Monica Lewinsky was barred from sitting in a box with former US Vice-President Al Gore at an advertising festival in Cannes on Saturday.
Lewinksy had been invited to sit in the mayoral box for the VIPs at the Palais de Festivals on the last night of the festival. Instead of sitting in her seat in the box, the author of “Monica: Her Story” instead opted to sit with the main audience, according to the Guardian.
It remains unclear who is responsible for the changed seating arrangement as neither the organizers of Cannes Lions or Gore’s team could be reached for explanation.
Gore was in attendance to receive an honorary award, the LionHeart, which is presented to an individual who “through innovative use of commercial brand power has made a significant and positive difference to people or the planet”.
In a statement, Lewinsky said, “I have tremendous respect for the critical work on climate change former Vice-President Gore is doing and for which he was honoured at Cannes Lions. I did not know he was to be seated in the mayor’s box. It was 100% appropriate for me to sit elsewhere.”
The alleged issue occurred just days after she delivered an impassioned speech about the bullying and harassment she received following her liaison with Bill Clinton.
On Thursday, the former White House intern spoke at the Ogilvy & Inspire Lecture, an annual showcase of intellectual ideas. In her speech, she described her experience as the “patient zero” of cyberbulling and online shaming after her affair with the former President.
Throughout the seminar, Lewinsky reportedly talked about falling in love with her boss at the age of 22 and the “devastating consequences” of her actions. She urged her audience to mend the broken discourse created by judgment.
“Today we call it cyberbullying and online harassment,” she said. “Online, technologically enhanced shaming is amplified, uncontained and permanently accessible. Public shaming as a blood sport must stop. It’s time for an intervention on the internet and in the culture.”