Maddie Kowalski Revisited: The Viral Video, Consent & What Happened After

Earlier this year, Rachel sat down with Maddie Kowalski for one of the most raw conversations we’ve had on Miss Understood.We’re bringing that interview back because the questions at the center of Maddie’s story have not gone away.Maddie was a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of Florida when private videos of her were posted online without her consent. Within hours, her name was trending, the videos were being downloaded and reposted, and millions of strangers were dissecting, judging and making assumptions about a young woman they had never met.Maddie talks with Rachel about being under the influence, what she remembers from that night, watching the videos spread in real time, and the difference between consenting to a sexual act and consenting to being filmed or having that footage shared publicly.She also opens up about the aftermath: withdrawing from school, harassment directed at her family, struggling to leave her apartment, losing trust in people around her and trying to figure out how to return to a normal life after the internet had turned her into a viral story.Months later, Maddie was back at school and taking things day by day.As conversations about consent, campus culture and accountability continue across the country, we wanted to revisit Maddie’s interview and let her tell her story in her own words.This is an encore presentation of Rachel Uchitel’s conversation with Maddie Kowalski.--- --- ---Want some more BTS bonus content of Miss Understood? Join our patreon for Post Show Podcasts, Monthly Merch Giveaways and Weekly Bonus Episodes!https://www.patreon.com/c/MissUnderstoodwithRachelUchitel Shop Miss Understood Merch https://missunderstoodpodcast.com/shop/ PLEASE LIKE, SHARE, SUBSCRIBE, AND GIVE US A 5-STAR REVIEW!: ratethispodcast.com/missunderstood ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Rachel on Instagram!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/racheluchitelnyc/?hl=en Follow Rachel on TikTok! https://www.tiktok.com/@itsracheluchitel Email us pr@missumedia.com Executive Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠George Carmona Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.