Monica Lewinsky Gives Tearful Speech About Falling 'In Love' With Bill Clinton And Being Shamed Online
Former White House intern Monica Lewinsky gave an emotional speech about her role in one of the world's most infamous sex scandals at the Forbes Under 30 Summit in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Monday. According to multiple tweets from audience members, Lewinsky began by saying she fell "in love" with President Bill Clinton and their affair was her "everything."
The main theme of Lewinsky's speech was public humiliation and privacy in the age of the internet. Multiple attendees say Lewinksy teared up as she discussed her "shame." She described herself as the first person to be the center of negative attention in the modern digital media cycle.
"Overnight I went from being a completely private figure, to a publicly humiliated one. I was patient zero," Lewinsky said.
She also reportedly discussed celebrity nude photo hacking and said the recent theft of private photos from several famous actresses shows, "anyone can be next."
Lewinsky spent years out of the spotlight following the scandal that erupted after her affair with Clinton. However, she has recently begun a return to public life. Prior to taking the stage at the Forbes Summit, Lewinsky launched her Twitter account. In July, she began contributing to Vanity Fair where she has also made online "shaming" a focus of her work.
Forbes has posted a recap of the speech here. You can also read some quotes and reviews from Lewinsky's remarks below.
"My name is Monica Lewinsky--though I've often been advised to change it." #Under30Summit pic.twitter.com/7wjI5aKmc6
- Kathryn Dill (@KathrynDill) October 20, 2014
"16 years ago, fresh out of college...I fell in love with my boss." -@monicalewinsky explaining her bio to the kidz. #Under30Summit
- Jeff Bercovici (@jeffbercovici) October 20, 2014
"I was Patient Zero, the 1st person to have their reputation completely destroyed by the internet." @monicalewinsky #Under30Summit
- Jeff Bercovici (@jeffbercovici) October 20, 2014
.@monicalewinsky fighting tears telling her story at #under30summit. Turns out the butt of all those late-night monologues is a human person
- Jeff Bercovici (@jeffbercovici) October 20, 2014
"I lost my public self, or had it stolen...In a way, it was a form of identity theft." -@monicalewinsky #Under30Summit
- Jeff Bercovici (@jeffbercovici) October 20, 2014
"What does it really feel like to see yourself, your name and your likeness, ripped apart on the internet?" @MonicaLewinsky #Under30Summit
- Samantha Sharf (@samsharf) October 20, 2014
"It feels like a punch in the gut... Hard & sharp in the gut...that was every day of 1998... I was shattered" @MonicaLewinsky #Under30Summit
- Shaila Ittycheria (@Shaila) October 20, 2014
"i want to die" - @MonicaLewinsky, recounting the early scandal days. #Under30Summit #whoa
- Meghan Christensen (@megchristensen) October 20, 2014
@MonicaLewinsky "There are no borders to online humiliation, it feels like the world is laughing at you." #Under30Summit
- Dani bicknell (@Danibee415) October 20, 2014
"There's no way to wrap your head around when it will end." - @MonicaLewinsky on online v. offline humiliation. #Under30Summit
- Liyan Chen (@chen_liyan) October 20, 2014
"I couldn't ever imagine showing my face in public ever again. I cringed. I sobbed. I yelled." @monicalewinsky #Under30Summit
- Abe Brown (@abebrown716) October 20, 2014
.@monicalewinsky's mother was devastated by Tyler Clementi's suicide. "She was back in 1998...when she might've lost me." #under30summit
- Jeff Bercovici (@jeffbercovici) October 20, 2014
"Online we have a compassion deficit" ~ Monica Lewinsky #Under30Summit @ForbesUnder30
- Tala Hadavi (@talahadavi) October 20, 2014
"There are those who say to me, 'Monica, why don't you shut up?' They will say it today. They never shut up." -@monicalewinky #under30summit
- Jeff Bercovici (@jeffbercovici) October 20, 2014
.@MonicaLewinsky "reputation is part of who you are socially and professionally." #Under30Summit pic.twitter.com/DNTvOzV6uE
- Melony Roy (@MelonyRoy) October 20, 2014
This post was updated with additional links at 11:35 a.m.
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