Former White House intern Monica Lewinsky recently appeared on Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” podcast where she opened up about being one of Jay Leno’s top targets during his tenure as host of “The Tonight Show.” Lewinsky revealed that a study conducted after Leno’s retirement showed she was among his top 10 targets, and notably the only non-public figure on the list.
“What’s worse, Monica pointed out she was the only non-public figure on the list, making it clear that being the punchline of Leno’s jokes, broadcast to the nation, was a whole new level of cruelty for her,” she explained during the podcast interview.
Lewinsky, who became a household name in the late 1990s following the revelation of her affair with then-President Bill Clinton, spoke candidly about how the scandal and subsequent media attention upended her life. Lewinsky was just 22 years old when the affair began in 1995, while Clinton was 49 and holding the most powerful position in the country.
“The men (late night hosts) told a lot of jokes, right?” Lewinsky stated, highlighting how male comedians across late-night television turned her into a punchline.
Sources close to Leno have responded to Lewinsky’s claims, saying the comedian did not specifically target her personally but rather she was “an easy punchline” and considered “fair game” because she was frequently in the news during that period. These sources also noted that making jokes about Lewinsky was common practice among all male late-night hosts at the time, suggesting it was part of the competitive nature of late-night television.
Leno’s representatives have expressed that while he understands why Lewinsky might be upset about the jokes, he has not mentioned her name in approximately 30 years and would not make similar jokes today. They added that Leno was surprised this issue was still being raised, particularly given Lewinsky’s subsequent success in her advocacy work.
According to these sources, Leno felt he couldn’t apologize or be sincere about the jokes at the time because that was simply the nature of late-night comedy during that era – hosts were expected to joke about whatever was dominating the news cycle.
Despite the explanation from Leno’s camp, Lewinsky has maintained that the impact of being singled out on national television night after night contributed significantly to her difficulties following the scandal. The public ridicule made it challenging for her to rebuild her life and career, with many doors closed to her professionally because of her notorious and graphic public image.
Lewinsky has shared that she was not allowed to interview for certain jobs after the scandal because potential employers feared losing funding or facing backlash if they hired her, particularly as Hillary Clinton was considering running for office. This professional ostracism lasted for nearly a decade, with Lewinsky realizing “how much I had lost” as a result of the affair and subsequent public humiliation.
Now 51 years old, Lewinsky has transformed her painful experience into advocacy work against cyberbullying and public shaming. She has delivered TED talks on the subject and produced documentaries exploring the impact of public humiliation, positioning herself as a voice for those who have faced similar experiences in the digital age.
The exchange between Lewinsky and Leno through the media highlights changing cultural attitudes toward public shaming and comedy. What was once considered acceptable fodder for late-night comedy is now being reassessed through a more nuanced understanding of power dynamics and the real-world consequences of public humiliation.
Leno reportedly holds no ill will toward Lewinsky and has acknowledged that times have changed regarding what is considered appropriate material for comedy. While he hasn’t issued a formal apology for his role in Lewinsky’s public ridicule, his representatives have suggested that he would approach the situation differently if it were to happen today.
Lewinsky’s willingness to speak out about her experience with Leno and other media figures represents part of her ongoing journey to reclaim her narrative and highlight the broader cultural issues surrounding how public figures and the media treat individuals caught in scandals.
During the podcast, Lewinsky asserted that Clinton should have resigned over their relationship rather than lying about it when the affair was exposed in 1998. She expressed that at minimum, Clinton should have found another way to remain in office without throwing “a young person just starting out under the bus.”
“Don’t go to Washington!” Lewinsky responded when Cooper asked what advice she would give to her 22-year-old self.
While acknowledging she made mistakes, Lewinsky maintained that Clinton’s actions were “more reprehensible” given the power imbalance in their relationship. She clarified that while the relationship involved a “level of consensuality,” it was Clinton’s responsibility to never put her in that position as the most powerful man in the country.
“She felt ‘gaslighted on a grand scale’ by Clinton’s initial denial of the affair,” according to sources familiar with the interview.
The conversation between Lewinsky and Cooper represents part of a broader cultural reassessment of the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal. Many younger generations have reevaluated the story with more sympathy toward Lewinsky, recognizing the power dynamics at play and the disproportionate public scrutiny she faced compared to Clinton.
Lewinsky, who was portrayed as a “stalker” and “bimbo” in the media at the time, has gradually reclaimed her narrative through speaking engagements, writing, and activism focused on combating cyberbullying and advocating for a more compassionate approach to public discourse.
The full interview with Lewinsky on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast offers rare insights into her perspective on the scandal that defined much of her public life and the ongoing process of rebuilding her identity beyond that singular event.
