You might be curious about Monica Lewinsky’s real identity, regardless of whether you have just seen the first episode on FX’s Impeachment American Crime Story, or if you read a few headlines about her.
She’s a multidimensional individual who’s done quite a lot more than what she is most well-known for. This is not an account of the scandal. You can find out more about it by watching the FX program as it unfolds. This is more of a look at her other side, and how the impeachment and investigation shaped it.
Lewinsky worked for the Pentagon and as a White House intern
Lewinsky went to Santa Monica College, a community college that is two years long, and then she moved on to Lewis &Clark. She earned her psychology degree at Clark College in Portland, Oregon in 1995. She also got an internship at the White House as an intern under Leon Panetta, then-Chief Of Staff. She was employed in a White House Office of Legislative Affairs paid job by the end of the year. The following year, she began to work at the Pentagon as an assistant to Chief Spokesman Kenneth Bacon. This is a good set of jobs for a young person fresh out of college.
She was forced to look for a new job after the Clinton scandal
Lewinsky did not stay in politics, which is not surprising considering how turbulent her life was. She briefly entered the fashion industry after she rose to infamy in mid-twenties for an affair she had when she was 22.
She started a handbag company in 1999. At the time, she told the New York Times that she had to get out of debt. Imagine this: After a promising start to career, she lost her image on the national stage and ended up in debt. Clinton, however, remained president. She also added insult to injury by initially claiming that he had never been in intimate relationship with her.
Although the bags of The Real Monica Inc. were sold at Henri Bendel in Manhattan and Fred Segal Melrose in West Hollywood, they never went mainstream. She also authorized and received payment for a biography called Monica’s Story. A short-lived Fox dating show called Mr. Personality was hosted by her for a short period of time.
Lewinsky returned to school
Lewinsky did not ask for the spotlight. While she made money off her biography and helped ABC News set a record for ratings with an exclusive Barbara Walters, as well as a cameo on Saturday Night Live, she eventually decided to take some time out of the public eye.
She went to the London School of Economics and received her Masters of Science. After that, she stayed quiet for a while. It makes sense that she had difficulty finding work. Numerous recording artists, including Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne, mention her name in their songs. This kind of association is not good for professional jobs that are low-key.
She was reintroduced as an anti-bullying advocate
Lewinsky made her TED Talk debut in 2015 and was a hit on the global stage. She spoke out about “the price of shame” and explained that she was “patient zero” for bullying and online shaming. The Clinton affair was exposed online at a time internet culture was thriving. She was one of the first viral celebrities whose infamy was sustained and perpetuated on the internet.
She did, however, write an essay in Vanity Fair about her experience with bullying. But it was her speech on TED Talk that made her an anti-bullying advocate. It also launched her career. The TED Talk was held one month after former Secretary of State and First Ladies Hillary Clinton announced her 2016 presidential campaign. Lewinsky was correcting the story about Bill Clinton’s death while other key players were also being scrutinized. This happened at a time of increased scrutiny on online harassment and relationships power dynamics.
Lewinsky is now a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and has stated that she voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016.
These days she’s a producer
Ryan Murphy’s Impeachment, American Crime Story was produced by Lewinsky. She has spoken openly about the experience of seeing her darkest moments on the small screen. Multiple times, she has used the term “surreal” in interviews.
She also said that she gave permission to the show’s creators to depict controversial or disturbing moments, such as when she showed her thong at then-president. This moment, which was featured in Ken Starr’s investigation into Clinton that ultimately led to his impeachment, was left out by Sarah Burgess, but Lewinsky encouraged her to add it back.
The Hollywood Reporter shared that she told earlier this month that she did not feel entitled to “get a pass” because she was a producer for the program. She also stated that it was unfair to the project and the team to have to tell the truth and that she felt she shouldn’t be given a pass.
In 2002, an immunity agreement that barred her sharing any information about the investigation or affair had been canceled. Although there were many stops and starts over the years, Lewinsky — who uses her Twitter account to reframe and advocate for compassionate use of social media–has finally found a way that she can be open about it all.
