Monica Monica
- Actress
An physician and frequent candidate, Dr. Monica Monica has parlayed her
unusual name into a commodity, helped by circumstances not of her own
making. The descendant of Italian immigrants, she had ambition to be a
doctor and was a high achiever academically in her youth. She graduated
from Tulane University Phi Beta Kappa and Cum Laude, and then she
received an M.D. and PHD from Louisiana State University Medical
School. She also received a post graduate degree in Heath Care
Administration from Tulane University. She married and moved to
Metarie, Louisiana, where she set up her medical practice. The field of
medicine she practiced was Ophthalmology, a complex field which deals
optical diseases and surgery. In that capacity, she became respected
for her careful work and her friendly, supportive ways with her
patients, who thought highly of her. During this practice, she became
concerned with public policy regarding medicine, particularly with
regard to the high insurance premiums her practice had to pay, and she
became an advocate of malpractice reform. In January 1999, the
Congressman who represented her community, Bob Livingston, suddenly
resigned from Congress after an extramarital affair he once had was
publicized by adult magazine publisher
Larry Flynt. Monica decided to run for
Congress in the special election to succeed him. Her name brought
publicity due to President
Bill Clinton's impeachment due to
his lying in a lawsuit about his relationship with former White House
intern Monica Lewinsky, although she
protested, "This is not a politically cute trick. I was Monica long
before the other one was. It's on my driver's license." She spent a
significant amount of money on the race, but was overshadowed by some
of the other candidates, including white separatist
David Duke and state Representative
David Vitter, who ultimately won the
election. In the 2000 general election, Dr. Monica was again a
candidate, but did not wage a serious candidacy. She resumed her
practice, but remained an advocate on health care issues. She also,
during time away, dabbled in acting. In 2005, her practice was
destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. In 2007, she ran unsuccessfully for the
Louisiana state Senate.
