Jason Alexander apologises to Courtney Stodden for 'inappropriate' comedy sketch

US actor Jason Alexander has apologised to reality star Courtney Stodden for an "inappropriate" comedy sketch they appeared in together when she was 17.

The Seinfeld star appeared in a Funny or Die sketch with Stodden in 2012, which parodied daytime talk shows such as Dr Phil.

The sketch saw Alexander rubbing a mobile phone on Stodden's breasts because it was the only area with "plenty of signal".

After Stodden reposted and questioned the clip earlier this week, Alexander said he was "deeply sorry" and offered her his "sincerest apologies".

Writing on Instagram,, external Stodden said: "The older I get, the more impossible this is to understand.

"During this comedy sketch, Jason Alexander repeatedly rubbed his phone across my breasts while saying there was 'no signal' in my head but 'plenty of signal' in my chest.

"Later in the sketch, he joked that when I turned 18 he'd like to take me behind the couch and 'have his way' with me."

Stodden noted that Alexander was credited as one of the writers of the episode, adding: "Looking back now, I don't see comedy. I see a 17-year-old girl whose body became part of an adult joke.

"I was a minor. I didn't have the legal power to decide whether I wanted to participate... I was the only child in the room. I felt so alone."

Stodden said she chose to speak out after reflecting: "I can't change what happened to me but I can ask myself: How did so many adults look at a minor and decide this was acceptable?"