Works

During Carlson's lengthy and successful broadcasting career, she reported on several major news stories and events, including the Democratic National Conventions in Charlotte and Denver, and the Republican National Convention in St. Paul and Tampa. Carlson also covered the 2008 presidential election and interviewed several important figures, including President Barack Obama, Senator John McCain, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Governor Mitt Romney, and Senator Fred Thompson. During her time at CBS, Carlson covered events such as the Columbia Space Shuttle disaster in 2003, the 9/11 terror attacks on the Twin Towers in New York City, and the execution of Timothy McVeigh. Additionally, Carlson reported live from the G-8 Summit in Genoa, Italy, in 2001.

Since her time as an anchor at Fox ended, Carlson has spent her time writing and recently released her autobiography, titled "Getting Real," published in 2015 by Viking. In the book, she shares inspiring stories of her accomplishments and offers important takeaways for both women and men about what it means to strive for and find success in the world. The book features a Q&A page where the former host of The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson answers a fan who asked why Carlson decided to write the book. She responded that she felt she needed to share her life experience outside of television, such as a behind-the-scenes look at what went on outside her TV appearances. In 2019, a movie called Bombshell was released, based on the downfall of the late Fox CEO Roger Ailes. It was about the few ladies like Carlson who worked at the network and were fed up with his sexual harassment and set out to expose him.

Personal Life

In 1997, Carlson married a sports agent named Casey Close. Together, they have two children and reside in Greenwich, Connecticut. In September of 2016, Carlson settled her sexual harassment lawsuit against 21st Century Fox Corporation, Fox News's parent corporation, for $20 million. Despite numerous rumors of affairs on the internet, Carlson and Close have remained happily married throughout the years. In 2011, nearly three decades after her high school graduation, Carlson was named to the inaugural class of the Anoka High School Hall of Fame. In an interview, Carlson was asked how she felt about balancing work, family, and home life. She replied, "The first time I was asked whether women can 'have it all' was at the Miss America pageant. I said no. I didn't mean that women shouldn't fully pursue their dreams, only that we need to be honest with ourselves. I'm a person who likes to give 100 percent to everything I do. I want to be the best at my job and as a mother. But I'm not a superwoman. It's impossible to do everything 100 percent all of the time. And suggesting that women should be able to do it only puts more pressure on them."