Latest news with #Lewinsky
Cosmopolitan
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
New Chappell Roan Book Dissects How She Loves Drag Culture
Chappell Roan is about to hit cities on a pop-up tour, but before she graces a stage near you, it's time to talk about a key component of her super-stardom: the art of drag. In an excerpt from a new Chappell Roan book out October 7, Chappell Roan: The Rise of a Midwest Princess, writer J'na Jefferson dissects the ways in which drag has influenced Chappell's stage persona. But first! Here is more about the book: To pre-order the book, click on the retailer or your choice: AMAZON BARNES & NOBLE BOOKS-A-MILLION BOOKSHOP HUDSON BOOKSELLERS POWELL'S Drag as an art form goes way back—dating to the dawn of theater in Ancient Greece. However, the growing visibility of drag over recent decades—in film, on screen, and on stage—has given today's queer artists, including Doechii and Troye Sivan, more freedom to weave its influence into their music. Chappell Roan, who describes herself as a 'singer/songwriter/performer/drag queen,' occupies a unique space as both a wildly successful pop star and a purveyor of drag's spirit. Her music, aesthetic, and outspoken nature are deeply drag-infused, as she uses her platform to entertain, inspire, and amplify marginalized voices. Her elevation of this once-underground culture into mainstream pop is also reshaping the queer direction of 21st-century pop music. 'I've always noticed when someone is using drag as a prop versus drag as a castmate,' Hanukah Lewinsky, a drag performer in New York City, explains of Chappell's appreciation for the drag community, which has been proudly reciprocated. 'There have been artists [in the past] who have had drag queens on stage, and [the queens] haven't been paid, they don't get tagged, they don't get any recognition.' 'When Chappell has drag queens with her,' Lewinsky adds, 'it's 'this is so-and-so, this is where you can find their art, this is where you can find what they do.' We're her co-stars.' Lewinsky is among the performers who replaced Chappell at the 2024 All Things Go Music Festival after Chappell pulled out of her set for health reasons. The last-minute set, dubbed 'Queens of the Dancefloor' by festival coordinators, was curated by NYC-based drag star Beaujangless the night before the event, and included several drag performers, such as legendary queen Kevin Aviance, festive background dancers, and DJ B-Roc of The Knocks. 'Drag queens are used to getting something ready that's very exciting, very quickly,' Lewinsky said. The queens stood in for the singer, lip-syncing and dancing to a slew of Chappell songs for about 45 minutes. 'The crowd really loved it—in that moment and online. The general consensus felt like we were able to add something exciting and new to that day,' explains Lewinsky. 'It was by far the coolest experience of my life thus far. Just that I got to do it to music that I love, for an artist that I love, with such close friends, it was 10/10. I wouldn't change it for the world,' Lewinsky says. Though Chappell's music reflects her queerness and affinity for drag, drag's influence on the music industry is hardly new. In the 1930s, 'Pansy' performer Jean Malin recorded songs referencing queer identity; while in the '50s, rock pioneer (and former drag queen) Little Richard's flamboyant stage persona paved the way for future LGBTQ+ performers. David Bowie's experimental sound, costumes, and theatrics were key in pivoting pop in a queer direction. Elton John's 'lifelong love affair' with drag and a friendship with Divine encouraged the Rocket Man's over-the-top costumes. In the 2010s, rapper Nicki Minaj embraced drag elements, notably with her alter ego 'Roman Zolanski,' which toyed with gender norms. Chappell is continuing a tradition set in motion long before her reign. 'Pop and rock specifically have always been informed by queer culture, and drag is also part of that conversation,' explains Elyssa Maxx Goodman, the author of Glitter and Concrete: A Cultural History of Drag in New York City. '[Chappell's rise] has the possibility of continuing drag's presence in mainstream culture.' Chappell's discography is a proclamation of her queer identity, using drag-inspired themes to amplify self-discovery, empowerment, and resistance. 'Pink Pony Club' celebrates queerness while exploring somberness, creating a drag-evoking emotional juxtaposition. 