Gretchen Carlson

And I was so upset about it. And I went up to her desk three times that day and I said, but Mrs. Barencott... I know how to read. And she kept saying, Gretchen, just go back and sit down and you'll be fine. And I ran home from school. I can still feel myself rushing in, yelling for my mom to say I was in the wrong group. And she called the school and the next day it was sorted out.

And I was so upset about it. And I went up to her desk three times that day and I said, but Mrs. Barencott... I know how to read. And she kept saying, Gretchen, just go back and sit down and you'll be fine. And I ran home from school. I can still feel myself rushing in, yelling for my mom to say I was in the wrong group. And she called the school and the next day it was sorted out.

But I thought about... that bold little girl a lot before I decided to jump off the cliff because what would have happened if I had not had that persistence in my heart and mind at five years old to stand up for myself just about reading, right?

But I thought about... that bold little girl a lot before I decided to jump off the cliff because what would have happened if I had not had that persistence in my heart and mind at five years old to stand up for myself just about reading, right?

That could have changed my entire educational trajectory, number one, but my life trajectory of, I learned from an early age that if I stood up for myself and I knew what I believed and I stood up for the truth, that it would turn out to be okay. And I thought about that little girl a lot before I decided to do what I did.

That could have changed my entire educational trajectory, number one, but my life trajectory of, I learned from an early age that if I stood up for myself and I knew what I believed and I stood up for the truth, that it would turn out to be okay. And I thought about that little girl a lot before I decided to do what I did.

Yeah, you know, I realized, number one, I saw a lot of unhappy musicians surrounding me. I'm sure there's tons of people who are happy, but It seemed like it really back to being solo by myself, like playing the violin and doing these kinds of competitions. I wanted to be a famous concert artist, the soloist that would come and play with the orchestras, right?

Yeah, you know, I realized, number one, I saw a lot of unhappy musicians surrounding me. I'm sure there's tons of people who are happy, but It seemed like it really back to being solo by myself, like playing the violin and doing these kinds of competitions. I wanted to be a famous concert artist, the soloist that would come and play with the orchestras, right?

Again, a very lonely solo experience, right? Winning a competition, it was all up to me. This was not a team sport. And so I realized that to be the best of the best of the best, I was going to have to give up everything else in my life. And I would just have to have tunnel vision and not be able to do anything else. And I enjoyed so many other things in life.

Again, a very lonely solo experience, right? Winning a competition, it was all up to me. This was not a team sport. And so I realized that to be the best of the best of the best, I was going to have to give up everything else in my life. And I would just have to have tunnel vision and not be able to do anything else. And I enjoyed so many other things in life.

I was in drama in high school and I excelled as a student. And I quite honestly, as a teenager, liked boys. I mean, I wanted to do all these other things and I never had time because I was practicing four hours a day. So I decided to quit when I was 17. And my parents were just really devastated by that. And you can understand that now as an adult. You have this child that has this gift.

I was in drama in high school and I excelled as a student. And I quite honestly, as a teenager, liked boys. I mean, I wanted to do all these other things and I never had time because I was practicing four hours a day. So I decided to quit when I was 17. And my parents were just really devastated by that. And you can understand that now as an adult. You have this child that has this gift.

And now she says she doesn't want to do it anymore. But you've invested all of this time. And maybe she's not making the right decision for herself because she's not really an adult yet. But I had decided that I wanted to live a more well-rounded life. And so that's really when I went off to Stanford University and really focused on my studies. I didn't pick up the violin once.

And now she says she doesn't want to do it anymore. But you've invested all of this time. And maybe she's not making the right decision for herself because she's not really an adult yet. But I had decided that I wanted to live a more well-rounded life. And so that's really when I went off to Stanford University and really focused on my studies. I didn't pick up the violin once.

It's kind of an odd story because I did have this massive talent. But I think when you're a kid, sometimes I was known as the violin girl and I just wanted to be normal. I mean, now we realize as adults, oh, it's really special to have something that you were good at, right? But at the time, I just wanted to fit in. So that factored into it as well.

It's kind of an odd story because I did have this massive talent. But I think when you're a kid, sometimes I was known as the violin girl and I just wanted to be normal. I mean, now we realize as adults, oh, it's really special to have something that you were good at, right? But at the time, I just wanted to fit in. So that factored into it as well.

In many other twists and turns in my life, like how the hell did I become Miss America? Well, because... half of your points are based on talent. And my mom got a brochure in the mail. And this was after I quit the violin. And she was bound and determined to get me to play again. And she called me up. I happened to be studying at Oxford in England at the time. I was a junior in college.

In many other twists and turns in my life, like how the hell did I become Miss America? Well, because... half of your points are based on talent. And my mom got a brochure in the mail. And this was after I quit the violin. And she was bound and determined to get me to play again. And she called me up. I happened to be studying at Oxford in England at the time. I was a junior in college.

She said, I found something for you to do. And I said, what? And she said, Miss America. And I was like, no, I'm not doing that. I'm focusing on my studies. She's like, half your points are based on talent. And I just read that they're looking for Ivy League students to enter. And so my mom's a very powerful person in my life. And so she got me into a position to agree to do this.

She said, I found something for you to do. And I said, what? And she said, Miss America. And I was like, no, I'm not doing that. I'm focusing on my studies. She's like, half your points are based on talent. And I just read that they're looking for Ivy League students to enter. And so my mom's a very powerful person in my life. And so she got me into a position to agree to do this.