Show Notes
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
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