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LegalDramaDaily
  • 7 hours ago
I Was A Child Bride The Courtney Stodden Story
Transcript
00:00:22You've probably heard my story, Courtney Stodden, the 16-year-old bride who married a 51-year-old
00:00:28actor.
00:00:30Maybe you remember the ridicule, the outrage, the late-night jokes, but what you think you
00:00:36know is what some of the media painted me to be.
00:00:41The true story, the real story, is so much more complicated and much worse.
00:00:54I cannot believe this.
00:00:56What happened, Courtney?
00:00:58I didn't even look at them.
00:01:00I was just minding my own business, and they came at me again.
00:01:03Why am I always in trouble?
00:01:05I'm not the one who starts the fights, Mom.
00:01:07It's okay.
00:01:07It's okay, honey.
00:01:08It's not your fault.
00:01:09Ugh.
00:01:14You know the best way to deal with bullies?
00:01:17Focus on God and the amazing plan he has for you.
00:01:24And you're never going back to that school.
00:01:28Ever?
00:01:30Ever.
00:01:41Want me to do it up?
00:01:43We could do a headband like Audrey Hepburn and Two for the Road to cheer you up.
00:01:47Come on.
00:01:47It's fine.
00:01:48Oh, come on.
00:01:49It's more than fine, my beautiful girl.
00:01:53Daddy!
00:01:54Hey, baby girl.
00:01:56I heard you had a rough day at school.
00:01:59Oh, we are finished with that school.
00:02:02No, no.
00:02:02She's still got to go to school.
00:02:04I'll find something else.
00:02:06Yeah.
00:02:06We can homeschool her.
00:02:07Krista.
00:02:08You're gone.
00:02:09I am the one who's here.
00:02:10You're out here.
00:02:10I am the one who is seeing what these kids do to her every single day.
00:02:14What?
00:02:14You just want me to quit work?
00:02:16Is that what you wanted me to do?
00:02:24Dear Jesus, please, I pray that I do everything right so my parents stop fighting and stay
00:02:31together forever.
00:02:32Please.
00:02:43He didn't say goodbye.
00:02:46He'll be back on Friday night.
00:02:49As always.
00:02:51Walk?
00:03:12You know that wasn't your fault, right?
00:03:16We love you very, very much.
00:03:20I know, Mom.
00:03:22We just do it differently.
00:03:25See, it's your daddy's job to protect you.
00:03:28But it's my job to prepare you.
00:03:34Sometimes those things are not.
00:03:36Mom, don't cry.
00:03:39It's okay, baby.
00:03:41I just want so much more for you.
00:03:44For us.
00:03:50Promise me, when you move to Hollywood, you'll get one of those really big houses that has
00:03:58the little baby house in the back.
00:04:01See, the husband and wife live in the big house.
00:04:03But the mother-in-law lives in the small house very close.
00:04:09If you ever move, if you ever leave me, that is what I want.
00:04:18I knew right then and there that it was all up to me.
00:04:22I knew I had to grow up fast and find a way out of ocean shores.
00:04:26I want some more of that.
00:04:28Can I have some more of that?
00:04:30I really like it like that.
00:04:33It's hot like that.
00:04:35I decided to pray on it.
00:04:37And you know what?
00:04:38It worked out.
00:04:39Like it always does.
00:04:42Do I know that song?
00:04:44That's my daughter Courtney.
00:04:46She writes her own music.
00:04:47She has such a gift for it.
00:04:49What I wouldn't have given to be able to express myself like that when I was her age.
00:04:54I was just too busy surviving.
00:04:59Courtney, this is Aurora.
00:05:01Hi Courtney.
00:05:02Hi.
00:05:05Have you thought about getting her into modeling?
00:05:08Oh, she has her heart set on music.
00:05:10And she's 12.
00:05:11Teen models are always in demand.
00:05:14I have a friend in an agency.
00:05:16I could introduce you.
00:05:18Just say the word.
00:05:20I'll ask her.
00:05:21Everything in me hoped that modeling would be my golden ticket out of ocean shores.
00:05:26But the moment I said yes, a battle began.
00:05:29A battle between my mother's need to protect me from the world.
00:05:32And her desire to give me the life she always dreamed of.
00:05:36Have faith, Courtney.
00:05:47You're doing great, Courtney.
00:05:49Isn't she?
00:05:58I tell you a secret.
00:05:59Promise not to tell the rest of them?
00:06:03You belong here.
00:06:05You got something special that can't be taught or bought.
00:06:09So, just be yourself.
00:06:11Okay?
00:06:12Okay.
00:06:12Okay.
00:06:23Perfect.
00:06:26Great.
00:06:26Oh, very nice.
00:06:27Yes.
00:06:30And they said I might get asked back for the next one too.
00:06:34Look at our little girl.
00:06:37Honey?
00:06:38Little girl?
00:06:39Tell that to the person that put her in those shorts.
00:06:41The wardrobe lady gave those to me.
00:06:43What do you expect her to wear at the gym?
00:06:45A snow suit?
00:06:46Works for me, yeah.
00:06:49This is just the beginning.
00:06:51The whole world is going to know her name.
00:06:54I promise you.
00:06:57And they said they want me to compete in pageants.
00:07:01What pageants?
00:07:02The organizers keep calling.
00:07:04They saw her photo, said she'd do really well.
00:07:07Okay.
00:07:08How much is this going to cost us?
00:07:10And I thought you wanted to be a singer.
00:07:13Well, I mean, I can do both.
00:07:15Who wouldn't want to be the next Miss Ocean Shores?
00:07:19Me.
00:07:19I mean, I would not want to be the next Miss Ocean Shores.
00:07:25More than my friends.
00:07:34Pageants taught me poise and confidence.
00:07:36They taught me that a winner looks like an adult,
00:07:39even if she's still a child.
00:07:57and a winner stands up straight puts a smile on her face and gets out there no matter what
00:08:04I am going to win the pageant today. Going to win the pageant. You look wonderful. You ready? Yeah. They
00:08:23promised winning pageants would open doors for me. The only doors I ever saw open were the ones my mother
00:08:31kicked out. We can't just walk in there.
00:08:35Hi. I'm Krista Stodden and this is my daughter Courtney. Hello. You may have read today's paper if you weren't
00:08:43already aware. She is our very own Miss Ocean Shores. She is a smart, beautiful, devout Christian with the singing
00:08:55voice of an angel. The very definition of a rising star. And yes I might be her mother and I
00:09:02might be biased but look at her.
00:09:04You couldn't ask for a more positive representative of our community. Now I may not have a degree in television
00:09:13production or management but even I can see that your television programming completely overlooks the youth market.
00:09:20What you need is a show that highlights the events, businesses, charities from the point of view of the younger
00:09:29generation. The solution. The Courtney Stodden Show.
