Monica Samille Lewinsky is an American activist who gained international notoriety in the late 1990s when U.S. President Bill Clinton admitted to having an affair with her while she was a White House intern from 1995 to 1997. This affair, and the subsequent political fallout, became widely known as the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal.
July 23, 1973: Birth of Monica Lewinsky
Monica Samille Lewinsky was born on July 23, 1973, in San Francisco, California. She would later become an American activist.
1988: Parents' Divorce
In 1988, Monica Lewinsky's parents divorced. Both parents later remarried.
1991: High School Graduation
Monica Lewinsky graduated from Bel Air Prep (later known as Pacific High School) in 1991 after initially attending Beverly Hills High School for three years.
1992: Affair with High School Instructor
In 1992, Monica Lewinsky began a five-year affair with Andy Bleiler, her married former high school drama instructor.
1993: Enrolled at Lewis & Clark College
In 1993, Monica Lewinsky enrolled at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, where she pursued a bachelor's degree in psychology.
July 1995: Started White House Internship
In July 1995, Monica Lewinsky started an unpaid summer internship at the White House in the office of White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta.
November 1995: Start of Clinton Affair
In November 1995, Monica Lewinsky began a series of nine sexual encounters with President Bill Clinton in the Oval Office.
December 1995: Transition to Paid White House Position
In December 1995, Monica Lewinsky transitioned to a paid position in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs.
1995: White House Internship
In 1995, Monica Lewinsky began an unpaid summer internship at the White House in the office of Chief of Staff Leon Panetta. This position later transitioned to a paid role in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs.
1995: Graduation from Lewis & Clark College
In 1995, Monica Lewinsky graduated with a bachelor's degree in psychology from Lewis & Clark College.
April 1996: Transfer to Pentagon
In April 1996, Monica Lewinsky was transferred from the White House to the Pentagon, where she worked as an assistant to chief Pentagon spokesman Kenneth Bacon.
1996: Mother's Book Publication
In 1996, Monica Lewinsky's mother, Marcia Lewis, published a gossip biography titled 'The Private Lives of the Three Tenors.'
March 1997: End of Clinton Affair
In March 1997, the series of nine sexual encounters between Monica Lewinsky and President Bill Clinton came to an end.
September 1997: Linda Tripp's Secret Recordings
In September 1997, Monica Lewinsky's co-worker Linda Tripp began secretly recording their telephone conversations about Lewinsky's relationship with President Clinton.
December 1997: Left Pentagon Position
In December 1997, Monica Lewinsky left her position at the Pentagon.
1997: End of White House Internship
Monica Lewinsky's internship at the White House ended in 1997. During her time there, she was involved in an affair with President Bill Clinton that later led to his impeachment.
January 1998: Denial in Paula Jones Case
In January 1998, Monica Lewinsky submitted an affidavit in the Paula Jones case denying any physical relationship with President Bill Clinton.
January 1998: Affair Becomes Public
In January 1998, news of Monica Lewinsky's affair with President Bill Clinton broke, resulting in widespread media coverage and Lewinsky seeking refuge at her mother's residence.
January 26, 1998: Clinton's Denial Speech
On January 26, 1998, President Bill Clinton publicly denied having sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky in a nationally televised White House news conference.
August 17, 1998: Clinton's Testimony
On August 17, 1998, President Bill Clinton defended his earlier statements about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky by focusing on the present tense and the definition of sexual relations.
1998: Public Spotlight in 1998
In 1998, Monica Lewinsky was thrust into the public spotlight during the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, a period she later described as lacking truth and context, and reducing women involved to serve others' purposes.
March 3, 1999: Barbara Walters Interview
On March 3, 1999, Monica Lewinsky was interviewed by Barbara Walters on ABC's 20/20, which was watched by 70 million Americans, setting a record for a news show.
March 1999: Publication of Monica's Story
In March 1999, Monica Lewinsky's biography, 'Monica's Story,' written with Andrew Morton's assistance, was published, providing her perspective on the Clinton affair.
May 8, 1999: Saturday Night Live Cameo
On May 8, 1999, Monica Lewinsky made a cameo appearance on NBC's Saturday Night Live, participating in two sketches. This appearance was notable as the show had lampooned her relationship with President Clinton over the previous 16 months.
June 1999: Ms. Magazine Articles
In June 1999, Ms. magazine published a series of articles by Susan Jane Gilman, Susie Bright, and Abiola Abrams discussing the implications of Monica Lewinsky's actions for feminism. Lewinsky also declined to sign an autograph in an airport, expressing that she was known for something negative.
September 1999: Launch of Handbag Line
In September 1999, Monica Lewinsky launched a line of handbags under The Real Monica, Inc. The bags, described as 'hippie-ish, reversible totes,' were sold online and in stores in New York, California, and London. Lewinsky frequently traveled to Louisiana to supervise their manufacture.
February 2000: MTV's The Tom Green Show Appearance
In February 2000, Monica Lewinsky appeared on MTV's The Tom Green Show where the host took her to his parents' home in Ottawa in search of fabric for her handbag business. This marked her entry into the Manhattan social scene.
February 2000: Jenny Craig Endorsement
In February 2000, Monica Lewinsky appeared in television commercials for Jenny Craig, Inc. as part of a $1 million endorsement deal. The ads, however, were controversial, leading some franchises to revert to older campaigns. The company ended the ads and her campaign in April 2000, paying her only $300,000.
April 2000: End of Jenny Craig Campaign
In April 2000, Jenny Craig, Inc. concluded its campaign with Monica Lewinsky due to controversy. Although initially a $1 million deal, Lewinsky received only $300,000. The campaign aimed to help her pay legal fees and promote weight loss.
