Let's Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa
Episode: Monica Lewinsky: Is Reclaiming her Narrative
Date: December 17, 2025
Guest: Monica Lewinsky
Host: Kelly Ripa
Episode Overview
In this episode, Kelly Ripa welcomes Monica Lewinsky for a candid, multilayered conversation about reclaiming one’s narrative, surviving public trauma, and the realities of living under the intense scrutiny of the media and Internet. Centered on Monica’s new podcast “Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky,” the discussion explores Lewinsky’s evolution from “patient zero of online harassment” into a powerful advocate against online bullying and cultural victim-blaming. The conversation blends personal anecdotes, humor, hard-earned wisdom, and cultural critique, offering listeners a rare, unvarnished look at both Lewinsky’s journey and the broader implications for media and society.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Redefining Monica’s Narrative
- The Burden of a Narrative: Monica discusses the dual burden she carried: presumed to have gone to Washington “with an agenda” while also being dismissed as “stupid” ([00:57], [23:27]). Part of her healing process was “holding on to every textbook I had because I just thought this is some symbolism of I’m not a dumb bimbo.”
- Quote: “This idea of me having gone to Washington with an agenda or that I was stupid, you know, that was something I contended with for a long time.” – Monica Lewinsky [00:57]
- Media Invention and the Real Person: The group reflects on the massive disconnect between Lewinsky’s real self and her public portrayal:
- Quote: “To know her... you realize that the press, the collective, the narrative has gotten everything wrong about a person that they could possibly get wrong.” – Kelly Ripa [03:56]
- Young Women and Scrutiny: Monica and Kelly discuss how young women like Monica or Amanda Knox become “simple villains” in narratives shaped by media sensationalism.
2. Origins & Ambitions of Reclaiming
- Inspiration Behind the Podcast: The title and concept grew from Monica’s personal notes and thoughts on memoir-writing, eventually shifting focus outward to the reclamation stories of others.
- Quote: “The concept of reclaiming actually started for me in my notes app as something... [then] it just started to feel more interesting to actually look outward and have those conversations.” – Monica Lewinsky [07:04]
- Challenges in Podcasting: Lewinsky discusses misjudging how hard podcasting would be, comparing it to being a dinner party guest:
- Quote: “As you know. I mean, it’s just. It’s a very different kind of skill set than just being at a dinner party.” – Monica Lewinsky [09:21]
3. Memorable Guests and Moments on ‘Reclaiming’
- Highlighted interviews include Miley Cyrus, who described her 2013 as Monica’s 1998, and John Oliver, whose conversation veered into taboo language and deathbed wisdom ([10:19]):
- Quote: “Her [Miley’s] saying to me, you know, that her 2013 was my 1998 was just, like, such an incredible conversation lane to go in.” – Monica Lewinsky [10:29]
- Quote: “We ended up, like, talking about the word cunt. And we said... like we said cunt seven times in one minute.” – Monica Lewinsky [11:26]
- Kelly, a frequent text-user of the C-word herself, and Monica reflect on humor and shared catharsis as coping mechanisms.
4. Political Trauma and the Long Tail of 1998
- Election Triggers: Monica admits that certain election cycles or political events, such as government furloughs, can resurface old wounds ([12:04], [14:05]).
- Quote: “It’s sort of the long tail of 1998 and all the people who are connected who are... it’s the draft of fuckery.” – Monica Lewinsky [14:05]
- Intergenerational Perspective: Monica and Kelly discuss the shift in how younger generations view past scandals, propelled by Monica’s 2014 essay:
- Quote: “It was the younger generations’ response to the essay... they were the ones who... insisted on revisiting this story through a more modern lens.” – Monica Lewinsky [16:15]
5. Media Brainwashing & The Birth of 24/7 News
- Monica breaks down how her scandal coincided with the start of 24-hour cable news competition and pre-social-media Internet—creating “a blanketing” effect ([20:53]):
- Quote: “Because it was on the scale that it was with the president, it just blanketed... I think there were 125 articles on this story in just the first 10 days.” – Monica Lewinsky [21:48]
- The legal complexities kept her publicly silent, allowing a damaging, false narrative to harden ([22:26]).
6. Consequences, Sacrifice, and Empathy
- Career and Income: Monica shares that she turned down ~$11 million in offers to maintain self-respect ([28:06]):
- Quote: “I had turned down like $11 million, which was a lot of money for me... I’d sat down at some point and figured out that... I had turned down like $11 million.” – Monica Lewinsky [28:38]
- Tabloid Fodder and Dating: She’s dated “extraordinary men” yet maintains fiercely guarded privacy; trust is hard-won but not lost ([29:28]).