00:09:43So, your grand opening is this Friday? Yes, from 10 to 4. And you're offering special discounts that day? We
00:09:52are. Everyone's welcome, you two of course. Join us for some complimentary champagne. Oh no, I'm only 15. What? That's
00:10:00Friday, just across from the post office. Come out and support our newest local business.
00:10:05Then next week, join us at Loose Car Wash as we raise funds for animal rescue.
00:10:11And we're out.
00:10:15My success was our success.
00:10:20While other kids my age were learning algebra, I was attending an online Christian academy, making content from MySpace.
00:10:28Courtney, are you doing your homework? Yes!
00:10:33Modeling myself after my favorite Baywatch idols and watching the Victoria's Secret fashion show for inspiration.
00:10:41Are you doing your homework? Yes!
00:11:03I love your hat.
00:11:04And after a while, the Lord spoke to my heart and I reformed and said, God help me, God help
00:11:11me, God help me.
00:11:12One day, when the time comes, I know I will make different parenting choices, but I will always defend my
00:11:18child just as fiercely as my mother did.
00:11:20If they have a problem with my daughter, they have a problem with me.
00:11:24Mrs. Stodden, please.
00:11:25That Herrera's girl, the one that got the science scholarship, you do realize her dress was showing just as much?
00:11:30It's really not the same.
00:11:32Isn't it?
00:11:33No, the way your daughter carries herself.
00:11:35I've always taught my daughter to walk into a room like God put her there.
00:11:39I wonder if anyone would complain if I had a son with that much confidence.
00:11:42Please understand, we have several parishioners, specifically men, who I'm sorry to say are dealing with addiction to pornography.
00:11:55May the Lord give them the strength to conquer their demons.
00:12:01We're going to have to ask you and your daughter to worship elsewhere.
00:12:09Courtney, let's go.
00:12:13We'll find a church that actually understands the meaning of grace.
00:12:23And action!
00:12:26Next week, we'll be spotlighting Miss Mimi's Oodles and Poodles couture clothing line.
00:12:31Thought to keep those poodles warm.
00:12:33Till next time!
00:12:40Can I talk to you for just a second?
00:12:42Sure.
00:12:44I'm afraid we are not going to continue airing your show.
00:12:47What?
00:12:48Why?
00:12:49Don't you see the good it's doing for the community?
00:12:52Oh, I'm not denying that.
00:12:55You want to know something?
00:12:57Everywhere we go, people recognize Courtney.
00:13:01They come up to us, thank her for how much they love the show.
00:13:06Well, you are right.
00:13:07People do love the show, but mostly men.
00:13:12Women tend to lean strongly in the other direction.
00:13:16We've gotten a lot of calls.
00:13:19You're canceling my daughter's show because women are jealous of her?
00:13:24I don't think that's the issue.
00:13:27Okay.
00:13:29Courtney, let's go.
00:13:31We're done.
00:13:43You realize what just happened in there, don't you?
00:13:45My show just got canceled?
00:13:48You just outgrew this town.
00:13:51Do you really think you're going to get a recording deal sitting in there interviewing some local woman about a
00:13:57new line of poodle sweaters?
00:13:59Probably not.
00:14:00Probably not.
00:14:01But what you have now is loads of on-camera experience and that is what counts.
00:14:09You know what we need.
00:14:11I'm kind of afraid to ask.
00:14:13An investor.
00:14:15Someone who can pay for the vocal coach and the recording studio and the demo and whatever else we need
00:14:21to take your career to the next level.
00:14:24Someone who believes in your God-given talent just as much as I do.
00:14:28And how are we going to find that?
00:14:31Win the day with faith, Courtney.
00:14:34Win the day with faith.
00:14:41When Peter told us that your passion is investing in up-and-coming artists, I just had a feeling you
00:14:49would understand what it would take to nurture a young talent like Courtney.
00:14:53It's not an easy business.
00:14:55Are you sure you're ready for it?
00:14:57I think so.
00:14:59Okay.
00:15:00You know, I've always thought that a vocal coach couldn't hurt.
00:15:02Sure.
00:15:02Even Celine Dion and Beyonce, they had vocal coaches.
00:15:05Yeah.
00:15:06Courtney's a natural, so, of course.
00:15:07Certainly is.
00:15:09Yep.
00:15:09She could come up to my studio in Monterey, spend a few weeks, and, uh, I'll introduce her to all
00:15:16the best people in the biz.
00:15:18She'll be fighting off recording offers in no time.
00:15:23Here's my offer.
00:15:25You're going to take your hand off my daughter right now, and then we're going to walk out of here,
00:15:29and you are never going to contact us again.
00:15:32How does that sound?
00:15:33Let's go.
00:15:36And we're taking these.
00:15:38Put these on his bill, please.
00:15:41Why is everybody so awful?
00:15:45Come here.
00:15:54God will show us the way.
00:16:09I don't want to say you're our last hope, but you know I trust you.
00:16:12Well, I would hope so after, what, twenty, how many years?
00:16:19Now, I know you've seen how talented Courtney is, and I know you believe in her, just like I do.
00:16:25So, if you have any ideas.
00:16:29Well, I have one.
00:16:34His name is Doug Hutchison.
00:16:37He was in the Green Mile.
00:16:40Remember the prison guard?
00:16:41Dead Man Walking!
00:16:42Yeah, that's him.
00:16:43Wow!
00:16:45Lost.
00:16:45Law and Order.
00:16:47Eleven seasons on The Guiding Light.
00:16:49I used to love that show.
00:16:51See who this guy has worked with?
00:16:52He knows everybody.
00:16:54I went to a party at his house in L.A.
00:16:57We talked a bit.
00:16:58He teaches an acting program called The Art of Stillness.
00:17:02Yeah.
00:17:02And he has connections in the music industry, too.
00:17:06This could be a great launching pad for you, Courtney.
00:17:08You could learn a lot.
00:17:10It could change your life.
00:17:11Well, what do you think?
00:17:14Well, now here's the thing.
00:17:15He only takes on a limited number of new students.
00:17:19Courtney, I told him all about you.
00:17:21I showed him your work, your photos, and I think he might be willing to help.
00:17:30I told you God would show us the way.
00:17:33Tim.
00:17:34Tim.
00:17:35My pleasure.
00:17:39After fending off creeps who had no real interest in helping me with my career,
00:17:44Doug Hutchison seemed to be the answer to our prayers.
00:17:47A true Hollywood insider, a professional working actor, and a friend to one of my mom's oldest friends.
00:17:54What should I say?
00:17:56Say, hi.
00:17:58Hi.
00:17:59This is Courtney.
00:18:01This is Courtney.
00:18:02I got your information from Tim Wilson, who told us, me, told me, about your art of stillness.
00:18:18And I would like to know more about it.
