Monica Lewinsky says the fallout from the Clinton scandal still shadows her life nearly three decades later — not as a headline, but as a lingering fear she can’t fully shake.
In an emotional conversation with actress and activist Jameela Jamil on Lewinsky’s podcast, Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky, the former White House intern described how the public shaming that followed the late-1990s scandal continues to affect her sense of safety and stability. (Fox News)
“It’s making me emotional…”
Jamil asked Lewinsky how she’s doing now after years of having her identity, appearance, and personal life scrutinized on a global scale — and noted that, unlike today, Lewinsky had virtually no way to respond publicly when the story exploded. (Fox News)
Lewinsky agreed that the world has changed, but said the fear never completely left.
“Yes. But I don’t always … I still live in a lot of fear,” she said, explaining that she sometimes feels as if everything she rebuilt could vanish again. As she spoke, she became visibly emotional, describing a persistent anxiety that “everything I’ve built” could be “taken away again,” leaving her without purpose or income. (Fox News)
Healing — but not forgetting
Lewinsky also said she’s grown more comfortable with herself over time, describing moments where she feels she has been able to “shed” layers of trauma from earlier years — especially as she’s learned to show up more authentically and receive acceptance in return. (Fox News)
But she acknowledged that living through “what was” remains difficult, and the psychological impact of mass public shaming can be lasting. Jamil, who has spoken publicly about her own experiences with online pile-ons, emphasized that the intensity can be life-threatening — a point Lewinsky echoed as she referenced how dark that era became for her. (Fox News)
Reclaiming the narrative
The conversation reflects the larger purpose of Lewinsky’s recent public work: using her platform to reframe her story on her own terms, and to speak about shame, power, and the long-term consequences of public humiliation. (Hindustan Times)
