Courtney Stodden has spoken out against Jason Alexander regarding a sexualized Funny or Die sketch they participated in during 2012, when Stodden was 17 and Alexander was 52. Now 31, Stodden shared a screenshot from the sketch on Instagram, showing Alexander holding a cellphone near her chest while she was clad in a bikini. She stated that the sketch involved Alexander repeatedly rubbing his phone on her breasts and joking about taking her "behind the couch" when she turned 18.
In her post, Stodden emphasized that she was a minor at the time and lacked the legal authority to refuse participation, with contracts signed by adults. She also noted that her then-husband, actor Doug Hutchison, who married her at 16 when he was 50, collected her payment for the project. Stodden described feeling isolated and questioned how numerous adults could deem the situation acceptable.
Alexander, who co-wrote the sketch, issued an apology to Page Six, stating, "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."
Stodden's representative stated that she was not informed of the scene's specifics before arriving on set and was only told to bring a swimsuit. The representative also criticized Dr. Drew Pinsky, recalling an appearance Stodden made on his show at 16, where she underwent an ultrasound to verify her breast size. Stodden claimed the appearance fee went to her husband, whom she described as an abuser, and that she was a minor unable to legally extricate herself from the situation.
Stodden's public statements have also highlighted her belief that "Children deserve laws that protect them" and that they should not have to wait until adulthood to realize they should have been protected by the law. Her marriage to Hutchison, which occurred when she was 16 and he was 50, led to significant public scrutiny and shame at the time. The couple divorced in 2020.