00:18:29Okay.
00:18:31Great.
00:18:33Perfect.
00:18:36Courtney, I'm very impressed by your portfolio.
00:18:40Of course he is.
00:18:41I'd love to get to know you more and find out how I can help with your career.
00:18:45What should I say?
00:18:45What should I say?
00:18:47Maybe tell him thank you and that you are so grateful for his help.
00:19:11Why don't you come down here to LA and we can do some art of stillness classes in person?
00:19:19Courtney, you need to tell him to give me a call.
00:19:23She's only 16, Doug.
00:19:261-6.
00:19:2816.
00:19:29I am not at all comfortable with her coming to LA on her own.
00:19:33So I'm not sure how you schedule your art of stillness classes, but if you can work with her from
00:19:40Washington, maybe we can set up some times.
00:19:46Okay.
00:19:56What'd he say?
00:19:58Well, I thought you were in your 20s.
00:19:59Tim told him I was 16, didn't he?
00:20:02So what now?
00:20:04He's ready to get to work.
00:20:07Start helping you right away.
00:20:08Really?
00:20:11Oh my God!
00:20:12Oh my God!
00:20:14Oh my God!
00:20:15Oh my God!
00:20:16Oh my God!
00:20:17Oh my God!
00:20:17Oh my God!
00:20:17Can we talk about grooming for a second?
00:20:22Not that kind of grooming.
00:20:24The other kind.
00:20:25The kind that leaves permanent scars.
00:20:28The kind that starts off slow.
00:20:30So slow.
00:20:31That you don't even realize it's happening.
00:20:39He's just asking me lots of questions.
00:20:41Like, what's my favorite color?
00:20:43What three items would I want on a desert island?
00:20:45You know?
00:20:46He says it's a way to get to know who I am and help him figure out how we can
00:20:49do the art of stillness.
00:20:51Print out all of his emails.
00:20:53I want to make sure he's not being inappropriate.
00:20:55Mom, seriously?
00:20:56There are so many.
00:20:57Well, then we're going to need more paper.
00:21:12After months of building trust with me, he started testing the waters.
00:21:16He would walk right up to the line, but be careful not to step over it.
00:21:29What do I think about abortion?
00:21:31Abortion.
00:21:35He called me his star girl.
00:21:38His angel.
00:21:40I felt special.
00:21:42I felt seen.
00:21:44It wasn't until years later I realized the whole time I was a lobster swimming in a nice warm bath.
00:21:51While the temperature was slowly turned up.
00:21:53And not just on me.
00:21:59How close do you live to the Hollywood swine?
00:22:03Oh my god, are you serious?
00:22:12What do you want star girl?
00:22:16Like, right now?
00:22:18Now, tomorrow, forever.
00:22:21What do you want out of life?
00:22:24I know what I don't want now.
00:22:28Okay, well then tell me that, Angel.
00:22:31I don't really want to do pageants anymore.
00:22:36You don't have to.
00:22:38I'll make sure of it.
00:22:40I have a friend.
00:22:41He's a music producer.
00:22:42Get you in the studio with him.
00:22:45And then we'll bring your whole family to LA.
00:22:47I will handle everything.
00:22:49You don't have to worry about it.
00:22:51You do that for me?
00:22:53Yeah.
00:22:55You know why, don't you?
00:22:58Not really.
00:23:00Cause I love you.
00:23:03I just...
00:23:04I just love you.
00:23:06You're my star girl.
00:23:10Aren't you gonna say anything?
00:23:13Me too?
00:23:15Me too what?
00:23:18I...
00:23:18I think I love you too.
00:23:25I will wait for you and when you are 18, we can be together forever.
00:23:30But until then, I need to tell your mother that we are in love.
00:23:49Mom?
00:23:50Hmm.
00:23:50Um, if...
00:23:51Doug, he needs to talk to you.
00:23:54Oh.
00:23:55Okay.
00:23:58Hello?
00:24:00Hi, Krista.
00:24:01How are you?
00:24:02Well, I'm excited to hear about the plans.
00:24:04You all have been making.
00:24:05I hear there's a music producer interested in meeting Courtney.
00:24:11This might come as a shock to you.
00:24:14But I'm in love with your daughter.
00:24:22Doug.
00:24:24I know.
00:24:27I've been paying attention.
00:24:30Reading every single word you have written to Courtney.
00:24:34I can feel your love for her.
00:24:36And the love that she has for you.
00:24:42In her mind, he was my chosen protector.
00:24:47In her mind, Hollywood had told us for years that a big age gap was totally fine.
00:24:55As long as one of them was a celebrity.
00:25:06Oh, if he's gonna get your career off the ground and you're gonna be a Hollywood power couple,
00:25:12it feels like a shame for you to have to wait.
00:25:18In some states, it is legal to get married at 16 with parental consent.
00:25:27If this is what you really want.
00:25:36Yeah.
00:25:37It is.
00:25:41Yeah.
00:25:42Right?
00:25:44It's not gonna happen.
00:25:45A little late for that, Alex.
00:25:47It's been happening for months.
00:25:48What do we know about this guy?
00:25:50Outside the fact he's how much older than me?
00:25:51He loves her.
00:25:53Oh, please.
00:25:54He cares about her and her career.
00:25:56He wants the same things for her that we do.
00:25:58He wants her to be happy.
00:26:00He promised me that he would take care of her and I believe him.
00:26:04Yeah, it sounds like the decision's already been made.
00:26:07He's coming up here next weekend.
00:26:07I'm still part of this family.
00:26:08If it doesn't feel right.
00:26:10But he doesn't feel right.
00:26:12Please, daddy.
00:26:13Please just give him a chance.
00:26:15Honey, look.
00:26:18Look.
00:26:18Look me in the eye and tell me this is what you really want.
00:26:25It's what I want.
00:26:44I know.
00:26:46It's okay.
00:26:47He'll come around.
00:26:48He will.
00:26:49Once he sees the two of you.
00:26:53Okay.
00:26:54I promise you.
00:26:55Promise you.
00:26:56I'll talk to him.
00:26:59I will.
00:27:07That's...
00:27:07That's him?
00:27:08Yeah.
00:27:13He was old.
00:27:15Much older than the decades-old headshot that I'd be staring at for months.
00:27:19My star girl.
00:27:21This is...
00:27:22And he was short.
00:27:23The sides of his face were bruised from faceless scars that hadn't quite yet healed.
00:27:29Yet, none of it mattered.
00:27:31He had already convinced me that he was my knight in shining armor.
00:27:35And I was all in.
00:27:36And so was my mother.
00:27:40Hi.
00:27:46Welcome.
00:27:48Have a look.
00:27:49Yeah.
00:27:50Oh, Karen.
00:27:51Nice to meet you.
00:27:53Shelly.
00:28:04Hey, Alex.
