The showrunner also reveals he has lured Joan Collins to the eighth season of 'American Horror Story.'

The producers of FX's Emmy-drenched anthology series American Crime Story have hit the brakes on a season centered on the White House saga of Monica Lewinsky.

Though Jeffrey Toobin's 2000 best-seller, A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Sex Scandal that Nearly Brought Down a President,was optioned as source material more than a year ago, Murphy says they had second thoughts. And he's already relayed as much to a relieved Lewinsky, whom he ran into at a Hollywood party.

"I told her, 'Nobody should tell your story but you, and it's kind of gross if they do,'" Murphy recalls saying. " 'If you want to produce it with me, I would love that; but you should be the producer and you should make all the goddamn money.'"

Meantime, the Crime Story team, which includes Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson, have been toying with other timely topics in addition to an already in-process installment about Hurricane Katrina. The latter was initially slated to run before the recently concluded season centered on Versace, but it was not ready in time.

When it comes to Murphy's other FX anthologies, he's currently casting an eighth season of American Horror Story (and, in classic Murphy fashion, reveals he's "throwing in Joan Collins" and is "interested" in Anjelica Huston) and figuring out what the next installment of Feud will be, if not the previously announced Charles and Diana season.

"I'm still working on it," he says. "And I don't want to do anything unless I'm 100 percent sure."

A version of this story first appeared in the April 4 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.