- Quote: “If you’ve broken my trust, it’s pretty hard for me to ever really fully trust with such an open heart again.” – Monica Lewinsky [30:23]
- Resilience: Both Kelly and Monica reflect on the redemptive power of true friendship versus betrayal and how trauma changes decision-making and vigilance ([31:17]).
7. Elastic Definition of ‘Reclaiming’
- The podcast and Monica herself embrace a broad concept of reclaiming—ranging from massive public trauma to minor acts of personal resilience (e.g., regaining composure during LA road rage) ([34:30]):
- Quote: “It’s so interesting to me because it encompasses like, loss and grief and resilience and strategy and perseverance and you haven’t reclaimed until you have that triumph.” – Monica Lewinsky [33:21]
8. Media, Social Media, and Bullying
- Why the Gay Community Rallied: Monica and Kelly discuss how gay men, familiar with bullying, identified strongly with Monica in 1998, rallying to her side ([39:21]).
- Quote: “The gay community was really supportive of me in 98, and I think some of that was because I was experiencing such a public shaming around and connected to sexuality.” – Monica Lewinsky [39:40]
- Misogyny and Social Media: Both women note that their harshest online critics are women; Monica observes how trolls cling to outdated narratives ([41:09]).
- Monica’s Anti-Bullying Advocacy: All proceeds from her Blossoming Camellia candle benefit anti-bullying organizations ([42:18]).
9. Modern Scandals and Would It Be Different Today?
- Monica imagines how her scandal would play out today ([46:47]):
- Upside: There’d be more accountability and ways to showcase her real self via social media.
- Downside: Attention spans are shorter; some biases endure.
- Quote: “For a story to have legs for a year is almost unheard of... But also social media would have shown me, I would have been able to see the quiet support that I had that I didn’t know existed.” – Monica Lewinsky [48:28]-[49:49]
Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments
- On Survival: “She’s a testament to what the human spirit can survive and endure and thrive out of.” – Kelly Ripa [04:59]
- Monica’s Humor: “I consider myself lucky that I am still so open. It would have been very easy to see another path where my heart and everything just closed up for good.” – Monica Lewinsky [30:23]
- Media Brainwashing: “We call it the brainwashing in my family, but it’s like they didn’t go through the brainwashing.” – Monica Lewinsky [16:44]
- Talking Taboo: “As a Catholic, a lot of times... I worry about burning in hell. But I was so steadfast in my feelings about this that I was like, I felt good sending that text.” – Kelly Ripa [11:44]
- Friendship After Betrayal: “So much of my downfall had been because I had chosen the wrong friend. And yet I have such extraordinary friends. I am just really, really lucky in that sense.” – Monica Lewinsky [31:42]
- On Social Media Bullying: “There are changes that need to happen there and I think there needs to be more responsibility, in the same way that if I built a playground, it’s my responsibility to make sure that the kids who come play... are safe.” – Monica Lewinsky [45:14]
- Resilience Defined: “You haven’t reclaimed until you have that triumph.” – Monica Lewinsky [33:21]
Important Timestamps
- 00:57 – Monica on her public image and fighting the “bimbo” narrative
- 07:04 – Origins of the “Reclaiming” podcast
- 10:29 – Monica on memorable podcast guests (Miley Cyrus, John Oliver)
- 14:05 – “The long tail of 1998” and recurring political trauma
- 16:15 – The impact of Lewinsky's 2014 Vanity Fair essay and generational shifts
- 21:48 – Anatomy of the media onslaught in 1998
- 28:38 – The true financial cost of personal integrity
- 30:23 – Trust, privacy, and friendship after public betrayal
- 33:21 – The “elastic” nature of reclaiming
- 39:40 – Why Monica became an icon for the gay community
- 41:09 – Social media trolling and Monica’s response
- 42:18 – Monica’s anti-bullying charity campaign
- 46:47 – Hypothetical: How would the Lewinsky scandal play out today?
- 49:49 – How today’s social media might have offered support during the original scandal
Tone and Language
This episode is intimate, raw, and laced with humor. Monica’s self-awareness and wit are matched by Kelly’s warmth and fierce advocacy. The mood balances empathy, candor, and the occasional snark typical of the host. The show makes space for vulnerability and insight without ever feeling preachy or self-congratulatory.
Conclusion
Through anecdotes, sharp observations, and moments of levity, Lewinsky and Ripa illuminate what it truly means to reclaim one’s narrative—and why that matters far beyond individual trauma. The episode doesn’t just revisit the past; it’s a testament to growth, the enduring power of connection, and the possibility of change, for both people and culture.
Recommended: Download and listen to Monica’s podcast, “Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky,” for more compelling conversations.