00:28:05Do you mind if you...
00:28:06Yeah.
00:28:07Um, hey, honey.
00:28:07Would you grab a table for us, please?
00:28:09Oh, of course.
00:28:12What are they talking about?
00:28:13Are you so excited?
00:28:14He is so cute.
00:28:17They were outside for no more than five minutes.
00:28:19I don't know what Doug said to my father, but it must have been one Oscar-worthy performance.
00:28:25What does one man say to another to convince him to hand over his 16-year-old daughter?
00:28:30And I go to the bathroom, and I'm just overwhelmed by this awful smell.
00:28:38And out walks Tom Hanks.
00:28:40Ah!
00:28:42Tom Hanks!
00:28:44That's when I realized, you know, listen, all of these big actors, they're just normal human beings.
00:28:50And so I stopped being nervous from that day forward.
00:28:55Oh, I love this song.
00:28:59Next time, it's gonna be your song playing here.
00:29:02Our song will be playing everywhere.
00:29:06At some point, my dad must have felt he only had two choices.
00:29:11Approve my marriage, or lose me.
00:29:14Either way, he was giving up his little girl.
00:29:21You probably recognize him from the Green Mile.
00:29:24Or a number of other award-winning TV shows and movies.
00:29:26Please.
00:29:28Let's see what they have to say about you now.
00:29:37My star girl.
00:29:39Your purse! Here!
00:29:40You're gonna need your purse.
00:29:43Have fun, you too.
00:30:00My mom has never let me out of the house unsupervised with a boy before.
00:30:05She knows tonight is special.
00:30:07Why is that?
00:30:09Do you want to take those off?
00:30:11Oh, no, no, I gotta...
00:30:14There's something I need to tell you.
00:30:18My career is going really well.
00:30:22But being an actor isn't always...
00:30:25What is it?
00:30:30I only have about $50,000 to win in.
00:30:34What do you mean, only?
00:30:36That's more money than I've ever seen in my life.
00:30:39Is it that you need me to sign something to say that I'm not after your money?
00:30:42Because I totally will.
00:30:45God, I love you.
00:30:47I love you.
00:30:48No, I don't need you to sign anything.
00:30:51Courtney.
00:30:53You're my star girl.
00:30:56You're my angel.
00:30:57Nothing like this has ever happened to me before.
00:31:01I can't believe our love story is coming true.
00:31:07Will you marry me?
00:31:09Yes!
00:31:11Are you kidding?
00:31:14Oh, my God!
00:31:17Oh, my God!
00:31:19Oh, my God!
00:31:20Oh, my God!
00:31:22What?
00:31:27What?
00:31:54Oh, my God!
00:31:55.
00:31:55.
00:32:02I'm going to make the pageant.
00:32:04Here's what I remember most about my wedding day.
00:32:06Do not step on the carpet.
00:32:08It was against the law for me to step even one toe on the carpet.
00:32:13The gambling area of the hotel before the age of 21.
00:32:16I couldn't touch a slot machine.
00:32:18I couldn't order a Mai Tai.
00:32:20But at 16 years old, it was totally okay for me to get married.
00:32:24I just needed the consent of a parent.
00:32:32The whole day, I was numb.
00:32:35Like I was a passenger on a train that was going way too fast.
00:32:39And there was nothing I could do about it.
00:32:42I now pronounce you husband and wife.
00:32:45You may kiss the bride.
00:33:07I knew you.
00:33:08I thought you were getting it.
00:33:10I knew you.
00:33:12I knew you.
00:33:34I was ashamed of my 16-year-old body.
00:33:37I looked like a child because I was.
00:33:40I looked nothing like the women I idolized.
00:33:43And now, on our wedding night, there was no way of hiding it.
00:34:02There's my star, girl.
00:34:04That's really beautiful. I didn't know you could play like that.
00:34:10There's a lot you don't know about me.
00:34:14I don't know.
00:34:18I don't know.
00:34:19You ready?
00:34:21I don't know.
00:34:23I don't know.
00:34:38I don't know.
00:34:44I don't know.
00:34:47I don't know.
00:35:01I don't know.
00:35:10I don't know.
00:35:32I don't know.
00:35:39I don't know.
00:35:51I don't know.
00:35:58I don't know.
00:36:14I don't know.
00:36:16I don't know.
00:36:17I don't know.
00:36:30I don't know.
00:36:53I don't know.
00:37:01I don't know.
00:37:02I don't know.
00:37:06I don't know.
00:37:36I don't know.
00:37:45I don't know.
00:38:01I don't know.
00:38:15I don't know.
00:38:31I don't know.
00:38:37I don't know.
00:38:45the movie myself.
00:38:46I will have so much more control over the final product.
00:38:50Now, my vision for the lead character may not be-
00:38:54I love it here.
00:39:01Don't you ever interrupt me when I'm speaking.
00:39:05Until that moment, he'd never been anything but sweet and gentle with me.
00:39:11His kindness faded and something else crept in.
00:39:15This wasn't the man I fell in love with.
00:39:18The man that I married.
00:39:30Which one are you?
00:39:32School girl A or school girl B?
00:39:40Which one do you want me to be?
00:39:45I want you to be the bad girl.
00:39:50Okay.
00:39:52Go on, take it.
00:39:56Go get ready.
00:40:09I learned to be a good wife.
00:40:11Any career aspirations I had were put on the back burner.
00:40:42Hi.
00:40:45Yeah, yeah, I'm fine.
00:40:47You know, everything's, um...
00:40:51No, I just...
00:40:53Just need my mom.
00:40:57Yeah.
00:41:12Hi!
00:41:16Oh, this is so beautiful, Gord.
00:41:20No guest house, though.
00:41:21Oh, you remembered.
00:41:23Of course I did.
00:41:24I missed you so much.
00:41:26Oh, it's only going to be weeks.
00:41:28Are you okay? You good?
00:41:31Hey.
00:41:32Hi.
00:41:33Oh, you're taking care of our girl?
00:41:36Always. Always!
00:41:38Oh, wow.
00:41:41This is incredible.
00:41:44Wow.
00:41:46Oh, you good?
00:41:47Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:41:48Okay.
00:41:53So, is he introducing you to people?
00:41:56Setting up meetings with music producers?
00:41:59Uh-huh.
00:42:00Not yet, but, um, yeah.
00:42:02Not really.
00:42:03Well, he needs to get on that.
00:42:05And there's room enough in this house for two celebrities.
00:42:08Tell him.
00:42:09Or I'll tell him.
00:42:11Well, your career isn't going to launch itself.
00:42:14Can we go shopping while you're here?
00:42:16Of course.
00:42:18Oh, I can't wait to hear about all the Hollywood parties you're going to.
00:42:22And all of the fabulous outfits you get to wear.
00:42:25And the Walk of Fame.
