The Lewinsky Show, Now in Previews

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WASHINGTON: When it comes to the Lewinsky scandal, even the media leaks to the media -- especially when ratings are at stake. "A source who was there" provided press-on-press maven Howard Kurtz of the Washington Post with a play-by-play of the Barbara Walters-Monica Lewinsky interview that will air next Wednesday. And it was so good -- candid, emotional and yes, teary-eyed -- that ABC has blocked out two hours for it. The highlights:

Lewinsky didn't feel "cheap" when she gave the President oral sex while he was talking about Bosnia. She said she feels mischaracterized as a bimbo, and would describe herself as a loyal person. She squirmed when asked about her opinion of Ken Starr -- whom she has never actually met -- and said that although Starr gave her permission to do the interview, she wasn't allowed to talk about him. And the mushy stuff? Lewinsky, the source told the Post, turned wistful when asked to describe her relationship with the President. It was good, she said. Some of it was genuine, some of it was not. But, she said, part of it was very painful. And she's sorry. Come to think of it, that describes the last six years pretty well.