Actor Jason Alexander, best known for his role as George Costanza in Seinfeld, has issued a formal apology to model and television personality Courtney Stodden regarding a 2012 comedy sketch. The sketch, produced by the digital media company Funny or Die, featured Alexander—then 52—engaging in sexually suggestive behavior with Stodden, who was 17 at the time.
The Sketch and Public Condemnation
In the resurfaced video, Alexander portrays a daytime television doctor while Stodden, wearing a red bikini, stands beside him. During the skit, Alexander rubs a mobile phone against Stodden’s chest, delivering lines about having “full bars” in her chest but “not getting anything” in her head. Stodden, who was a minor at the time of filming, has recently spoken out about the incident, highlighting the imbalance of power and the normalization of such content in the entertainment industry.
Stodden, now 31, shared an Instagram post earlier this week condemning the sketch. “Looking back now, I don’t see comedy,” she wrote. “I see a 17-year-old girl whose body became part of an adult joke. People still say, ‘You chose to be there.’ Legally, I couldn’t make those decisions for myself. That’s the point.” Stodden noted that she was the only child on set and felt isolated during the production.
Alexander’s Response
Following the public criticism, Alexander issued a statement to The Hollywood Reporter and other outlets on Wednesday. “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 said. “But more importantly, I am deeply sorry for any harm or distress it has caused Ms. Stodden. I offer her my sincerest apologies.”
Stodden acknowledged the apology but emphasized that public statements are only a starting point. She stated that while she appreciates the actor’s words, a private apology has not been extended. More significantly, she challenged Alexander to pivot from symbolic gestures to concrete advocacy.
Stakes and Advocacy
The incident has become a focal point in Stodden’s ongoing campaign against child marriage in the United States. Stodden gained international attention in 2011 when she married actor Doug Hutchison, who was 51 at the time, while she was 16. Although legal at the time with parental consent, Stodden has since become an activist, pushing for legislative reform.
Stodden has specifically called on Alexander to support the non-profit organization Unchained At Last and the fight for California bill AB 1267, which seeks to ban child marriage. “If he truly regrets what happened, I’d invite him to support Unchained At Last and the fight to end child marriage through AB 1267,” she told The Hollywood Reporter. “That’s how we turn accountability into lasting change.”