Jason Alexander repeatedly rubbed his phone across my breasts while saying there was “no signal” in my head but “plenty of signal” in my chest. Later in the sketch, he joked that when I turned 18 he’d like to take me behind the couch and “have his way” with me.'
Legal and Personal Context
Stodden explained that as she has aged, she realized she was a minor when the sketches were filmed and lacked the legal capacity to consent. She claimed her ex-husband, Doug Hutchison—whom she married at age 16—signed the contracts and received the payment. 'The production moved forward. I was the only child in the room. I felt so alone,' she added.
Addressing potential criticism that she chose to participate, Stodden stated: 'Legally, I couldn’t make those decisions for myself. That’s the point.' She questioned how so many adults deemed the sketch acceptable and emphasized her motivation for speaking out: 'Children deserve laws that protect them. They shouldn’t have to become adults before realizing the law should have protected them all along.'
Alexander's Apology
In response, Jason Alexander issued a statement apologizing for the sketch. 'Looking back at the comedy sketch in which Ms Stodden and I participated in 2012, I completely agree that it was inappropriate and I truly regret it. But more importantly, I am deeply sorry for any harm or distress it has caused Ms Stodden. I offer her my sincerest apologies.'
Broader Implications
Speaking to Page Six, Stodden said she hopes her decision to speak out will help create a future where children are protected and adults in positions of power are held to higher standards. Metro has reached out to both Stodden and Alexander for further comment.
