Show Notes
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.
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More from Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky
As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, surgeon and author Dr. Elisa Port joins Monica on Reclaiming this week to separate fact from fear. What do we get wrong about breast cancer—and how can better information help us feel more empowered, not more afraid? Drawing on her book, The Breast Advice, Dr. Port pairs medical expertise with patient stories to unpack individualized screening, dense breasts, genetic testing, and common misconceptions about mammograms and biopsies. Together, they explore the questions behind the headlines—from hormone replacement therapy and GLP-1 medications to AI’s potential in breast cancer detection. It’s a candid, practical conversation about understanding your risk, weighing your options, and reclaiming a sense of agency over your health.
Actor, director, and activist Tony Goldwyn joins Monica this week on Reclaiming for a candid conversation about power, empathy, and life beyond the spotlight. They revisit his years as President Fitz on Scandal, the surreal experience of watching real-life political scandals unfold while making the show, and what playing flawed characters has taught him about the stories we attach to people. Tony reflects on his Hollywood inheritance—his grandfather Samuel Goldwyn was the “G” in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer—and the complicated conversation around nepotism, privilege, and forging your own path with a famous last name. Away from Hollywood, Tony shares lessons from his enduring marriage to production designer Jane Musky, the boundaries that keep family at the center of his life, and the joy of collaborating with his daughter Anna on their podcast, Far From the Tree. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Musician, photographer, and activist Michael Stipe joins Monica this week on Reclaiming fresh from the studio as he is in the midst of recording his first ever solo album. Michael reflects on navigating the public image that came with R.E.M, how vulnerability has emerged as his true superpower and the tricky work of finding your way back from depression. Together, they explore the energy he’s feeling in his return to music and why hope matters even more in today’s world. It’s a conversation about remaining curious—and becoming more fully yourself—after the world thinks it already knows you. We even get a little listen to a new, not-yet-released track.
Actor, comedian, and writer Jenny Slate joins Monica this week on Reclaiming for a truly adorable conversation about creativity, motherhood, and embracing every tender, strange part of yourself. Jenny reflects on finding raw, unexpected humor in birth and parenting, the creation of Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, and on the public rejection that transformed her relationship with performing. Together, they explore artistic courage, womanhood, and how to trust that we can not only survive life’s hardest moments, but emerge from them more fully ourselves. It feels like a conversation between old friends —though they are not!
Award-winning journalist and women’s rights advocate Gretchen Carlson joins Monica for a deeply personal conversation about transforming enforced silence into systemic change. Gretchen reflects on her landmark 2016 sexual harassment lawsuit against Fox News chairman Roger Ailes—and the complicated reality of helping catalyze a cultural reckoning while remaining unable to tell her full story. Together, they explore the cost of speaking out, the importance of bipartisan advocacy, and Gretchen’s work with her non-profit Lift Our Voices to challenge forced arbitration and restrictive NDAs. Honest and inspiring, this conversation is about reclaiming your voice—and using it to help others reclaim theirs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices