Show Notes
All year long, people have asked Monica the same question: Who’s been your favorite interview? And all year long, the truth has been the same — there was something unforgettable in every single conversation. So for this special compilation, we’ve pulled together some of the most powerful, lingering moments of 2025 into one episode. From Miley Cyrus talking about shame, sexuality, and the collateral damage of fame, to Alan Cumming confronting his abuser, to Chelsea Handler cracking open decades of armor over a single orange — these are the stories that stayed with us. Jurnee Smollett and Gabrielle Union explore blood memory and ancestry; Mark Duplass names “the woog” that lives between anxiety and depression; Sarah Paulson and Allison Janney reflect on childhood survival strategies and the characters that shaped them. Tarana Burke reframes grace, John Oliver and Margaret Cho show how gallows humor can literally save us, Molly Ringwald and Adam Scott unpack the long tail of fame, Olivia Munn reclaims her mastectomy scars, Beanie Feldstein talks about grief and language, Jon Chu and Tony Hawk share the hustles and crash landings behind their legends, and Elise Loehnen and Courtney Smith dig into the high cost of reputational harm — especially for women. And because Reclaiming is never just one thing, we even tucked some of the year’s funniest, most unhinged moments at the end — from sex vocabulary lessons to Broadway “up the butt” lore to John Oliver’s favorite four-letter word. It’s a season of memorable moments, in one episode: raw, reflective, heartbreaking, and laugh-out-loud ridiculous in all the best ways.
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More from Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky
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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