What Is Gretchen Carlson's Net Worth and Salary?
Gretchen Carlson is an American television host and broadcast journalist with a net worth of $18 million and an annual salary of $1.5 million. She is renowned for hosting programs like the Saturday edition of "The Early Show" on CBS News, "Fox & Friends" on Fox News, and "The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson" also on Fox News.
Early Life
Gretchen Elizabeth Carlson was born on June 21, 1966, in Anoka, Minnesota. Her father, Lee Carlson, was President of Main Motor Sales Co., a family-owned car dealership, and her mother, Karen, was a homemaker, schoolteacher, and later the CEO of the dealership. Gretchen is the second of four children and was raised in a Lutheran household.
As a child, Gretchen was a prodigious violinist, having studied at esteemed institutions like the MacPhail Center For Music and the Juilliard School of Music. She participated in numerous musical competitions and was a member of the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphony. After graduating from Anoka High School, she attended Stanford University, where she studied organizational behavior, graduating in 1990. She also won the Miss Minnesota title in 1988 and became Miss America in 1989.
Career
Gretchen Carlson's broadcasting career began after her Miss America win, starting with WRIC-TV in Richmond, Virginia, as a co-anchor and political commentator. She later worked at WCPO-TV in Cincinnati and other stations in Cleveland and Dallas/Fort Worth. In 2000, she landed a national correspondent role and became co-anchor of the Saturday edition of "The Early Show" on CBS in 2002.
In 2006, Carlson joined Fox News, initially as a weekend substitute host on "Fox & Friends". She became the anchor of "Fox & Friends" later that year, co-hosting with Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade. She left the show in 2013 to host "The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson", where she notably became the first cable news anchor to appear on air without makeup. She hosted until June 2016.
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Roger Ailes Settlement & Advocacy
In July 2016, Carlson filed a lawsuit against Fox News chief Roger Ailes, claiming she was fired for rejecting his sexual advances. She received a $20 million settlement and a public apology. Her case catalyzed the #MeToo movement, leading to Ailes' resignation.
Post-lawsuit, Carlson has become a vocal advocate for eliminating workplace sexual harassment. She helped introduce the "Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Harassment Act" and launched the Gretchen Carlson Leadership Initiative to provide advocacy training. She also supports Women Moving Millions and has delivered two TED talks on women's rights and workplace harassment.
Other Projects
Beyond television, Carlson is a published author. Her memoir, "Getting Real" (2015), explores her Minnesota upbringing, violin pursuits, and Miss America experience. In 2017, she published "Be Fierce: Stop Harassment and Take Your Power Back," detailing her workplace harassment experiences, with profits donated to the Gift of Courage Fund.
Personal Life and Legacy
Carlson married sports agent Casey Close in October 1997. They have two children and live in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Her Fox News career and the subsequent fallout were depicted in the Showtime miniseries "The Loudest Voice" (2019), where she was portrayed by Naomi Watts. The film "Bombshell" (2019) also dramatized these events, with Nicole Kidman playing Carlson.
