- Her family has a General Motors auto dealership in Anoka, Minnesota. It has been in the Carlson family for 90 years [2009].
- National celebrity spokesperson for the March of Dimes, since 2002.
- One of her babysitters was Rep. Michele Bachmann.
- Her family's General Motors auto dealership received a letter notifying it to close by late 2010 [June 2009].
- Met future husband, Casey Close, on a blind date.
- Recovering from lime disease [August 27, 2013].
- Miss America 1989. First classical violinist to be crowned Miss America. Her platform was to promote the arts.
- 1990 honors graduate of Stanford University, with a degree in sociology (organizational behavior). Also, studied at Oxford University in England.
- Miss Minnesota 1988.
- Of Swedish descent, with roots in Småland on both sides of her family.
- When they were younger, Gretchen and her sister played violin and cello, respectively, for five Christmas services at the church where their grandfather was a minister.
- Received the March of Dimes' Volunteer Honor Award on September 30, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia.
- In 1984, was elected as one of the Anoka High School homecoming attendants and was named Miss Teen Minnesota and was first runner-up in the 1984 Miss Teen USA national competition.
- Began her own Fox News Channel talk show, The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson (2013), in Fall, 2013 after she was replaced on Fox and Friends (1998) by Elisabeth Hasselbeck [July 9, 2013].
- Lives in Connecticut with her husband and their children. (2010)
- Her father, Lee Carlson, celebrated his 80th birthday on April 26, 2014.
- Has a son, Christian Close, 6, and a daughter, Kaia Close, (born May 17, 2003) [2009].
- Favorite pro football team is the Minnesota Vikings.
- Her husband, Casey Richard Close, is a sports agent, whose clientèle include Ryan Howard, Derek Jeter and Josh Hamilton. His hometown is Columbus, Ohio.
- Graduated from Anoka-Hennepin School District 11's Anoka High School, where she was the 1984 class valedictorian.
- Recuperating from shoulder surgery in January, 2009 [February 7, 2009].
- Has an older sister (by three years), Kris Carlson Germain (born on January 17, 1964), and two brothers.
- Her parents' GM dealership in Anoka, Minnesota, Lee Carlson's Main Motors, has not been reinstated as of March 11, 2010.
- Before coming to Fox News in 2006, she joined CBS News as a correspondent in 2000 and then began working on CBS Saturday Morning (1997) as a co-anchor in 2002.
- Her parents are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary [May 20, 2011].
- Played by Vanessa Bayer on Saturday Night Live (1975).
- She is the daughter of Karen Barbara (Hyllengren) and Lee Roy Carlson.
- Was a middle child in her family.
- Had a Russell terrier as a pet.
- She and her friend, Eric Bolling, were both married on the same date, October 4, 1997.
- Her sister, Kris Carlson Germain, and brother-in-law, Henry Germain, are adopting a child from Guatemala [November 21, 2007]. They already have two children.
- Her father, Lee Carlson, celebrated his 75th birthday on April 26, 2009.
- First met Patrick McEnroe when they were both attending Stanford University.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content