2000: Revelation on Larry King Live
In 2000, Monica Lewinsky revealed during an appearance on Larry King Live that she had started an affair with a 40-year-old married man in Los Angeles when she was 18 years old.
March 2002: HBO Special Appearance
In March 2002, Monica Lewinsky appeared in the HBO special 'Monica in Black and White,' part of the America Undercover series. She answered questions from a studio audience about her life and the Clinton affair.
2003: Host of Mr. Personality
In 2003, Monica Lewinsky hosted the reality television dating program Mr. Personality on Fox, advising young women contestants choosing masked men. Despite attempts to boycott the show, it debuted with high ratings.
2004: Clinton's Autobiography Response
In 2004, Monica Lewinsky responded to the release of Bill Clinton's autobiography, My Life, in an interview with the British tabloid Daily Mail. She maintained that Clinton had lied under oath about their relationship.
2005: Move to London
In 2005, finding it difficult to escape the spotlight in the U.S., Monica Lewinsky moved to London to study social psychology at the London School of Economics. She ceased selling her handbag line.
December 2006: Graduation from LSE
In December 2006, Monica Lewinsky graduated from the London School of Economics with a Master of Science degree in social psychology. Her thesis was titled 'In Search of the Impartial Juror: An Exploration of the Third-Person Effect and Pre-Trial Publicity.'
2006: Earned Master's Degree
In 2006, Monica Lewinsky earned a master's degree in psychology from the London School of Economics.
2009: Correspondence with Ken Gormley
In 2009, Monica Lewinsky corresponded with scholar Ken Gormley for his in-depth study of the Clinton scandals. She maintained that Clinton had lied under oath regarding their relationship.
2013: Auction of Items
In 2013, items associated with Monica Lewinsky that had been turned over to Starr were put up for auction by the ex-wife of Lewinsky's former boyfriend. These items brought renewed media attention to the scandal.
May 2014: Vanity Fair Essay
In May 2014, Monica Lewinsky wrote an essay for Vanity Fair titled 'Shame and Survival,' discussing her life and the Clinton scandal. She maintained that the relationship was consensual but expressed deep regret for what happened. Vanity Fair later announced her as a contributor.
July 2014: National Geographic Interview
In July 2014, Monica Lewinsky was interviewed for a three-part television special on the National Geographic Channel titled 'The 90s: The Last Great Decade.' This marked her first major interview in over ten years.
October 2014: Stand Against Cyberbullying
In October 2014, Monica Lewinsky took a public stand against cyberbullying at a Forbes '30 Under 30' summit, calling herself 'patient zero' of online harassment. She aimed to help other victims of cyberbullying.
2014: Begins Activism Against Cyberbullying
In 2014, Monica Lewinsky started speaking out as an activist against cyberbullying, using her own experiences to highlight the impacts of online harassment.
March 2015: TED Talk on Cyberbullying
In March 2015, Monica Lewinsky delivered a TED talk calling for a more compassionate Internet and speaking out against cyberbullying. This was part of her ongoing efforts to combat online harassment.
June 2015: Advisor for Bystander Revolution
In June 2015, Monica Lewinsky became an ambassador and strategic advisor for the anti-bullying organization Bystander Revolution. She also gave an anti-cyberbullying speech at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
September 2015: Good Morning America Interview
In September 2015, Monica Lewinsky was interviewed by Amy Robach on Good Morning America about Bystander Revolution's Month of Action campaign for National Bullying Prevention Month.
October 2017: Lewinsky Tweets #MeToo Hashtag
In October 2017, Monica Lewinsky tweeted the #MeToo hashtag to indicate that she was a victim of sexual harassment and/or sexual assault, without providing specific details.
October 2017: Foreword to 'Shame Nation'
In October 2017, Monica Lewinsky wrote the foreword to the book 'Shame Nation: The Global Epidemic of Online Hate' by Sue Scheff and Melissa Schorr. The book explores the impact of online harassment.
March 2018: Essay in Vanity Fair
In the March 2018 issue of Vanity Fair, Monica Lewinsky wrote an essay reflecting on her relationship with Bill Clinton, describing it as an 'abuse of power' and revealing her diagnosis with post-traumatic stress disorder.
May 2018: Disinvited from Event
In May 2018, Monica Lewinsky was disinvited from an event hosted by Town & Country when Bill Clinton accepted an invitation to the same event.
September 2018: Walked Off Stage in Jerusalem
In September 2018, Monica Lewinsky spoke at a conference in Jerusalem and walked off the stage during a Q&A session after being asked if Clinton owed her a private apology, a question she had previously deemed off-limits.
August 6, 2019: Announcement of American Crime Story Season on Clinton-Lewinsky Scandal
On August 6, 2019, it was announced that the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal would be the focus of the third season of the television series American Crime Story, titled Impeachment. Monica Lewinsky served as a co-producer.
2019: Interview with John Oliver & Alt Ending Productions
In 2019, Monica Lewinsky was interviewed by John Oliver on his HBO show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, discussing public shaming. She also started Alt Ending Productions with a first look deal at 20th Television.
October 2020: Production of American Crime Story Season Begins
In October 2020, production began for the third season of American Crime Story, focusing on the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, with Monica Lewinsky serving as a co-producer.
September 7, 2021: Premiere of American Crime Story Season on Clinton-Lewinsky Scandal
On September 7, 2021, the third season of the television series American Crime Story, focusing on the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, premiered with Monica Lewinsky as a co-producer.