Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky

Épisodes

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  Chang-rae Lee 18.08.2026 1h 7min

  Celebrated novelist Chang-rae Lee joins Monica this week on Reclaiming for an insightful conversation about immigration, identity, and the stories we construct to make sense of our lives. Chang-rae opens up about coming to the United States from Seoul at age three and how the loss of his mother at the beginning of his writing career shook his sense of self. He and Monica examine his belief that all immigrant novels are dystopian novels and their shared fascination with the stories that live in the aftermath of life altering events. Together, they move between displacement and belonging, fear and creative freedom, the gravity of history and the reclamation of play—and consider whether taking back your story might also mean refusing to be confined by a single one. Plus, Chang-rae reveals how his new novel, A Tender Age may be his most autobiographical yet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  RERUN: Allison Janney 11.08.2026 57min

  The incomparable Allison Janney is nominated for an Emmy this fall for her role in The Diplomat, so we’re revisiting one of our favorite conversations with her. Allison opens up about the silver-screen legends who shaped her early career—Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman—and how their mentorship changed everything. She reflects on how her breakout role in The West Wing introduced her to Bradley Whitford, who now plays her on-screen husband in The Diplomat, and reveals why political roles are actually a total stretch for her. Allison also shares her journey of self-exploration through ketamine, MDMA, mushrooms, and even astrology—and how those experiences have helped her see herself and the world more clearly. Finally, she reflects on her deep friendship with Matthew Perry and the shared understanding that comes from loving people who carry pain and brilliance in equal measure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Siri Hustvedt 04.08.2026 1h

  Writer, poet, and thinker Siri Hustvedt joins Monica this week on Reclaiming for a profound conversation about the physical reality of grief, the shared self created by long love, and finding language for what remains after someone dies. Siri opens up about losing her husband and creative partner, writer Paul Auster, after 43 years together and how writing her memoir Ghost Stories became an act of survival. She and Monica explore the trope of female hysteria, the misogyny Siri faced as a woman intellectual,  and what it took to stop feeling guilty for being outspoken. Together, they move between the body and the mind, science and mystery, devastating loss and sustaining humor—and consider the ways life asks us to reclaim ourselves over and over again.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Josh Johnson 28.07.2026 1h 12min

  Comedian, writer, and The Daily Show correspondent Josh Johnson joins Monica this week on Reclaiming for a thoughtful conversation about finding connection through humor, embracing what makes us different, and learning to live with the knowledge that nothing is guaranteed. Josh gets real about losing his father at 26 and how it rewired the way he shows up for people, why retiring his mom became his North Star goal, and how the exact traits that once got him labeled the weird kid are now his sharpest weapon on stage. He and Monica dip into grief, politics, comedy, and the wild idea that just saying the uncomfortable thing out loud might be the most powerful move you've got. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Roxane Gay 21.07.2026 1h 5min

  Bestselling author and cultural critic Roxane Gay joins Monica this week on Reclaiming for a deep, candid conversation about the body, feminism, trauma, and the ways power protects itself — in publishing, politics, media, and the stories we tell about survivors. Roxane takes us inside the writing of Hunger, her landmark memoir about sexual violence, survival, and the body she built as a fortress, reflecting on what it means to live with trauma without pretending to be “cured” of it. She offers her sharp analysis of abuses of power — from the media’s handling of the Epstein files to the failures of political institutions to meet moments of moral urgency with courage. Together, Roxane and Monica explore the problem with pedestals, the liberation of learning to say no, and the grace required to embrace our own complicated humanity on our own terms. Plus, Roxane dishes on co-writing her first romance novel with actor Channing Tatum! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Jamie Lynn Sigler 14.07.2026 1h 11min