00:42:27Absolutely.
00:42:31Everything else okay?
00:42:33How do you like being an old married lady?
00:42:39Um, he's different than he was at first.
00:42:45Well, you only knew him online.
00:42:47And on the phone.
00:42:49And you barely had any time together in person before you got married.
00:42:54Living together is a huge adjustment.
00:42:58And sometimes as we get to know people, we start to see...
00:43:03Well, sometimes he's...
00:43:06He's angry.
00:43:12You have to understand, Courtney.
00:43:15Men have hormonal cycles a lot like women do.
00:43:20And you remember what it was like with your dad?
00:43:23He would get angry over the silliest things.
00:43:26That's what men do.
00:43:29They can't help him.
00:43:31So the best thing that we can do,
00:43:33and that you can do for Doug,
00:43:36is to be patient.
00:43:39Trust God.
00:43:41And know that everything is going to be okay.
00:43:45Okay.
00:43:47You're right.
00:43:48Mm-hmm.
00:43:49Mm-hmm.
00:43:51.
00:44:24Slut?
00:44:32Dad!
00:44:34Good morning.
00:44:37What is happening?
00:44:40Looks like the world found out about our wedding, star girl.
00:44:44What? No. Why?
00:44:46Mom?
00:44:48Mom!
00:44:52Mom?
00:44:54Courtney! You're everywhere!
00:44:57Look.
00:44:58The Green Mile actor Doug Hutchison, 51, married 16-year-old aspiring singer Courtney Stodden in Las Vegas.
00:45:07Look how pretty you are!
00:45:09Why do they care about this? And how do they know where we live?
00:45:12Well, Doug's a celebrity. And now you are, too.
00:45:15They're sending me hate mail.
00:45:16Oh, look. This side picked it up. And this one. And this one. Oh, this is a new one.
00:45:22Oh, can you believe? Wow.
00:45:27This is insane.
00:45:28At the time, I never asked, how did this happen? How did details about my private life become public?
00:45:35It's not like I married an actor with a recognizable name and somebody spotted the marriage registration.
00:45:41No. The story leaked because somebody wanted it to.
00:45:45Maybe I never asked who did it because the answer would have broken me.
00:45:50Well, I hoped that you would, you could reconsider. Maybe...
00:45:54Okay, look, look, look, look, look. Maybe when things calm down...
00:46:01Yeah, thank...
00:46:05Yep.
00:46:08Thank... Yeah, thank you.
00:46:12What happened?
00:46:15My agent, my manager, workahead coming up. It's gone. It's all gone.
00:46:22Why? They knew you got married.
00:46:24Of course they did!
00:46:25But you didn't tell them my age.
00:46:29This isn't right.
00:46:31You would not believe how this is blowing up.
00:46:37Stripping at 12, married at 16, whore, how much for an hour? Mom, this is bad.
00:46:44No, don't you worry. In Hollywood, all publicity is good publicity.
00:46:48No, please stop.
00:46:50My career is over. You understand that, right? 25-year career? Done!
00:46:57This will all blow over and people will forget.
00:47:02In the meantime, you're the hottest couple in town.
00:47:05Please, what?
00:47:07What do I do?
00:47:08You're a celebrity. Should I go?
00:47:09No, leave him.
00:47:11Yeah, this is great.
00:47:12Great. You're a star.
00:47:13Yeah.
00:47:22Overnight, I'd gone from June Cleaver to the world's punching bag.
00:47:27Some media decided who I was and the world believed them.
00:47:31The lie was more entertaining, more profitable for them than the truth.
00:47:36That's how freak shows work.
00:47:39Why are people so mean?
00:47:41Ignore it.
00:47:43Don't worry about that.
00:47:49Whoa, hey.
00:47:51Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down. Slow down.
00:47:53Look, no.
00:47:54Yeah, it sounds good, but let me review the offer and get back to you.
00:48:01Yeah.
00:48:03Yep.
00:48:04Yep, thank you.
00:48:08Who was that?
00:48:12Another late night offer.
00:48:15I don't, I don't want to do this.
00:48:18I don't want to sit there and smile on TV while the whole world laughs at us.
00:48:23How else do you think we're going to make money now?
00:48:39How else do you think we're going to make money now?
00:48:44Um, I mean, I just, I don't know. I just love him. And, you know, age is just a number.
00:48:53And, yeah, I really, I really believe that.
00:48:59The focus was almost entirely on me. Not Doug. Me. A-list celebrity slut shaming a minor. Telling me to
00:49:08kill myself.
00:49:09You know what nobody was asking? Why is it still legal for 16 year olds to get married in the
00:49:15first place? And as young as 13 in some states. It's called child marriage for a reason. But sure, let's
00:49:23make a joke about it on late night TV.
00:49:25I'm worried about you, Courtney. I don't have to tell you there are some awful people out there just waiting
00:49:32to take advantage of you. I wish I was there to keep you safe.
00:49:37Me too, mom. Me too. I'm serious, Courtney. Maybe I should be your manager. My momager?
00:49:51What sounded like an absurd idea suddenly made the most sense to me. Thank you. Thank you. What's daddy going
00:50:02to do without you for a while? I only saw him on the weekends anyway.
00:50:07Yeah, but still. He'll be fine. He always is.
00:50:21What about the event on Thursday? The one in Century City pays more.
00:50:30Wow. That is going to be a long day.
00:50:36But who needs sleep anyway?
00:50:46Are you ready for it?
00:50:49Most of the offers coming in were just for me. Doug didn't like that. He and my mom handled the
00:50:55bookings. He handled the money. At 16, I was the breadwinner for all three of us.
00:51:00All right. Thank you all. Thank you so much. That's enough. Thank you.
00:51:04They'll only pay you if you stay for an hour. Then you need to go straight to the party on
00:51:08sunset and at some point you need to take a photo with this, preferably, at the Malibu event.
00:51:14Got it. Lipstick. Malibu.
00:51:17Didn't you ever teach your daughter how to clean up after herself?
00:51:20She's a teenager. What did you expect?
00:51:27Oh, Courtney. Is that really what you're wearing?
00:51:30You mean he's already labeled me a slut?
00:51:33So that is what they will get.
00:51:38Come on, baby, come play with me.
00:51:43There's something special about you, dare I say unique.
00:51:47Must be magic in your makeup, yeah, you're so sweet.
00:51:50Follow me as I run into the night.
00:51:53Head down, carefree, baby, let's ride.
00:51:56We hit the streets, top top, cruising downtown.
00:51:59About to roll up, and then we roll out.
00:52:03I am the one you should be looking at, nobody else.
00:52:06I wasn't talking to anyone, I swear.
00:52:09I gave up everything for you.
00:52:11My family, my career, everything.
00:52:14And the least you could do, the absolute bare minimum, is show me the respect that I deserve.
