Courtney Stodden 'taken aback' by Jason Alexander apology
The 2012 Funny or Die skit was inspired by a scene from Pretty Woman, and was filmed alongside Courtney Stodden's then-husband Doug Hutchison.
Courtney Stodden was “taken aback” by Jason Alexander issuing a public apology after she said she felt “manipulated” on a sketch with him when she was just 17 years old.
The 2012 Funny or Die skit was inspired by a scene from Pretty Woman, and was filmed alongside Courtney’s then-husband Doug Hutchison.
Courtney posted a detailed account of her experience on the sketch on Instagram, describing the filming and its aftermath, noting that Jason was a writer as well as starring on it.
She said: “I was very manipulated. Even if I didn’t look like a child, or what a ‘victim’ should look like, there was a child buried under there.
"I really just trusted the adults around me, and this is the effect of that. Looking back on it, it’s really damaging.
"This isn’t about revisiting my past but changing the experiences for minors going forward so they don’t have to experience what I had to experience.”
Seinfeld actor Jason then issued a statement apologising for his part in the sketch, admitting he “truly regrets” it.
He said: “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."
And following Jason’s apology, Courtney told Rolling Stone: “I’m very taken aback that an adult was actually able to take accountability because I haven’t heard a lot of adults take accountability.
“When I first got word that he publicly apologized I was grateful because I think that’s the first step in change.”
However, she went on to urge the actor to support the California Assembly Bill AB127, which prohibits anyone under the age of 18 from obtaining a marriage license or establishing a domestic partnership.
Courtney is backing the bill after marrying Doug married in 2011 when she was 16 and he was 51, with the relationship drawing widespread media attention at the time.
They separated in 2017, with Courtney filing for divorce in 2018, before the split was finalized in 2020.
She added: “At the same time, I think it would be even better if he put that into action, so I would urge Jason Alexander to support AB 1267 and support what’s happening in California or even donate to Unchained at Last (a non-profit dedicated to ending forced and child marriage in the United States).”