'Femininomenon' flips the script, proudly embracing queer sexuality. She blends pop with elements of country, alt-rock, and folk (at times in the same song) mirroring how drag fuses high art with low culture. This art form has long challenged boundaries, not only of gender but also of music, bringing power to Chappell's work. Pop has used drag to create visual spectacles rooted in queer resistance and celebration. Through bold, avant-garde makeup and costumes—like her signature white face paint, a nod to her hometown's homophobes who called queer kids 'clowns'—Chappell is helping normalize drag's aesthetics. 'The people in my hometown would call gay people 'clowns.' That's why I actually wear white face [drag makeup], because of how those people called us clowns. I was like, 'Bitch I'll show you a clown,'' she said to an audience in Manchester. Goodman notes that Chappell highlights femme drag, a style in which women or nonbinary people dress in drag, popularized by performers like Fauxnique and Crimson Kitty. Chappell's drag-heavy aesthetic in her music videos and live performances adds to her allure. In the 'My Kink Is Karma' video, she plays a lingerie-clad devil/clown, a nod to the apparently queer character HIM from The Powerpuff Girls. She also frequently uses blue eyeshadow, a deliberate tribute to the sex workers and drag queens who have been unfairly demonized. As Chappell put it in Faces of Music, a documentary series sponsored by Sephora: 'Blue eyeshadow is so stigmatized…and it's all connected to why I picked it.' 'Drag and drag aesthetics have long been part of how pop musicians visually connect to their audiences,' Goodman says, referencing Cher's Bob Mackie costumes, Madonna's Marie Antoinette–inspired outfit at the 1990 MTV VMAs, and Lady Gaga's early career looks, including her 2011 drag king persona 'Jo Calderone.' Chappell's stage presence is bold and playful, drawing from drag's performative theatrics where every move tells a story. This allows her to explore both lighthearted and darker themes, reflecting drag's ability to blend cheek and earnestness. And she uses her live performances to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and visibility. At the 2024 Governors Ball music festival, Chappell called for 'freedom for all oppressed people' while dressed as the Statue of Liberty. A week later, at the Kentuckiana Pride celebration, she performed in full drag, paying tribute to legendary queen Divine and her iconic role in the 1972 film Pink Flamingos. 'I feel like any time [Chappell has] a big platform, she lets people know that drag is here to stay,' New York City queen Mo'Riah says about Chappell's commitment to drag. Like Lewinsky, Mo'Riah was one of the performers asked to dance in Chappell's place at All Things Go, a moment she says made her 'feel like Beyoncé,' adding that Chappell 'always stands up for [drag queens.]' '[Chappell's] touchstone comes at a time where there's a very odd turn back to 'We don't want anything that's out of line,'' Lewinsky notes of the tepid climate Chappell is finding her success in, where queer and trans rights hang in the balance and are even under direct attack. 'It would be so easy for someone to fit into what society deems appropriate, but it's nice to have someone who says, 'Fuck that, we're not going to tailor ourselves for what you deem is right or acceptable.' It's very energizing.' Lewinsky, who uses she/her pronouns while in drag, also performed during the New York stop of Chappell's Midwest Princess Tour. Chappell supported local drag acts by having them open for her during these shows, sharing the spotlight with performers who've been an integral part of her artistic journey. 'The first time I ever saw Chappell is when she came to one of my weekly gigs at Pieces,' the popular West Village gay bar, Mo'Riah adds. 'She even stayed after and watched the other show after ours. It's clear she loves drag, and she loves the community and the art of it, I think that's beautiful.' Unlike artists who may incorporate drag aesthetics without nourishing deeper ties to the community, Chappell's integration feels genuine. She's part of a wave of queer artists who aren't just referencing drag—they're making it a core part of their artistic DNA. Her drag persona is theatrical, but it's also authentic. '[Drag] just feels like freedom,' Chappell says in Sephora's Faces of Music. 'It lights up something in my brain, it's just pure serotonin.' — By J'na Jefferson, Chappell Roan: The Rise of a Midwest Princess Chappell Roan: The Rise of a Midwest Princess by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong, Dibs Baer, Patrick Crowley, Izzy Grinspan, J'na Jefferson, Ilana Kaplan, and Samantha Olson will be released by Hearst Home Books on October 7, 2025. To preorder the book, click on the retailer of your choice: AMAZON BARNES & NOBLE BOOKS-A-MILLION BOOKSHOP HUDSON BOOKSELLERS POWELL'S Disclosure: Hearst Magazines is the parent company of Hearst Home Books and Cosmopolitan.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Monica Lewinsky's 2019 wardrobe malfunction makes a savage social media comeback
Monica Lewinsky has never been afraid to own her past, and now she is adding a wardrobe malfunction to her legacy. On the latest episode of her podcast Reclaiming Monica Lewinsky, the 52-year-old activist shared a side-splitting memory with guest John Oliver, throwing it all the way back to her 2019 appearance on his HBO show Last Week Tonight. From political scandal to spanx scandal It turns out, moments before filming, Lewinsky's publicist sprinted in like a scene from a sitcom and whispered an urgent fashion alert: her Spanx were showing through her trousers. The fix? She had to remove her girdle entirely before stepping in front of the cameras. Oliver, apparently, had zero recollection of the incident, but Lewinsky remembered every detail. John Oliver was one of the 'rare few' Oliver joked that Lewinsky was one of the very few people he had ever interviewed, and she returned the compliment, telling him he had done an amazing job. While the conversation was lighthearted, it was also a reminder that Lewinsky's media appearances have been rare, carefully chosen, and, in this case, unforgettable. From spanx slip-up to red carpet royalty Fast-forward to 2025, and Lewinsky is serving flawless style on every red carpet. In April, she stole the show on Broadway's Good Night, and Good Luck opening night, rocking a black off-the-shoulder gown with an asymmetric ruffle hemline, sleek stilettos, and a polished half-up, half-down hairstyle. Minimal jewellery kept the look understated yet powerful. Just a month earlier, she had turned heads at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in a dramatic Stella McCartney number, a black column gown with a plunging neckline and sheer mesh panel. It was a look that screamed old Hollywood glamour with a modern twist. A power move in more ways than one Lewinsky's fashion wins are not just about style, they are about making a statement. In February, she became the face of Reformation's 'You've Got the Power' campaign, aimed at boosting voter registration. Shot by Zoey Grossman, she modelled a chic workwear collection featuring pencil skirts, tailored dresses, and sharp blouses, exuding authority with a side of runway chic. From Spanx-gate to style icon, Lewinsky has shown that even the most awkward fashion emergencies can be rewritten as part of a glow-up saga.
AU Financial Review
23-07-2025
- Politics
- AU Financial Review
‘I would not have survived without laughing': Monica Lewinsky 30 years on
Monica Lewinsky was deep in what she calls her 'dark decade' when she got some advice she was not yet ready to hear. In an attempt to write a new chapter of her life, she had moved to London to study. But the escape plan failed when a master's degree was still not enough for potential employers to overlook her notorious past. Over a coffee in 2010, a professor urged her to take back control of her story. 'She said to me that when a narrative is imbued with power, there needs to be a competing narrative,' she recalls. 'And she said, 'You have no narrative. People with power have run away with your narrative.'' To say her story is imbued with power is apt. In July 1995, with the United States near the height of its economic, cultural and military influence, Lewinsky began an internship at the White House. She fell giddily into a tryst with her boss, the most powerful man in the world and one of the country's most popular Democrat presidents. The rest barely needs retelling, other than to say she was engulfed in a political and media firestorm. But three decades hence, there has been a tectonic shift in our collective understanding of Lewinsky's story, in large part because she took that professor's advice.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kesha Tore Her ACL on Stage Mid-Performance — and Finished the Show: 'I'm a Bad Bitch'
Kesha revealed that she previously tore her ACL on stage while performing at a festival in Dubai The singer said she was accused of being drunk for the performance, when instead she was injured Kesha's new album . (PERIOD) is out nowKesha revealed that she once tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) while performing live on stage – and that she still finished the performance. Kesha, 38, spoke about the injury on Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky on Tuesday, July 8. The singer, who released her new album . (PERIOD) on July 4, opened up about the pressure to perform through the painful injury earlier in her career. "It was hard for me. I remember I tore my ACL on stage. That was brutal, and in like song three or something. I was playing a festival in Dubai and I tore my ACL and I f------ got up and I played guitar and I sang and I finished the f------ show," the "Your Love Is My Drug" singer said. "Are you serious?" Lewinsky, 51, asked. Kesha responded, "Yes. 'Cause I'm a bad bitch," to which Lewinsky laughed. The singer then elaborated, "But I wake up the next day and I'm like, 'Wow, I am such a f------monster badass. And I wake up and there's an article on TMZ saying I was drunk at the show." "Wow," Lewinsky responded. Kesha then clarified, "Literally, Abso-f------lutely never have one drink before a show ever. Well, I did one time, the first time I played Lollapalooza in 2009. And after that, I literally did that one time and I was like 'Okay I'm never doing that again. I'm never drinking before a show.' " "So like things like that have hurt me and that people think that I don't know that [they] hurt my feelings," Kesha said. "I'm sorry for what you've had to go through," Lewinsky responded. Kesha then reflected on the harsh nature of the public eye that both she and Lewinsky experienced. Lewinksy was famously embroiled in an affair scandal with former President Bill Clinton in the late 1990s that led to intense cyberbullying in the early ages of the internet. This later inspired Lewinksy's mental health advocacy work. "And like would we both be sitting here had we not gone through those things? Probably not. And it has made us into the people that we are. And you seem like a f------- badass. I know I'm a f-------badass," Kesha said. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Outside of criticism of her live performances, Kesha also sued producer Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald based on allegations of sexual, emotional and physical abuse in 2014. He denied the claims and filed a countersuit the same year. In 2016, her claims were dismissed by a judge due to the alleged events falling outside of the statute of limitations. They settled his lawsuit out of court in 2023. New episodes of Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky, which is distributed by Wondery, drop weekly on Tuesdays. The deluxe edition of . (PERIOD) is out July 8. Read the original article on People
Los Angeles Times
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Amanda Knox says Monica Lewinsky is like her ‘big sister' while speaking about upcoming Hulu series
Amanda Knox has found comfort in 'the sisterhood of ill repute.' Speaking at the Ronald Tutor Campus Center at the University of Southern California to a crowd of over 200 people at the L.A. Times Festival of Books on Saturday, Knox was candid about connecting with other women who she says have been publicly vilified. Monica Lewinsky was the first of that group that she met, and she said their relationship has been meaningful. 'She showed me that there was a path forward for regaining a sense of authorship over your own life,' Knox said to the event's moderator, The Times' Amy Kaufman. In 2007, while studying abroad in Italy, Knox was wrongfully convicted of murdering her roommate, Meredith Kercher, and spent nearly four years in prison before she was eventually exonerated. Knox described meeting Lewinsky when they were both speaking at the same event years ago. It was the first time Knox was sharing her story in front of a crowd and she asked to meet with Lewinsky, whose writing and public speaking she said she had 'devoured' in preparation. 'I felt very seen and understood by this person, even before I ever met her,' Knox said. 'She's very much like a big sister to me at this point, and I'm just so grateful that she's in my life,' she added. Knox and Lewinsky are collaborating as producers on the upcoming Hulu series about Knox's experience being wrongfully accused and convicted, titled 'Amanda.' The series was created by K.J. Steinberg and is still in development. Knox has been vocal about Hollywood's handling of true crime stories in the past. She said she is grateful to have a say in the latest of a long string of media about her life. 'A source might actually be a huge wealth of creativity, and maybe should have some kind of say in the way their story is told,' she said.