00:52:21I was with you the whole time.
00:52:23Shut up!
00:52:46I did what I was told, every single day.
00:52:50I was afraid to say no.
00:52:52At 16 years old, sedatives and alcohol were my best friends.
00:52:57I hid the truth from my mother.
00:53:00I didn't want to disappoint her.
00:53:03But in the middle of the night, I was free.
00:53:06I'd just walk and walk.
00:53:08Nobody knew me.
00:53:10Nobody wanted a thing from me.
00:53:11I'd find a place where I was safe, and I'd hide, like a rat.
00:53:16And I'd pray, even if I was no longer sure anybody was listening.
00:53:28What's going on?
00:53:31Tell her, Krista.
00:53:36Go ahead, tell her.
00:53:37I...
00:53:41No.
00:53:43I can't be a part of this.
00:53:45No.
00:53:49What did she do?
00:53:50You shouldn't trust her.
00:53:52She's my mother.
00:53:55And she's in love with me.
00:53:58What?
00:54:02There's no way.
00:54:03Go ahead, go ask her.
00:54:05She wouldn't do that to me.
00:54:07She wouldn't do that to my dad.
00:54:09You sure about that?
00:54:13Oh my God, if you do.
00:54:14No, of course not.
00:54:16What, she actually said I'm in love with you?
00:54:18No, she said that she's becoming emotionally attached.
00:54:21You're her son-in-law.
00:54:23Of course she's emotionally attached.
00:54:24You seriously gonna keep trusting your career to her?
00:54:27She doesn't have your best interest at heart.
00:54:30She wants your fame, your husband, your money.
00:54:33She wants your life.
00:54:36Can't you see what's going on?
00:54:39She's the problem, not me.
00:54:40I'm the one who loves you.
00:54:42I'm the one who's here to protect you.
00:54:44I'm the one who's here to look out for you.
00:54:46No one else is gonna do that for you, Angel.
00:54:50Just me.
00:55:02I want to support you.
00:55:04You know that.
00:55:06I just think it may be healthier for all of us if we're not sharing the same space.
00:55:11Mom, please.
00:55:15I am still here as your mom and your manager.
00:55:18I just cannot be here.
00:55:23I love you.
00:55:25Don't ever let him convince you that's not true.
00:55:32I'll never really know everything, but what I do know is that Doug was a master at making me believe
00:55:39he was the only person I could trust.
00:55:42The only voice that mattered.
00:55:44And so we slipped back into his version of normal.
00:55:47But whenever I could break free, I did.
00:55:50And the more I tried to live, the more it drove him crazy.
00:55:54Look!
00:55:56It's a project!
00:55:59I'm married!
00:56:01I love you!
00:56:02Look!
00:56:08You could have looked away, or you could, I don't know, held up your wedding ring and said,
00:56:13I'm married!
00:56:15Like what?
00:56:16Like a dozen cameras at you?
00:56:18You seriously think, I want to go on radar tomorrow and see pictures of some guy with his arm around
00:56:23my wife?
00:56:24Tell me, what man would be okay with that?
00:56:27What man would be okay with that?
00:56:32I better not see one picture of that guy's face.
00:56:34Not one!
00:56:35Yo man, shut up!
00:56:43I hope you never forget, because I sure as hell won't be able to for the rest of my life,
00:56:49that I gave up everything for you.
00:56:54Everything.
00:56:55What I want to know is...
00:56:59Where's my thank you, star girl?
00:57:21What?
00:57:26Read it!
00:57:40big brother
00:57:42celebrity big brother
00:57:44UK edition
00:57:44they want you
00:57:46the money's pretty good
00:57:49and you're going to let me
00:57:51go to the UK
00:57:54I'm going with you
00:58:22despite everything
00:58:24I was terrified
00:58:25to be away from him
00:58:27terrified
00:58:28call it Stockholm
00:58:29syndrome if you like
00:58:31but the moment
00:58:32I stepped through
00:58:33the celebrity big brother
00:58:34door
00:58:34it felt like a gift
00:58:36it was summer camp
00:58:37and college
00:58:38and a holiday
00:58:39with friends
00:58:40all rolled into one
00:58:41all the things
00:58:42you miss out on
00:58:43when you're married
00:58:43at 16
00:58:45and I realized
00:58:46that I could be happy
00:58:46without him
00:59:06oh I miss you baby
00:59:08yeah
00:59:11how are you
00:59:12good
00:59:18I don't love you anymore
00:59:24what
00:59:27I don't love you anymore
00:59:32you don't mean that
00:59:33I do
00:59:33you don't mean that
00:59:36I love you
00:59:37more than anyone
00:59:39I've ever loved
00:59:39or ever will
00:59:40love in this world
00:59:42do you really
00:59:43or is that just a role
00:59:45that you're playing
00:59:46you are
00:59:47Corny you're breaking
00:59:48you're breaking my heart
00:59:50and you think I'm
00:59:52I'm acting
00:59:53this is real
00:59:55this this is real
00:59:57this is forever
00:59:59not anymore
01:00:00you're just upset
01:00:01because you're losing
01:00:02your prize
01:00:02please
01:00:03you're tired
01:00:05it's the jet lag
01:00:06we'll go back to bed
01:00:07and in a few hours
01:00:08we'll wake up
01:00:08and everything
01:00:09will go back
01:00:09to the way
01:00:10it was
01:00:10we could go to
01:00:11counseling
01:00:11please
01:00:12we are a team
01:00:13you're my angel
01:00:14please
01:00:15our
01:00:16story does not
01:00:17end like this
01:00:20I moved into
01:00:21the guest room
01:00:21until I could figure
01:00:22out where to go
01:00:24our standoff
01:00:25began
01:00:26we avoided
01:00:27each other for months
01:00:29but it was better
01:00:30than the alternative
01:00:41every night
01:00:42I tried to make up
01:00:44for my lost
01:00:44teenage years
01:00:46why the hell
01:00:47was you bitches dancing
01:00:48here
01:00:50okay
01:00:53to what
01:00:54love
01:00:55and hate
01:00:56to both
01:00:57let it hate
01:00:58shut up and drink
01:01:04let's go
01:01:05let's go
01:01:05let's go
01:01:05let's go
01:01:26let's go
01:01:27where are we going
01:01:28where are we going now
01:01:29to bed
01:01:29I'm done
01:01:30me too
01:01:31we'll take you home
01:01:32no
01:01:32I don't want to go home
01:01:33no
01:01:35hey
01:01:36what is happening
01:01:37I know of a place
01:01:38on Laurel Canyon
01:01:40no
01:01:41love you
01:01:42love you
01:01:43you good
01:01:44let's go
01:01:45okay
01:01:47hi
01:01:48hi
01:01:50hi
01:01:51hi
01:01:51hi
01:01:51hi
01:01:51hi
01:01:51hi
01:01:51hi
01:01:51hi
01:01:52hi
01:01:52hi
01:01:53hi
01:01:53hi
01:01:53hi
01:01:53hi
01:01:54hi
01:01:54hi
01:01:55hi
01:01:56hi
01:02:07hi
01:02:08hi
01:02:11hi
01:02:12hi
01:02:12hi
01:02:12hi
01:02:12hi
01:02:24me
01:02:25I know your dad and I hadn't been happy for a long time.
