Since being brought into the public eye in 1998, Monica Lewinksy has reinvented herself a couple times. When America first learned her name, as the woman who Bill Clinton had an “inappropriate relationship,” she became the unwilling figurehead of political misconduct and abuses of power. She attempted to turn her scandal celebrity into a marketing tool for the next few years, with her own line of handbags and a stint as a Jenny Craig model.
Then in 2005, Lewinksy tired of the inescapable public eye, and moved to London to study social psychology. It was almost a decade later when she reacknowledged the Clinton scandal. In 2014, she  wrote an essay for Vanity Fair about the affair, and later that year started speaking against cyberbullying. Since then she’s continued to raise awareness of online harassment.
Monica Lewinsky and Bill Clinton
In 1995, at age 22, Monica Lewinsky graduated from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, with a BA in psychology. That summer, she was hired for an unpaid summer internship in the office of the White House Chief of Staff, so she moved to Washington, D.C. That December, Lewinksy moved to a paid position at the White House Office of Legislative Affairs.
- Monica Lewinksy as a White House intern
Between November 1995 and March 1997, Monica Lewinsky had multiple sexual encounters with then-President Bill Clinton. She was transferred to The Pentagon because her superiors were uncomfortable with her closeness to the President in April 1996, though at that point it wasn’t known he was having an affair with her. In September 1997, Monica Lewinksy’s coworker began recording phone calls when Lewinksy was talking about her affair.
Eventually, those tapes would make there way to a lawyer looking into the Clintons for possible real estate fraud. In January 1998, news of the Clinton-Lewinsky relationship went public, and on January 26, Bill Clinton said, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman.”
There were various confusions related to the nature of their relationship, mostly rising from Clinton’s limited use of the phrase “sexual relationship” and pedantry related to verb tense. After Bill Clinton was impeached, subsequent hearings acquitted him on charges of obstruction of justice and perjury, effectively putting an end to the matter.
Lewinsky After The Scandal
Because of the immunity agreement Monica Lewinksy took in exchange for her testimony, she was limited on what aspects of the affair with Clinton she could discuss. However, she was able to cooperate with the writer of Monica’s Story, a biography about her published in March 1999. Also in March, Lewinsky was interviewed by Barbara Walters for ABC’s 20/20. She also appeared as herself in two Saturday Night Live sketches on May 8, 1999. Later that year, Ms. Magazine published a series of articles discussing whether the Lewinsky scandal, specifically Monica Lewinsky’s behavior, had any meaning or impact for feminism.
After learning to knit due to the stress of the media attention and legal investigation around the scandal, Lewinsky began selling handbags bearing her name. She designed the totes, which were sold in New York and London.
Early in 2000, Lewinksy also began appearing in TV commercials to promote the diet company Jenny Craig. However, there was immediate controversy about using her as a spokesperson, and the company ended her contract early, paying her under a third of what she had been scheduled to earn.
When the terms of the immunity agreement governing her speech expired, Monica Lewinsky appeared in an HBO special, “Monica in Black and White,” as part of the America Undercover series. The special aired first in March 2002. In 2003, Lewinsky was briefly cast as the host of reality dating show Mr. Personality, however ratings fell amid controversy over her capitalizing on her fame. Also in 2003, Lewinksy appeared on The View and Jimmy Kimmel Live!
When Bill Clinton published his autobiography My Life in 2004, Lewinsky did an interview with the UK tabloid Daily Mail. In it, she criticized Clinton for not acknowledging that the interest in a sexual relation was mutual. Then, in 2005, she moved to London, desperate to escape the negative press.
Monica Lewinksy’s Recent Activism
While in London, Monica Lewinsky studied social psychology at the London School of Economics. In December 2006, she graduated with a Master of Science; her thesis had been “In Search of the Impartial Juror: An Exploration of the Third-Person Effect and Pre-Trial Publicity.”
