Jason Alexander apologizes to Courtney Stodden over ‘inappropriate’ 2012 sketch filmed when she was 17
Jason Alexander has apologized to reality TV personality Courtney Stodden for a 2012 comedy sketch that sexualized her while she was still a minor, after she called him out on Instagram this week.
TL;DR
- Jason Alexander apologized to Courtney Stodden over a 2012 Funny or Die sketch filmed when she was 17.
- Stodden says she had no legal power to consent to the sketch as a minor.
- The two appeared together on “The Donny Clay Show,” a talk-show parody that also featured her then-husband, actor Doug Hutchison.
- Stodden is now linking the moment to a wider push for child marriage protections.
What Jason Alexander said in his apology
Alexander addressed the sketch on Tuesday, a day after Stodden resurfaced it online. Speaking to TMZ, the “Seinfeld” star said the 2012 clip was “inappropriate and I truly regret it.”
He added that he was especially sorry for whatever distress the sketch had caused Stodden and offered her his sincere apologies.
Inside the 2012 “Donny Clay” sketch
The clip, titled “The Donny Clay Show with Courtney Stodden,” was a Funny or Die parody of daytime talk shows like “Dr. Phil” and “Maury,” according to Rolling Stone. Alexander played the host and interviewed Stodden alongside Hutchison.
During the segment, Alexander repeatedly held a phone against Stodden’s chest while joking about cell signal, then made a crude remark about pursuing her once she turned 18, according to Deadline and Fox News. Stodden was 17 at the time.
Stodden says she had no power to refuse
Courtney Stodden shared an old photo from the sketch on Instagram this week, writing it showed “a 17-year-old girl whose body became part of an adult joke,” according to Deadline.
She said that as a minor she had no legal standing to agree to the shoot. The contracts were signed by adults, she noted, and the fee went to Hutchison, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Stodden added that while she appreciated Alexander’s public statement, she would find a private apology, and concrete follow-up action, more meaningful, per The Hollywood Reporter.
The marriage that first made her famous
Stodden drew international headlines in 2011 after marrying Doug Hutchison when she was 16 and he was 50, a pairing that triggered intense scrutiny of the marriage laws that allowed it, according to Rolling Stone. The couple divorced in 2020.
Fox News reports Stodden is now tying the resurfaced sketch to support for a child marriage bill, framing her own past as part of a wider push to protect minors from similar situations.
Reported from publicly available interviews and verified press sources. Last reviewed July 23, 2026.
Lewis Calvert Founder & Editor, BriefLedger
Lewis founded BriefLedger and has six years of experience covering film, TV, and entertainment news. He leads the site’s Movies and TV sections and runs the news desk — always with a straight-talking British take.