01:02:31I know.
01:02:34It's for the best.
01:02:36And he'll see that too, eventually.
01:02:40It's my fault.
01:02:42If you hadn't moved out here to help me, then...
01:02:48We could spend our whole lives dwelling on the what-ifs.
01:02:53Or we could trust that God has a bigger plan for us.
01:03:12I was cautious about what I told her.
01:03:15Stories leaked online about things only she would know.
01:03:18I suspected it was her way of trying to protect me by publicly shaming Doug.
01:03:23But at that moment, he wasn't the one I needed to be protected from.
01:03:34Yeah.
01:03:47Whoa, whoa, whoa!
01:03:48Hey, you okay?
01:03:49Here.
01:03:51Yeah.
01:03:52Usually, I clean the shoes, but this time, I think it was the only reader.
01:03:57Travis.
01:03:58Great.
01:03:59How do you know Marty?
01:04:01Um, actually, I don't.
01:04:04I came here with my friend Carolyn.
01:04:06I think she left about ten minutes ago.
01:04:09I'm looking for...
01:04:11Oh, yeah, ladies' room.
01:04:12Yeah, it's down the hall.
01:04:13And, uh...
01:04:14Come here, I'll show you.
01:04:17No, I didn't think this was the kind of party that could just...
01:04:20Get my heels off and run up the stairs.
01:04:23No, you're surprised.
01:04:24Give it a half hour.
01:04:26Okay.
01:04:28And, uh...
01:04:29Here you go.
01:04:35Not a sound, got it?
01:04:36Half the people downstairs owe their careers to me.
01:04:39A couple of them owe their lives.
01:04:40You go ahead and try and tell anybody about this.
01:04:42See what happens.
01:04:42Get your eyes off and do anything like this.
01:04:44Let's go.
01:04:57Go ahead.
01:04:59Come on.
01:05:00There's enough people to walk into the stairs.
01:05:00You've got to get your eyes off.
01:05:00Don't go.
01:05:01Hit him, hold him, hold him, hold on at me.
01:05:04No, no, no.
01:05:05You've got to run off.
01:05:09No, no.
01:05:11You're a crazy to run.
01:05:12You're a crazy to listen.
01:05:17Oh, my God.
01:05:44What?
01:05:47What did you expect?
01:05:52This is what happens when you're not with me.
01:05:56When I'm not there to protect you.
01:06:00Look, if you're looking for somebody else to save you,
01:06:05I promise you,
01:06:09there is nobody else.
01:06:20I married him.
01:06:24Again.
01:06:26You got it.
01:06:31I know.
01:06:33It gets worse.
01:06:37After we got remarried, Doug started pulling the strings again,
01:06:42isolating me from everyone I loved,
01:06:45including my mother,
01:06:47right in a time when I needed her the most.
01:06:50So now I'm the problem?
01:06:53It's always me, isn't it?
01:06:55You need to wake up.
01:06:56Your mother's not booking these jobs for you.
01:06:59She's busy trying to launch her own career.
01:07:02But you are too stupid to see it.
01:07:04Open the door.
01:07:07If you cared about our marriage at all,
01:07:11you would fire her.
01:07:14I'm the one who should be managing your career.
01:07:16I'm the one looking out for you.
01:07:18I'm the one,
01:07:19the only one,
01:07:21who loves you.
01:07:24He won.
01:07:26I fired my mom.
01:07:28She quit.
01:07:29What difference does it make?
01:07:31All that mattered is that he'd successfully isolated me from my family.
01:07:36I was his.
01:07:38I was alone.
01:07:40My mother was completely missing from my life,
01:07:44just when I was about to become one myself.
01:07:54I thought you said you couldn't get me pregnant.
01:08:00Oh.
01:08:01Are we going to have a little star girl or more?
01:08:04This is amazing.
01:08:09Oh, my God.
01:08:10Who are you calling?
01:08:12Everybody.
01:08:13But isn't it, it's two.
01:08:14I have the best news.
01:08:17Early.
01:08:18I'm going to be your dad.
01:08:36They are 100% on board for a series.
01:08:43Cameras are following you,
01:08:44follow us throughout the whole pregnancy,
01:08:47crib buying,
01:08:48doing the baby's room,
01:08:50doctor's visits.
01:08:53I don't know.
01:08:54Hey,
01:08:55I never want you to have to worry about money.
01:08:57That's my job.
01:08:58But
01:08:59we need this.
01:09:01Now,
01:09:01the only thing you have to do
01:09:04is get excited.
01:09:06because we get to share our miracle
01:09:10with the whole world.
01:09:13Mm-hmm.
01:09:27Ah,
01:09:28you're just.
01:09:29You're welcome.
01:09:32I'm going to be nice.
01:09:34Bye-bye.
01:09:35I hope you want to be a favorite thing.
01:09:35I hope you can get out.
01:09:35Bye-bye.
01:09:36Bye-bye.
01:09:40Bye-bye.
01:09:53The TV show.
01:09:56What are we going to do?
01:10:17Hey.
01:10:18Yeah, we're leaving the house right now.
01:10:20I texted you the address.
01:10:23Uh, 15 minutes, give or take.
01:10:28Yeah, no, no, no. We'll be at the baby store in about an hour.
01:10:32I can see you then.
01:10:34To the outside world, I pretended I was still pregnant.
01:10:38We had a paparazzi agency contract for a set number of photo ops.
01:10:43And I wasn't ready to tell the world the truth.
01:10:47I was too broken for another round of public judgment and blame.
01:10:52I felt like a part of me had died.
01:10:56Hey, guys.
01:11:01Eventually, we had no choice but to tell the truth.
01:11:23Now what?
01:11:28By then, I'd added all kinds of pills to my usual routine.
01:11:33Whatever I could get my hands on, I hoped it would numb everything.
01:11:46No, get out. Get out. Get out. Get out. Get out.
01:12:05When we lost the reality show, we lost our house, too.
01:12:09The life I'd been promised felt more like a fantasy.
01:12:13So, uh, what do you think so far?
01:12:17Finally, all our dreams are coming true, honey.
01:12:20Look, this is all that we could afford.
01:12:23What do you want me to do?
01:12:25How about anything?
01:12:28Look.
01:12:32If it wasn't for me, you would be living off of food stamps.