It wasn’t until May 2014 when Monica Lewinsky tried to re-establish her public presence. An essay she wrote titled “Shame and Survival” was published in Vanity Fair, where she continued to maintain the mutual and consensual nature of her relationship with Bill Clinton. The essay was a finalist for the 2015 National Magazine Award. While she acknowledged that Clinton did use his political clout to motivate the relationship, she held herself in equal responsibility for the encounters. In July, she was interviewed for a National Geographic special, The 90s: The Last Great Decade.
- Monica Lewinsky delivering her TED Talk, “The Price of Shame”
In October 2014, Lewinsky, having contributed all she could to the narrative around her own life, refocused her efforts against cyberbullying, a highly prevalent form of public shaming. She spoke about the Internet backlash against her for Forbes’ “30 Under 30” Summit, and in March 2015 delivered a TED talk calling for a more compassionate Internet.
That June, she was appointed the ambassador and strategic advisor for Bystander Revolution, an anti-bullying organization, and gave a speech at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
While some have referred to this as an attempt at “reinventing” herself, Lewinsky’s TED Talk makes it clear this is simply who she is without the deluge of negative press. Public response to her transition, whether it’s a reinvention or simply an honesty that wasn’t allowed fifteeen years ago, has been overwhelmingly positive. Writers who criticized her have stated they feel guilty for how they treated the situation.
So it seemed as though Lewinsky was finally going to find a way to capitalize on the affair, not just to her own benefit, but to the benefit of anyone affected by online harassment.
What’s Monica Lewinsky Doing Now in 2024 – Recent Updates
In 2019, Lewinsky was interviewed on the late-night show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, where they talked about her situation and how it may have been different if social media existed in the late 90s.
That same year, it was announced that the scandal surrounding her and Clinton would be the focus of the third season of American Crime Story, which Lewinsky herself will also be co-producing. The season, which is based on the book A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal, premiered on September 7, 2021, on FX. In the series, Lewinsky is portrayed by Beanie Feldstein and Clinton is portrayed by Clive Owen.
Lewinsky also made guest appearances in 15 Minutes of Shame, GMA3: What You Need to Know, Anderson Cooper 360, and All Against Abuse Gala.
Not much, however, is known about her personal life, other than the fact that she is currently dating. And according to a recent interview, she feels no pressure to marry; she also stated that she has a strong support system consisting of family and friends. For one thing, her mother, Marcia, remains a central figure in her life.
For those who’d like to know what she’s up to, you can follow Lewinsky on social media. She tweets regularly on Twitter (@MonicaLewinsky) where she has over 1.1 million followers.
What I find most disgusting is that Bill-Clinton-the-serial-groper never found the courage to act like a man: to stand up and say, “Things happen. I will not now, nor ever, go into the particulars, but I will say that as the most powerful man on the planet I took advantage of a starstruck young girl, and I now take full responsibility. In no way is what took place a poor reflection on Miss Lewinsky. The blame is mine alone.” Period, end.
Then his wife should have behaved with dignity and refused to discuss the personal details in any way, (although the less-generous side of me thinks it would have been gratifying to see her slap him across the mouth on national television, but she didn’t even have the integrity to do that.)
Neither William Jefferson Clinton nor Hillary Ramrod Clinton admitted any responsibility. Instead, these Ozark grifters ginned up their slander machine to destroy a 22-year-old girl. A girl. Of course, the -stained blue dress subsequently truncated their efforts, but the fact is that in the decades after, they have prospered while she has struggled. Now Hillary Clinton – the power-crazed, foul-mouthed, completely-unprincipled, elitist, Hillary Clinton – wants to be president herself.
Where, my friends, is the public outrage? I surely don’t see any.
Monica, at 22, is an adult, and by her own admission, sought the relationship. Hillary as a woman who stood by her man despite his adultery obviously resonates with many other women who have experienced the same thing. Hillary also promotes “shaming” as a political weapon, especially against those who despise mahomet the false prophet and islamism. She is at the heart of spreading misinformation about an ideology that now has merged with marxism, the enemy of the free world.
