Gretchen Carlson

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.

And again, twists and turns, like how does a chubby little kid from a small town in Minnesota who plays the violin and had never won before, and Minnesota wasn't a pageant state, how did it happen? But I just used all of the same hard work ethic. And once she convinced me to do it, I decided, well, I'm really going to put 120 million percent into this then. So I actually quit Stanford.

And again, twists and turns, like how does a chubby little kid from a small town in Minnesota who plays the violin and had never won before, and Minnesota wasn't a pageant state, how did it happen? But I just used all of the same hard work ethic. And once she convinced me to do it, I decided, well, I'm really going to put 120 million percent into this then. So I actually quit Stanford.

my senior year to come home and do nothing but prepare for this. There was a lot of luck involved, but it just happened to work out. So again, another like total detour in my life of now I'm Miss America. Like, what am I doing?

my senior year to come home and do nothing but prepare for this. There was a lot of luck involved, but it just happened to work out. So again, another like total detour in my life of now I'm Miss America. Like, what am I doing?

Well, honestly, the only two reasons that I did, well, three, that I did Miss America was my violin. Because, you know, as my mom said to me, nobody's going to be able to touch your talent. Now, granted, there were tremendous talent. There were four other Juilliard students who were in the top 10 my year, opera and ballet. And I had studied at Juilliard. So we had immense talent.

Well, honestly, the only two reasons that I did, well, three, that I did Miss America was my violin. Because, you know, as my mom said to me, nobody's going to be able to touch your talent. Now, granted, there were tremendous talent. There were four other Juilliard students who were in the top 10 my year, opera and ballet. And I had studied at Juilliard. So we had immense talent.

With half your points being based on talent, you can understand how you would get to that point. But, you know, I had this talent. So that was one thing. I had the smarts to hopefully do well in the interview. But the other thing was four things. I'm incredibly competitive. And then number four was that the money that you won was scholarship money for college.

With half your points being based on talent, you can understand how you would get to that point. But, you know, I had this talent. So that was one thing. I had the smarts to hopefully do well in the interview. But the other thing was four things. I'm incredibly competitive. And then number four was that the money that you won was scholarship money for college.

And at the time, my parents had four children who were in college or going to be getting into college. And it's very expensive. And if I won, I was going to be able to pay for my whole final year at Stanford, which is exactly what happened. So, you know, Miss America at the time was the largest scholarship program in the world for women. People don't know that.

And at the time, my parents had four children who were in college or going to be getting into college. And it's very expensive. And if I won, I was going to be able to pay for my whole final year at Stanford, which is exactly what happened. So, you know, Miss America at the time was the largest scholarship program in the world for women. People don't know that.

Those were the reasons why I did it. After I won, you know, I remember looking in the mirror that night and I was like, oh, my God, this actually happened. Now what? Because I had focused so much on getting there. And I hadn't focused at all on what would it mean to actually be Miss America. And that was actually a really incredibly difficult transition for me because this was 1989.

Those were the reasons why I did it. After I won, you know, I remember looking in the mirror that night and I was like, oh, my God, this actually happened. Now what? Because I had focused so much on getting there. And I hadn't focused at all on what would it mean to actually be Miss America. And that was actually a really incredibly difficult transition for me because this was 1989.