01:12:36You have, you have no clue how much I do for you.
01:12:41I gave up everything for you.
01:12:46Oh.
01:12:47If I'm so awful.
01:12:49If I'm so awful, why don't you hit me?
01:12:52Look at me.
01:12:56Hit me, Stargirl.
01:12:58Hit me!
01:12:59Hit me!
01:13:06Hit me!
01:13:34The thing about hitting rock bottom
01:13:37is that you don't always know you're there but I knew I hadn't talked to my
01:13:43dad in a long time he was on an endless list of people I didn't think I could
01:13:48go to for help I decided to call him if he answered I'd tell him everything but
01:13:56if he didn't answer I'd do what I'd already been thinking about doing for
01:14:15years
01:14:16the other thing about hitting rock bottom is that you realize you have nothing
01:14:24else left to lose what the hell did you do
01:14:34I want a divorce
01:14:46what is this
01:14:52a no-divorce-divorce
01:14:54I'll let you go
01:14:57but no one needs to know so we can still keep making money as a couple look
01:15:04celebrities do this all the time like it or not your career depends on me my
01:15:10career depends on you I got plenty of offers when we separate not as many as
01:15:14when we're together you got more when you're with me part of me was still that
01:15:21sixteen-year-old girl part of me was still afraid of him
01:15:41I signed to get out the door
01:16:04this is gonna be good it's gonna be good you gotta believe me this will be good this is gonna
01:16:08work here you don't see
01:16:11it'll be good
01:16:19finally alone for the first time in my life no Doug no cameras no chaos and I
01:16:28knew that if I was ever going to take my life back it had to start with getting
01:16:44clean
01:16:48Courtney let me walk you through
01:16:55somewhere in the quiet of rehab I realized that if I wanted to truly heal I had to start with
01:17:02mending my
01:17:02broken relationships in the broken relationships in my life
01:17:18no no definitely not no
01:17:26thank you for coming
01:17:29yeah of course yeah
01:17:38honey I gotta say something to you okay I gotta get it off my chest
01:17:44I'm sorry for everything that happened I should have followed my gut and and stopped all this day one
01:17:54even before there was anything to stop
01:17:58but yeah
01:17:59could
01:17:59God does my witness
01:18:00I did try to make it right I did I talked to lawyers I spend thousands of dollars on bills
01:18:07just to find out that
01:18:11There's no damn thing I could do.
01:18:12The marriage was legal and binding.
01:18:18But I promise you I tried.
01:18:20Daddy, it's okay.
01:18:23It's not okay.
01:18:26It's not okay.
01:18:28I had one job.
01:18:30One job.
01:18:32That was to keep you safe until you were an adult.
01:18:35And you sure the hell wasn't that back then.
01:18:41So, I'm sorry.
01:18:47I'm sorry.
01:18:51And I always will be.
01:19:01My gosh.
01:19:04A couple hours in L.A., look what it turned me into.
01:19:10Come on.
01:19:12Go for a walk.
01:19:16Yeah, I'd like that.
01:19:17Yeah.
01:19:18Come on.
01:19:20Come on.
01:19:23I love you.
01:19:24I love you, too.
01:19:40So, how has this last week been for you?
01:19:42Good.
01:19:43I think it feels strange to say, usually I say that and don't mean it, but right now, today, I
01:19:55actually feel good.
01:19:57I mean, I can't promise anything about tomorrow, though, so.
01:20:02Nobody can.
01:20:06I got my first credit card.
01:20:09That's something.
01:20:10It's silly, I know.
01:20:13I mean, when you haven't felt in control of your own life, I mean, that's a big deal.
01:20:19I don't think that I was ever the Courtney they needed me to be.
01:20:25Who's they?
01:20:28My mom, my dad, Doug, the media, anybody who ever picked up a tabloid at the grocery checkout or clicked
01:20:42on a meme with my face on it.
01:20:45I mean, that Courtney wasn't real.
01:20:53So, who is the real Courtney?
01:20:58Is it weird that I'm kind of having fun figuring that out?
01:21:06It's like taking a road trip from New York to L.A.
01:21:12You know, you know where you're starting and you know where you want to end up, but it should be
01:21:19a direct line, but sometimes you find yourself back at the start.
01:21:25Or, or, you end up in the middle of nowhere and everybody's asking, what's taking you so long?
01:21:37And what do you say to them when they ask?
01:21:43Nothing.
01:21:46Being in the middle of nowhere is a part of the journey.
01:21:53As long as I know that, that's enough.
01:22:12Thank you for doing this.
01:22:17You're welcome, baby.
01:22:21You look happy.
01:22:23I am.
01:22:25You're not just saying that.
01:22:27I don't do that anymore.
01:22:35That's all I ever wanted.
01:22:37It's for you to be happy.
01:22:43It came from the right place.
01:22:45But it was the wrong thing.
01:22:50I'm sorry.
01:22:54I'm so, so, so.
01:22:55I know.
01:22:56I know.
01:23:14God, bless this food before us, the family beside us, and the love between us.
01:23:24Amen.
01:23:33I was 25 years old when I finally got a real divorce from Doug after nearly a decade of marriage.
01:23:40No more child bride.
01:23:42No more crazy costumes or charades.
01:23:45No more carrying Doug or carrying anyone.
01:23:50I am the product of my parents, their love for me, their fears for me, their dreams, and their mistakes.
01:24:02Aren't we all?
01:24:04We're holding on to hope for better days.
01:24:08Wondering when I'll see my wings coming.
01:24:13They're coming in.
01:24:14We get our son on and go.
01:24:16Do it.
01:24:16Bring coffee bear.
01:24:17Coffee bear.
01:24:18Cause I know I'm worthy of love.
01:24:25And I know I'm beautiful enough.
01:24:34They will spend the rest of their lives apologizing for what I've already forgiven them for.
01:24:40I'm still working on forgiving myself.
01:24:43Why is that always the hardest part?
01:24:47I'm not anybody's star girl.
01:24:49I'm not anybody's angel.
01:24:51And I don't need protecting.
01:24:53I protect myself.
01:24:55I am Courtney Stodden.
01:24:57And I've got work to do.
01:24:59They can't keep me down.
01:25:03I will rise above them now.
01:25:10Dear Courtney, I hope you can help me.
01:25:13I read about your story and I'm worried about what's happening to my 14-year-old daughter,
01:25:18the owner of the music studio she once attended.
01:25:21Dear Courtney, my 12-year-old niece is being groomed by a much older man she read online.
01:25:28Dear Courtney, I saw your story for almost a year.
01:25:37My little sister.
01:25:40My daughter.
01:25:42My daughter.
01:25:53My daughter.
01:25:56My daughter.
01:26:08I'm a butterfly
01:26:16I'm a butterfly
01:27:02I'm a butterfly
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