Jennifer Coolidge is setting the record straight about one of her most memorable offscreen punchlines. The actress, beloved for her roles in Legally Blonde, American Pie, and more recently The White Lotus, once made waves after joking that her performance as Stifler’s mom in the 1999 teen comedy brought her a shocking level of romantic attention.
At the time, she claimed she “got a lot of sexual action from American Pie,” even quipping that it added up to “200 people I would never have slept with!”
That throwaway line, though delivered with her signature wit, quickly took on a life of its own. Fans and tabloids alike latched onto the remark, turning it into a kind of mythos around Coolidge’s Hollywood career. While the actor never expected the joke to spiral the way it did, she’s now taking the opportunity to clarify what really happened.
The chance came during a recent Entertainment Weekly interview, where Ariana Grande (herself famous for a spot-on Coolidge impersonation) couldn’t resist bringing it up. Playfully channeling her inner journalist, Grande asked: “Do you remember the best [partner] you got from playing Stifler’s mom? Do you keep in touch?” The question was meant to make Coolidge laugh, but instead it opened the door for her to deliver a candid response.
“I’m glad you asked this,” Coolidge said, jumping in with her trademark mix of honesty and humor. “Because you see, I did say that jokingly in a previous interview and, God, you really can’t make jokes in our town. I made the terrible mistake of saying, ‘Thank God for that movie, I got to sleep with 200 men,’ or whatever. And look, I would love to say that was true, but it was sort of an exaggeration, so I’m glad you’re asking me.”
While she debunked the infamous “200 men” comment, Coolidge admitted that her role in American Pie did expand her dating pool in surprising ways. Suddenly she was meeting people she might not have otherwise crossed paths with, including younger men who were, as she emphasized, “all very legal.”
One particular fling stood out because of an awkward (and now hilarious) detail. “This one guy was particularly young,” Coolidge recalled. “It was funny because the one moment was a little bit awkward… he had to call his mom to find out where I could get my hair done.” She laughed at the memory, noting that the conversation unfolded while it was clear the two of them were in bed together.
Grande, clearly entertained but also protective, reminded Coolidge she didn’t need to share every intimate detail since “this is Entertainment Weekly.” Still, the pop star admitted she would’ve been thrilled to be on the other end of that phone call. “I would’ve been like, ‘Wow. Hello. What an honor to meet you!’” Grande joked.
Coolidge, never missing a beat, closed the story with another laugh. “Well, she gave me a good recommendation at a local mall, so it all worked out.”
Sometimes, as Coolidge proves again and again, the best stories are the ones that don’t need exaggeration at all.