the age of consent in the state was 14 at the time. he met her in a night club, and didn't know she was underage. the other woman in the video was 23 and they both consented to it being recorded. taping it wasn't legal, but the sex was, hence why he wasn't charged with a crime.

also, he says its 'the best thing that ever happened to him' because the fallout made him decide to get sober and that led to him meeting his wife and being married for the past 32 years, not because it gave him a boost in popularity or something.