  Actress, author, and advocate Jamie Lynn Sigler joins Monica this week on Reclaiming for a deeply honest conversation about chronic illness, the burden of secrecy, and the freedom that comes from finally telling the truth. Jamie Lynn reflects on growing up in the public eye as Meadow Soprano on The Sopranos and being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at just 20 years old, as her career was taking off. For 15 years, she kept her MS private, afraid that revealing the truth about her body might cost her work, her identity, and the image of strength she felt compelled to maintain. She opens up about the shame of feeling as though her illness made her “a problem,” and the profound sense of safety she found in James Gandolfini, the one person on set she trusted with her diagnosis. Jamie Lynn also shares how becoming a mother changed everything, ultimately pushing her to stop hiding so her sons would never have to carry her secret for her. Together, she and Monica explore the difference between strength and silence, the healing power of vulnerability, and the philosophy behind Jamie Lynn’s new memoir, And So It Is: A Memoir of Acceptance and Hope. This is a conversation about reclaiming your body, your story, your voice, and the life waiting on the other side of shame. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  RERUN: Miley Cyrus 07.07.2026 1h 10min

  This week on Reclaiming, we're revisiting one of our favorite interview with Miley Cyrus—global icon, shape-shifting performer, and fearlessly candid storyteller. Miley opens up about her earliest days in the spotlight, the complicated legacy of Hannah Montana, and the personal cost of growing up famous. She shares why her latest music feels like medicine, how she’s learned to set boundaries with the public, and the lessons she’s still unlearning about shame, identity, and self-worth. With humor, honesty, and striking insight, Miley opens up about family estrangement and reconciliation, the armor of persona, and why she’s finally starting to feel free in her own skin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Laverne Cox 30.06.2026 48min

  Emmy-winning actress, producer, author, and transgender rights trailblazer Laverne Cox joins Monica this week on Reclaiming for a live taping at the Cascade PBS Ideas Festival in Seattle. With her new memoir, Transcendent, out in the world, Laverne opens up to Monica about what it means to finally tell her story in her own words—from childhood trauma and self-worth to fame, healing, and the complicated cost of visibility. She retraces her path from growing up in Mobile, Alabama, where homophobia taught her early lessons about shame, to finding freedom, community, and creative purpose in New York City. Laverne reflects on how, after nearly 20 years spent struggling as a working actress, Orange Is the New Black changed everything, making her the first openly transgender person nominated for an Emmy in an acting category. Together, she and Monica explore vulnerability, the difference between being seen and being safe, and how Laverne continues to reclaim dignity for trans people everywhere. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Tan France 23.06.2026 1h 12min

  Queer Eye star, fashion entrepreneur and producer Tan France joins Monica this week on Reclaiming for a vulnerable conversation about identity and belonging. Tan retraces his path from growing up as a gay, Pakistani, Muslim kid in England, to building a wildly successful fashion business designing modest clothing for Mormon women in Utah. He takes us back to the accidental Queer Eye audition he never really wanted—one he only attended in the hopes of making gay friends—and how that reluctant yes launched him into global visibility. Tan also shares what it was like to have his coming out accelerated by the show’s premiere, forcing deeply personal conversations with his traditional Muslim family. Together, he and Monica explore the emotional cost of being seen before you feel ready, the power of humor and how Tan has reclaimed fashion, family, and fame on his own terms. Get 15% off OneSkin with the code RECLAIMING at oneskin.co/RECLAIMING#oneskinpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Lena Waithe 16.06.2026 50min

  Emmy-winning actor, writer, and creator Lena Waithe joins Monica on Reclaiming this week for a philosophical conversation about storytelling as a path to empathy and social change. Lena charts her journey from creating groundbreaking television like The Chi, co-writing  Netflix's award winning Master of None and more recently co-producing Cats: The Jellicle Ball on Broadway. She opens up about the profound impact of attending her first silent meditation retreat at 40 and how this daily practice has brought her life into focus. Together, Monica and Lena explore queer representation in the arts, the strange elasticity of time, and the singular magic of theater. Whatever challenges you’re facing, Grow Therapy is here to help. Visit GrowTherapy.com/RECLAIMING to get started! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Gary Vee 09.06.2026 1h 5min

