Courtney Stodden Alleges Inappropriate Behavior by Jason Alexander During 2012 Sketch
Incident involving then-17-year-old Stodden raises questions about minor protections in entertainment.
Sarah Connor
Courtney Stodden has accused Jason Alexander, 66, of inappropriate behavior during a 2012 Funny or Die sketch, an incident she now views with profound concern.
Courtney Stodden states Jason Alexander joked about taking her behind a couch and 'having his way' with her once she turned 18. This interaction occurred while Stodden was married to Doug Hutchison, with her participation paycheck reportedly going directly to him.
"The older I get, the more impossible this is to understand," Stodden declared, reflecting on the incident. "Looking back now, I don’t see comedy. I see a 17-year-old girl whose body became part of an adult joke."
I was the only child in the room. I felt so alone.
Stodden asserts she lacked the legal power to consent to her involvement. "The contracts were signed by adults. The paycheck went to Doug," she explained, detailing her isolation during production.
"I was the only child in the room. I felt so alone," Stodden noted, describing the environment. Despite public perception, she maintains, "People still say, ‘You chose to be there.’ Legally, I couldn’t make those decisions for myself."
Child marriage remains legal in 33 US states with parental consent or a judicial waiver. The legal landscape surrounding minors' consent for such engagements was significantly different in 2012.
It was legal in every state until 2018. Stodden’s representative confirmed she was only told to bring a swimsuit to the set, learning her role upon arrival.
Jason Alexander has since donated $15,000 to Unchained At Last, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending forced and child marriage in the United States. Alexander made this donation after issuing a public apology regarding his participation in the sketch.
Alexander stated, "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." He added, "But more importantly, I am deeply sorry for any harm or distress it has caused Ms Stodden. I offer her my sincerest apologies."
However, Stodden claims Alexander has not apologized to her privately. "People keep asking if he’s apologized privately, and he hasn’t," she stated, drawing a clear distinction.
I can’t change what happened to me but I can ask myself: How did so many adults look at a minor and decide this was acceptable? Children deserve laws that protect them. They shouldn’t have to become adults before realizing the law should have protected them all along.
Doug Hutchison, Stodden’s former husband, stated he was "blacklisted" for marrying her. He expressed "no regrets," calling their marriage "a beautiful and powerful journey. A bittersweet journey with Courtney."
Stodden’s experience highlights the ongoing societal shift towards greater protections for minors in entertainment and beyond. She questioned, "I can’t change what happened to me but I can ask myself: How did so many adults look at a minor and decide this was acceptable?"
She concluded, "Children deserve laws that protect them. They shouldn’t have to become adults before realizing the law should have protected them all along."
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