Gretchen Carlson, anchor of Fox News’ The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson and author of Getting Real, 49, dishes to Us Weekly about 25 surprising facts about herself!
1. I am 100 percent Swedish and a natural blonde.
2. I was my high school valedictorian — go Tornadoes! (Seriously.) I still know every word of our fight song.
3. Speaking of, I also survived a tornado as a teen.
4. I was a child prodigy on the violin — and was the first classical violinist to win the Miss America Pageant.
5. I am married to Derek Jeter’s sports agent — and for you West Coasters, L.A. Dodgers Clayton Kershaw’s too.
6. But my favorite sport to watch is football. I even broke my pinky finger playing football in the 6th grade.
7. I grew up in Halloween Capitol of the world: Anoka, Minnesota.
8. At 5’3” I am NOT the shortest Miss America ever.
9. I hate putting on makeup, but have to every day for my job.
10. I don’t know how to type! Even now!
11. Also, I can’t parallel park.
12. I can take on any guy with sports knowledge. Just ask my husband!
13. I’ve been friends with Kristin Chenoweth, Vanessa Williams, and Nancy O’Dell for years since we all competed in the Miss America system.
14. Deborah Norville competed in the Junior Miss pageant and has been a friend and mentor for 25 years. She was also one of my Miss America judges!
15. I was called Miss Piggy and chunky (at 108 pounds) by one of my Miss America judges — not Deborah though! Shaming is a powerful force and one I expose in my new book Getting Real.
16. I survived a life-threatening stalker for four years.
17. I can jump rope for 30 minutes straight.
18. I’m told I have perfect pitch.
19. I was a chunky kid and have struggled with weight my entire life. Lesson: Let’s build our self-esteem from the inside out!
20. I’m obsessed with being organized and even majored in organizational behavior at Stanford!
21. I never once overslept while hosting Fox and Friends for almost eight years — I had three alarms that went off at 3:45 a.m.
22. I could fit my little finger between my two front teeth before two rounds of braces.
23. I’ve been friends with Donald Trump since I competed in the Miss America pageant. He says I look better now than I did then! I tell him I would have been dead last in the Miss USA pageant which is strictly a beauty pageant with no talent or scholarship money.
24. I keep my Miss America gown in a shoebox in my closet. My crown, too.
25. I put on my Miss America gown for my 25th anniversary. Thank God for Spanx!