Monica Lewinski at 22 years old CHOSE to have an affair with a married man…..who was the President of the United States at that. What did she think the outcome would be? Should the wife who is humiliated and shamed in front of millions of Americans SUPPORT her? I do not blame Hillary Clinton for any harmful thing she may have said about the woman who caused her and her daughter such public despair. 2 People were at fault here. Bill Clinton AND Monica Lewinski. I knew at 22 years old the rights and wrongs of decency and not to be involved with another woman’s husband. I’m in no way excusing the behavior of Bill Clinton, but be real in calling any of these women victims. Every one of them was looking to gain something.
“a 22 year old GIRL” ???? since when a 22 year-old is a GIRL??? SMH
I agree completely. I will add that BC’s response is the status quo of how our society instills responding to allegations by dishonest denial for fear of consequences.
This will be the next evolutionary challenge of our culture; for the sake of our children and their own views of culpability, I look forward to honesty displacing lying and courage overcoming shame and guilt (not excluding me🙂).
Not to mention the shaming of legal sex, a very personal right of everyone, and only the business of the parties directly involved. But sticking our noses into the private affairs of other’s is how we roll, another example of the human condition.
Why beat up on Lewinsky? The affair was obviously consensual. This is the old double standard at work. The man is chastised (wink,wink), but the woman bears the bulk of the contempt. Let’s move on.
“…would make there [sic] way…”?? Are you a journalist?
Monica Lewinsky’s reinvented herself looks amazing!!! Good for her. I think its best for her to stay away from politics and live her life as a private citizen. Any further public appearances relating to what’s happening now in politics would simply drag her under the bus.
i see a very decent and respectable woman in Monica Lewinsky? Cant say the same about either Bill Clinton or Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump who have proved to be in the denial mode always. There is no doubt that the affair was consensual. Double standards adopted by the rich come to the fore in this case also, with male chauvinism at its worst. All the best, Monica, you are a winner all the way!
Regardless of anyone’s opinion that Monica is equally complicit, because she certainly is, the President of the United States MUST be held to the HIGHEST standards. And I’d say the same thing not matter what party or person.
I wish Monica (because she’s definitely recognizable) would have been in the front row at one of the debates as a reminder.
She shore has a purdy mouth! 🙂
Yeah, she actually though Clinton was going to leave his wife for her. Then she tried to blackmail him. Then she blabbed about it. Boo hoo, she’s such a victim.
Did you dream up this bull all on your own or did you get it from the HRC Slander sheet? Blackmail? Blabbed? What an absolute prick of a man you are!!! The most powerful man in the World at the time took advantage of a awe-struck young female intern!! End of story!!
Dear Morgan,
You need to do some editing. There’s an error in the following sentence:
“After Bill Clinton was impeached, subsequent hearings acquitted him on charges of obstruction of justice and perjury, effectively putting an end to the matter.”
The Republican controlled House voted in favor of impeachment, but the Senate acquitted him. So, it’s incorrect to say Clinton was impeached. Impeachment is a process that thankfully the House does not control.
No, Bill Clinton was in fact impeached. The House is solely responsible for impeachment, which serves as an indictment. Once impeached (indicted), it then goes to the Senate where the impeached person (president, judge, etc) is tried. If convicted in the Senate, the person may be removed from office.
You can be impeached without being convicted. Semantics, I know. But I thought you should know.
Consensual sex is common in USA and some other countries. What brought defame to the President Clinton was his denial of the said affair which he had with Monica. I think, in American law, a president is not supposed to go for adultery or tell the lie. Both these things damaged the reputation of Clinton. He sought apology, otherwise, he would have been deposed by the Congress. The incident on one hand if damaged the reputation of the president, it also brought name and fame to Monica on the other hand. She became the limelight. Everyone recognized her and her beauty. Acquiring of master degree from London School of Economic is also the result of this incident. There is always a glamour of light in the worst of misfortune. Bill Clinton is now an old man. Monica is still young. She should now go for marriage sooner than later. Thanks.