Jason Alexander's grovelling apology has finally broken cover – but it's not enough for many. The Seinfeld legend has been forced to eat his words after Courtney Stodden exposed the dark underbelly of their 2012 comedy sketch, where she was subjected to cringeworthy treatment as a 17-year-old minor.
The offending skit, produced for Funny or Die and penned by Alexander himself, featured him rubbing a mobile phone on Stodden's breasts while making lewd comments. The actress has since spoken out about the experience, branding it "a 17-year-old girl whose body became part of an adult joke." And she's not mincing her words – highlighting that at the time, she was unable to give informed consent due to her age.
Stodden's own story is a harrowing one. She shot to fame in 2011 when, aged just 16, she married actor Doug Hutchison – who was a whopping 51 years her senior. The marriage may have been legal thanks to parental consent, but it's left Stodden with a lifetime of trauma and advocacy against child marriage, which remains a contentious issue in the US.
Alexander's apology, issued on Wednesday, has been met with scepticism from many quarters – especially after Stodden pointed out that his public statement fell short of a genuine atonement. "Looking back at the comedy sketch," Alexander said, "I completely agree it was inappropriate and I truly regret it." But for Stodden, meaningful change requires more than just empty words.
She's calling on Alexander to take tangible action – not least in supporting her work with non-profit organisation Unchained At Last. The charity is fighting hard to bring an end to child marriage through legislation like AB 1267. It remains to be seen whether Alexander will rise to the challenge, but one thing's for certain: Courtney Stodden won't be silenced anytime soon.