  Serial entrepreneur and digital marketing icon, Gary Vee joins Monica on Reclaiming this week for a candid conversation that pulls back the curtain on his early investments in some of the biggest digital platforms of our time — including Facebook, Twitter, Venmo, and Resy, the wildly popular restaurant reservation app he co-founded. Though often seen as the patron saint of “hustle culture,” Gary reveals the counterintuitive philosophies that actually drive him: kindness as a competitive advantage, patience as the true engine of success, and radical accountability as the antidote to victimhood. Expect a raw, provocative, and surprisingly vulnerable conversation that goes far beyond marketing tactics — offering a masterclass in building a life, not just a business. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Allyson Felix 02.06.2026 57min

  The most decorated American track & field athlete in history, Allyson Felix joins Monica this week on Reclaiming for a conversation about what it takes to turn a moment of rejection into a movement. Allyson retraces her path from a shy, 'head-down' competitor focused solely on winning medals to the powerful advocate who risked everything to challenge a corporate sponsor system that penalized women for becoming mothers. She opens up about the isolating experience of hiding her pregnancy from Nike, negotiating her job security when her pregnancy became public, and the terrifying condition that threatened both her life and her daughter's. Allyson reveals how that confluence of personal crisis and professional injustice ignited her voice, leading her to walk away from a sponsorship, publish her groundbreaking New York Times op-ed, and ultimately build her own footwear company, Saysh, from the ground up. Expect a conversation filled with quiet determination and hard-won wisdom. * Since we taped this episode, Allyson made the exciting announcement that she’ll come out of retirement to compete in the 2028 Olympics is Los Angeles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  John Oliver: RERUN 26.05.2026 1h 15min

  This week on Reclaiming, we’re playing one of our all time interviews with comedian, writer, and host John Oliver— a candid and thoughtful conversation about comedy, shame, and the power of laughter. John and Monica first connected in 2019 when she was interviewed for Last Week Tonight and she shares how that moment ultimately became part of her reclaiming journey. They explore the ethical tightrope of making jokes in a world full of gray areas and how humor can be both a coping tool and a way to call power to account.John shares what really surprised him about interviewing the Dalai Lama and the unexpected way His Holiness threw him off balance. With wit and depth, he and Monica dig into the weight of public shame, the risk of accountability, and why, for John, getting into trouble might just be the point. (And they use the C Word quite a bit!) Get 15% off OneSkin with the code RECLAIMING at oneskin.co/RECLAIMING#oneskinpod #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Rachel Bloom 19.05.2026 58min

  Emmy-winning creator and star of the TV series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Rachel Bloom joins Monica this week on Reclaiming for a revealing conversation about turning your personal trauma into creative expression. Rachel retraces her path from childhood OCD and early career love triangles, to creating Crazy Ex-Girlfriend—a show that brilliantly dismantled romantic-comedy tropes and reclaimed the "crazy" label with a raw, honest portrayal of mental illness. Expect a conversation brimming with intellectual curiosity, radical candor, and a masterclass in how to find the perfect punchline for your deepest pain...plus Rachel dishes on her latest role in The Devil Wears Prada 2. Thanks to Grow Therapy for sponsoring the show! Whatever challenges you’re facing, Grow Therapy is here to help.  Visit GrowTherapy.com/RECLAIMING to get started! 387980 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Jennie Garth 12.05.2026 52min

  Actress, entrepreneur, and 90s icon Jennie Garth joins Monica this week on Reclaiming for a conversation about surviving global fame, reclaiming your purpose, and the profound power of choosing yourself. Jennie retraces her path from a quiet horse ranch in Illinois to the center of a cultural phenomenon as Kelly Taylor on Beverly Hills, 90210. She opens up about the personal cost of that fame—developing crippling anxiety and agoraphobia at the height of her success—and how she has since reclaimed the toxic “rivalry” narrative with and her 90210 female co-stars Jennie reveals how a single line from a 90210 script became the mantra for her second act, and how a pivot at 50 offered a different kind of healing than her acting career ever could. Expect a conversation brimming with surprising vulnerability, hard-won wisdom, and a roadmap for how to reclaim your own story, no matter how the world has tried to write it for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Anna Konkle 05.05.2026 1h 8min

