Lenora Claire is an American television and media personality, casting director, writer, art curator and victim's rights advocate.
She was named one of the ''
LA Weekly
''LA Weekly'' is a free weekly alternative newspaper in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1978 by Jay Levin, who served as president and editor until 1991. Voice Media Group sold the paper in late 2017 to Semanal Media LLC, whose pare ...
'' 2011 "People of the Year" and "the
Erin Brockovich
Erin Brockovich (née Pattee; born June 22, 1960) is an American legal clerk, consumer advocate, and environmental activist who, despite her lack of education in the law, was instrumental in building a case against Pacific Gas & Electric Compan ...
of stalking" by ''
''Vice''''.
Career
Claire is a frequent guest on shows such as ''
The Dr. Oz Show
''The Dr. Oz Show'' (or simply ''Oz'') is an American syndicated daytime television talk show, hosted by Mehmet Oz, that aired between September 14, 2009, and January 14, 2022. Each episode features segments on health, wellness, and medical infor ...
'', ''
48 Hours'', ''
Crime Watch Daily
''Crime Watch Daily'' is an American syndicated investigative news magazine television series. Premiering on September 14, 2015, the program was originally hosted by veteran Australian television journalist Matt Doran. The remaining two seasons ...
'' and various podcasts sharing both her story as an empowered victim and also to advocate for other stalking victims and discuss proposed legislation. Claire began working on improved legislation for stalking victims and other associated crimes with Congressman
Adam Schiff
Adam Bennett Schiff (born June 22, 1960) is an American lawyer, author, and politician who has served as a U.S. representative since 2001. A member of the Democratic Party, he has represented since 2013.
Schiff's district (numbered as the ...
in 2016 and is currently working on a bill called S.A.V.E. (Stalking Abuse Victims Empowerment).
Claire is a founding member of the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Crime Victims Advisory Board where she was chosen to advise and advocate on behalf of survivors of gender-based violence.
In 2021, Claire founde
Lenora Claire Consultingto provide on-set liaison services between survivors/victims and the productions telling their stories. The company—whose team includes
Amanda Knox
Amanda Marie Knox (born July 9, 1987) is an American author, activist, and journalist. She spent almost four years in an Italian prison following her wrongful conviction for the 2007 murder of Meredith Kercher, a fellow exchange student wit ...
, survivor
Kimberly Corban, forensic psychologist
Dr. Kris Mohandie, and
Dirty John
''Dirty John'' is a true crime podcast based on the life of John Michael Meehan. The podcast is hosted by Christopher Goffard and was created by ''Wondery'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. The first two chapters were launched on October 2, 2017; t ...
survivor Terra Newell—specializes in creating a safe space for vulnerable individuals working with media professionals.
Claire has also written pieces for
LA Weekly
''LA Weekly'' is a free weekly alternative newspaper in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1978 by Jay Levin, who served as president and editor until 1991. Voice Media Group sold the paper in late 2017 to Semanal Media LLC, whose pare ...
and contributed to panels on surviving sexual abuse.
Victim turned advocate
Shortly after being featured as one of the ''LA Weekly'' 2011 "People of the Year," Lenora caught the attention of a man named Justin Massler (aka Cloud Starchaser) who previously had a documented history of stalking
Ivanka Trump
Ivana Marie "Ivanka" Trump (; born October 30, 1981) is an American businesswoman and the first daughter of Donald Trump, 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. She was a senior advisor in his administration, and also was the ...
. After becoming fixated and obsessed with Claire, Massler began harassing her which eventually culminated to death threats, various forms of sexual assault and physical violence. After attempting to seek help with little results from the Los Angeles Police Department, Claire taught herself how to track his IP and began studying various forms of risk minimization. After securing her first restraining order against Massler, which was promptly violated, Claire went public with her story in an attempt to educate the public about the various issues stalking victims face. After a 2016 appearance on the show ''Crime Watch Daily'', Claire was introduced to Rhonda Saunders who was instrumental in the formation of the first stalking laws in the nation and inspired Claire to propose legislation benefitting victims of her own.
Claire then made multiple attempts to contact Ivanka Trump for help capturing their mutual stalker which were all ignored. After being named the Erin Brockovich of stalking by ''
Vice
A vice is a practice, behaviour, or Habit (psychology), habit generally considered immorality, immoral, sinful, crime, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refe ...
'' in an article which has since gone viral, victims began contacting Claire and seeking help in obtaining their own restraining orders and requesting Claire to accompany them as a human shield in court. Claire and friend, ''NCIS'' actress
Pauley Perrette
Pauley Perrette (born March 27, 1969) is an American retired actress and singer. She played Abby Sciuto in the television series '' NCIS'' from 2003 to 2018.
Early life
Perrette was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and raised throughout the so ...
as well as two other victims, Katherine Thackston and Peggy Farell, were the subject of a 2-hour ''48 hours'' special titled "Stalked", featuring her story. Kris Mohandie reviewed footage of Massler in the special and determined that he was in fact a dangerous individual. Massler was then admitted to a psychiatric facility where just days later he escaped and was arrested by the Secret Service. Shortly after his release, he returned to Los Angeles to further stalk Claire. After Massler notified her about his intention to kidnap her, Claire set up an operation and had security catch him at the Los Angeles Comic Convention. Massler was convicted of felony max stalking in 2018
[ and was later released from jail early 2020.][ Claire has been an outspoken advocate for stalking victims, and on her second appearance on the '']Dr. Oz Show
''The Dr. Oz Show'' (or simply ''Oz'') is an American syndicated daytime television talk show, hosted by Mehmet Oz, that aired between September 14, 2009, and January 14, 2022. Each episode features segments on health, wellness, and medical infor ...
'', shortly before Massler's release, explained it was a result of controversial Proposition 57 which gave Massler early release having only served two years of his four-year sentence. Claire has spoken at USC, Southwestern Law School
Southwestern Law School is a private law school in Mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles. It is accredited by the American Bar Association and enrolls nearly 1,000 students. Its campus includes the Bullocks Wilshire building, an art deco National Register ...
, and with the Anti-Defamation League for University of California, Irvine School of Law
The University of California, Irvine School of Law is the law school at the University of California, Irvine. It is the fifth law school in the UC system. In September 2007, Erwin Chemerinsky was named as the law school's first dean. Chemerinsky ...
about the intersection of cyberstalking, internet hate speech and freedom of speech.
Personal life
Claire is married to prominent entertainment attorney and DJ Henry Self.
Filmography
Exhibitions
Claire curated many shows including ''Golden Girls Gone Wild!'' which debuted 2007 at the World of Wonder Gallery and later had exhibitions at the World Erotic Art Museum
The World Erotic Art Museum, located in the heart of the Miami Beach, Florida Art Deco District, is a museum, library, and education think tank that uses its collection to illustrate the history of erotic art. It contains the collection of Naomi ...
in Miami, Florida, and the Dirty Show in Detroit, Michigan. Claire also curated ''Bettie Page Heaven-Bound'' directly with Bettie Page's estate featuring the art of legendary pinup artist Olivia De Berardinis
Olivia De Berardinis, known professionally as Olivia, is an American artist who is famous for her paintings of women, often referred to as pinup or cheesecake art. She has been working in this genre since the mid-1970s, becoming a contributor t ...
.
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Claire, Lenora
American casting directors
Women casting directors
American women curators
American curators
1980 births
Living people
21st-century American women