3 Times Courtney Stodden Called Out Hollywood: Jason Alexander, Chrissy Teigen, and More
In 2011, Courtney Stodden became a child bride, and then the butt of numerous jokes. Just 16 years old back then, Stodden was married off, with her parents’ blessing, to Doug Hutchison, a man more than 30 years her senior. At the time, Stodden caught more strays than Hutchison. Since splitting from Hutchison, Stodden has dedicated her time to advocating against child marriage and exploitation. Along the way, she’s also called out Hollywood figures who either failed to protect her or actively made her uncomfortable. Jason Alexander of Seinfeld fame is the most recent person to get called out.
1. Jason Alexander and the 2012 “Funny or Die” Sketch
Courtney Stodden has spent years calling out inappropriate behavior in Hollywood. Jason Alexander, best known for playing George Costanza on Seinfeld, is the most recent. Stodden called out Alexander for his behavior during a 2012 comedy sketch the two filmed together for Funny or Die. In the sketch, a parody of a daytime talk show, Alexander, then 52, repeatedly rubbed his phone across Stodden’s chest while joking that it was the only place he could find “signal.” Stodden was 17 at the time.
In a widely discussed Instagram post, Stodden wrote that she was “a minor working in an environment where the adults around me were responsible for my safety and well-being.” In the post, she questioned why so many adults on set treated the moment as acceptable comedy. She noted that the contracts for the sketch were signed by adults, that her paycheck went to her then-husband Hutchison, and that she was “the only child in the room.”
While her beef appears to be more with the people who designed the sketch than Alexander, he has since spoken out. He issued a public apology and noted that his involvement in the sketch is something he regrets. It is unclear if he reached out to Stodden privately.
2. Calling Out Chrissy Teigen for Years of Cyberbullying
Before Jason Alexander, Courtney Stodden took aim at Chrissy Teigen, who she says cyberbullied her when she was still a teen. Teigen had targeted a then-teenage Stodden with harassing messages and tweets that were pretty appalling after her marriage to Hutchison. Stodden said one private message from Teigen wished death upon her before Teigen blocked her.
Teigen, who was already in her late 20s when the incident occurred, later issued a public apology, calling herself an “insecure” troll. She then went on to bemoan being “canceled.” The complaints led Stodden to publicly question the actual motives behind the apology. She noted that she has never spoken to Teigen directly, despite the model claiming she reached out to apologize privately.
3. Speaking Out About Being Exploited and Groomed by Doug Hutchison
Perhaps the most significant instance of Stodden blowing the whistle has been her account of her own marriage. Stodden has said publicly that Hutchison, 51 at the time of their 2011 wedding, groomed and verbally abused her, and that she lost control over her own finances and career decisions during the marriage. She claims Hutchison exploited her for money. She contends he kept most of her marital earnings.
Hutchison has always contended that he did not “groom” the teen, and has called her claims false, malicious, and unfairly harsh. While he’s shied away from responding to abuse allegations, critics have long described Hutchison’s pursuit of the teen who once considered him a mentor as predatory.