  Emmy-nominated writer, actor, and co-creator of the critically acclaimed series PEN15, Anna Konkle joins Monica this week on Reclaiming for a conversation celebrating how dark humor can get you through almost anything. Anna retraces her path from a chaotic childhood to co-creating PEN15—a show that lets everyone process the tragicomedy of adolescence. She opens up about a five-year estrangement from her father that ended abruptly when she became his sole caregiver in his final months, and about the ways she’s been able to recategorize her mom—from a source of eye-rolling to a source of admiration. Anna reveals why now was the time to explore grief and reconciliation in her debut memoir, The Sane One, and how the solitary act of writing offered a different kind of healing than collaborative television. Expect a conversation brimming with laughter, warmth and tragicomic story swapping between Monica and Anna. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Laura Day 28.04.2026 1h 5min

  Renowned intuitive and bestselling author Laura Day joins Monica this week on Reclaiming for a pragmatic and enlightening conversation about turning trauma into a superpower and reclaiming intuition as a practical tool for living. Laura recounts the harrowing story of her traumatic childhood—caring for her younger siblings amidst profound neglect—and explains how the hyper-vigilance she developed to survive became the foundation for her intuitive gifts. She reveals the 16-year journey to writing her most definitive book, The Prism, and shares why her core philosophy is "proof over belief," a principle that earned her the title "The Psychic of Wall Street.” Listen for a masterclass in how to stop looking backward to heal, why the answers are rarely "inside you," and what it takes to reclaim your future by making one small, targeted change today. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Lena Dunham 21.04.2026 1h 9min

  Writer, director, and creator of the groundbreaking HBO series Girls, Lena Dunham joins Monica this week on Reclaiming for a candid, profoundly self-aware conversation about surviving public scrutiny, turning pain into art, and the radical act of reclaiming your own story. Lena retraces her path from becoming the “voice of a generation” at 24 to enduring a decade of public dissection, and ultimately to consciously building a quieter, more protected life as a writer and director. She reflects on the surreal experience of Girls being re-evaluated by a new generation and reveals why now felt like the right time to write about the physical and emotional costs of fame in her new memoir, Famesick. Along the way, Monica and Lena forge a powerful connection over their shared experience of becoming global symbols of female controversy—having their bodies and sexualities  treated as public property—and the long, difficult work of taking back the pen to write their next chapter. Expect a conversation brimming with unflinching honesty, confrontational humor, and a powerful lesson in what it means to find your voice, lose it under the weight of public opinion, and rebuild it stronger on your own terms. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Emma Grede 14.04.2026 1h 32min

  Business mogul Emma Grede of Good American and SKIMS, joins Monica this week on Reclaiming, for a candid, no-nonsense conversation about building a billion-dollar empire, the myth of work-life balance, and the audacity to define success on your own terms. Emma retraces her path from a working-class childhood in East London and dropping out of fashion school, to becoming the operational force behind some of the world's most successful fashion brands. She reveals how her new book Start With Yourself was created in response to the countless questions she gets from other women about the secret to success. Along the way, Monica and Emma connect on the pressure of public perception, the power of reclaiming ambition from gendered stereotypes, and the hard-won freedom that comes from building a life that is authentically your own, no matter the noise. Expect a conversation brimming with unfiltered advice, tough-love honesty, and a powerful lesson in how to stop asking for permission and start building the life you were meant to live. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Marilyn Minter 07.04.2026 1h 1min

  Feminist artist and activist Marilyn Minter joins Monica this week on Reclaiming for a raw, defiant conversation about dismantling shame, reclaiming the female gaze, and turning public cancellation into a badge of honor. Marilyn retraces her path—from being declared a “traitor to feminism” in the 1980s for her provocative, sex-positive art to becoming one of today’s most revered artistic voices challenging cultural taboos around pleasure, aging, and the female body. In a powerful exchange, Marilyn reveals why she was so determined to paint Monica for her portrait series —which includes Lizzo, Jane Fonda and Padma Lakshimi— and Monica reflects on what it took to finally give up her “portrait virginity” and reclaim her own image through Minter’s fearless work. She shares how surviving public shaming—and getting sober—forged an unapologetic voice that continues to challenge our culture. Expect a conversation brimming with unflinching honesty, defiant humor, and a powerful reclaiming of the feminist spirit. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices