This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/jun/29/monica-lewinsky-blocked-from-sitting-near-al-gore-at-cannes-festival

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Monica Lewinsky blocked from sitting near Al Gore at Cannes festival Monica Lewinsky blocked from sitting near Al Gore at Cannes festival
(about 5 hours later)
Monica Lewinsky was barred from sharing a box with former US vice-president Al Gore at an advertising festival in Cannes, days after delivering an impassioned speech about the bullying and harassment she received following her liaison with Bill Clinton.Monica Lewinsky was barred from sharing a box with former US vice-president Al Gore at an advertising festival in Cannes, days after delivering an impassioned speech about the bullying and harassment she received following her liaison with Bill Clinton.
Lewinsky attended the Cannes Lions advertising festival and gave a widely-praised seminar describing her experience as the “patient zero” of cyberbullying and online shaming following her intimate relationship with Clinton in the late 1990s when he was US president.Lewinsky attended the Cannes Lions advertising festival and gave a widely-praised seminar describing her experience as the “patient zero” of cyberbullying and online shaming following her intimate relationship with Clinton in the late 1990s when he was US president.
On Saturday, Lewinsky was invited to sit in the mayoral box for VIPs at the Palais de Festivals on the last night of the Cannes Lions advertising festival.On Saturday, Lewinsky was invited to sit in the mayoral box for VIPs at the Palais de Festivals on the last night of the Cannes Lions advertising festival.
Gore, who served as vice-president to Clinton, was at the festival to receive the LionHeart, an honorary award presented to an individual who “through innovative use of commercial brand power has made a significant and positive difference to people or the planet”.Gore, who served as vice-president to Clinton, was at the festival to receive the LionHeart, an honorary award presented to an individual who “through innovative use of commercial brand power has made a significant and positive difference to people or the planet”.
Lewinsky did not take up her seat in the box. Instead she joined the main audience, although it is not clear if the ticket was rescinded by the organisers of Cannes Lions or at the request of Gore’s team.Lewinsky did not take up her seat in the box. Instead she joined the main audience, although it is not clear if the ticket was rescinded by the organisers of Cannes Lions or at the request of Gore’s team.
PR advisers for Lewinsky declined to comment on the incident. In a statement issued by her publicist, 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.”
Neither Gore’s PR advisers or Cannes Lions had responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.Neither Gore’s PR advisers or Cannes Lions had responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.
Earlier last week, Lewinsky gave an impassioned and highly-praised speech about her life from White House intern to pariah forced to disappear from the public eye for nearly two decades.Earlier last week, Lewinsky gave an impassioned and highly-praised speech about her life from White House intern to pariah forced to disappear from the public eye for nearly two decades.
“At the age of 22, I fell in love with my boss,” she said to a packed Cannes auditorium on Thursday. “And at the age of 24, I learned the devastating consequences. So as far as our culture of humiliation goes, what we need is a cultural revolution. We need to return to a long-held value of compassion, compassion and empathy.”“At the age of 22, I fell in love with my boss,” she said to a packed Cannes auditorium on Thursday. “And at the age of 24, I learned the devastating consequences. So as far as our culture of humiliation goes, what we need is a cultural revolution. We need to return to a long-held value of compassion, compassion and empathy.”
The breaking news of her affair was the “click that reverberated around the world” and with the more recent rise of sites including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram there is now a “compassion deficit, an empathy crisis” online.The breaking news of her affair was the “click that reverberated around the world” and with the more recent rise of sites including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram there is now a “compassion deficit, an empathy crisis” online.
“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.”“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.”