‘I thought about rolling out of the car at a high speed’ Gretchen Carlson opens up to Glenn

June 24, 2015

WRITER

Fox News host Gretchen Carlson joined Glenn today to talk about her book Getting Real

, which details some horrific past sexual abuses she suffered while in the workplace. In one instance she was so afraid she actually thought about jumping out of the car, and she was also stalked by a deranged individual for four years. How did she overcome it all? Check out the interview from radio today.

I want to welcome to the program Gretchen Carlson, she is part of Fox News, and she has a new book out called Getting Real. And Gretchen has been -- you know, she was Miss America. She seems like this happy-go-lucky person that nothing bad ever happened -- a lot of bad crap has happened to her in her life, and nobody ever talks about it. And in a country where we're battling, you know, a War on Women, you would think that she wouldn't have anything to talk about because she was Miss America, et cetera,, et cetera, but she's been in one of the slimiest industries, I believe, in the world. And that is the news media.

And in this book that she has, she talks about being sexually assaulted in the news media by people she worked for. Welcome to the program, Gretchen. How are you?

GRETCHEN: It's so great to be back with you. Thank you so much for having me.

GLENN: You're welcome. So can you just -- can you take us there? Because I find this remarkable, that these things went on. And I think they still go on.

GRETCHEN: Well, I'm hoping that some things have changed because some of my incidents happened more than 20 years ago. But I decided, Glenn, in Getting Real, that if I was actually going to write an inspirational memoir about my accomplishments and achievements, I was also going to tell everything else along the way as well and be extremely candid. And some of these stories are extremely painful, and I've never told them ever before.

You're alluding to the sexual harassment that I faced when I was Miss America at my first job in Virginia. And they are harrowing stories.

You know my mom used to put me to bed every night. And after saying prayers, say, you can be anything you want to be in this world. You have to work hard. Persevere and get through the pitfalls. She never told me that I was going to have these experiences with men, and not that she would have ever wanted me to have to go through something like that or warn me about it. But it was eye-opening to me when I was Miss America and it happened twice with two high-level executives, and both happened to be in cars.

You know, the details are pretty grisly. People can read about it in the book. And then on my first job in Virginia, it happened with a photographer who I worked with. And, you know, have you ever seen in movies where people roll out of cars because they're trying to get away from somebody who might hurt them in the car? That's actually what I went through. I thought about rolling out of the car at a high speed because I was so scared. This was before cell phones. You know, this is before --

GLENN: What was he doing?

GRETCHEN: You know, he had put a microphone on my blouse, which, you know, is close to certain body parts. And then when we got back in the car, he just started fantasizing about all of that and asking me how much I enjoyed it. And it went from there. You know, again, it's grisly. And I was -- I was fearing for my life, literally. We were in the middle of nowhere in Virginia, and I didn't know where this was going to go.

You add to that, Glenn, that for the first time ever in Getting Real, I talk about the fact that I endured a life-threatening stalker for four years. And the only reason I felt comfortable in telling this story in the book is because, in researching the book, I found out he's no longer with us. And I really wanted to help other women who have either gone through a similar situation like that or domestic violence even. Something very similar where they feel helpless.

GLENN: What did you do? What do you do during those fours years? How did you handle that?

GRETCHEN: Yeah. You know, he also stalked my parents, which was horrendous, because they got involved in the whole mix.

So he stalked me in Virginia. Then I moved to Cincinnati to my next job in TV, and he moved there. And the problem is that the laws don't really help the victims, you know. It was like nobody cared until the stalking victim was dead. And then they might pay attention to it. And I was basically terrorized on a 24/7 basis because when somebody is trying to find you, you are constantly looking over your shoulder. I mean I almost never really got started on a television career because the worst place to be was on TV when somebody was trying to find you.

So I finally got help from a detective in Cincinnati. I got this guy to trial. And guess what happened? He was convicted, and he got probation. After four years of absolute terror. And then he violated the probation. So he got one year in jail. That's it. He left me alone after that.

And as I just mentioned, in writing the book, I found out that he's passed away, so I felt safe enough to be able to tell this story for the first time. But, you know, these are just a series of stories that I share in Getting Real. That, sometimes as you alluded to, people look at radio or TV personalities and they think, wow, they've never had any issues, and everything just came easily. And I talk about a lot of other failures along the way.

I was a fat kid. I struggled with my self-identity. The message of the book is to build self-esteem especially for our young people today.

GLENN: How did you deal with -- how did you deal with that in television? I mean, I know what it's like for a guy in television.

PAT: You know what it's like to be a fat kid and a fat man.

GLENN: Thank you, Pat. And I know when I was over at CNN, they had issues with my size. And I know what it's like being at Fox. Just the unstated pressure of, better stay in shape. Better stay young-looking. But how did you deal with that?

GRETCHEN: Yeah, I don't know if it's just at Fox. Let's face it, television is a cosmetic industry.

GLENN: Yeah, I don't mean at just Fox. I mean, Fox is known for beautiful women. So I'm saying it's unstated. But I know I do, Gretchen. Television is horrible. Pat said this to me the other day too. You look in the mirror now and you start to see -- I'm a guy. I never even looked in the mirror ever. And you look in the mirror, and you start to see lines in your face. And you're like, oh, man, this looks horrible. And you just immediately know that that camera will be relentless.

GRETCHEN: Right.

GLENN: How did you deal with all of that?

GRETCHEN: The thing is, since I battled this as a child, I had to learn how to build my self-esteem in a different way. And through my music, you know, as a concert artist on the violin as a child -- so, you know, I think those are really great life lessons for anyone to note. But also for me, it's kind of like after turning 40, I don't really care anymore what people say about me or how they perceive me. You know, all the emails that come in, a lot of them are about my physical appearance still. And I just want to be clear, I still struggle with my weight. The only reason that I keep it somewhat in control is because I know how to deal with it now.

GLENN: You exercise all the time.

GRETCHEN: Well, I try to exercise. It's not like I wake up in the morning and eat a couple of Big Macs and just happen to look halfway decent on television. You know, I really -- I do struggle with my weight still today. And people can be relentless. But the thing is -- look, if you or I read all the emails or the tweets or Facebook posts that people say about us, we wouldn't get up in the morning.

The message and the reason why I talk about this in the book as well is that I do worry about our younger generations with a lot of this hate that goes on and with social media and so much focus on the exterior of people. So one of my great lessons in the book is to go back to building the self-esteem and self-confidence from the inside of our soul. And for me, you know, faith has a tremendous amount to do with that. So another huge theme is how faith has been my foundation in my life.

GLENN: Give me one more update. Tell me about your parents. I know when the Obama administration or Bush actually started it, he took over the General Motors. Then Obama came in and all of a sudden, all these Republicans lost their dealerships. Your family had owned a dealership forever.

GRETCHEN: Uh-huh.

GLENN: And lost the dealership because they were Republicans. Whatever happened to that?

GRETCHEN: Well, we never were able to prove exactly why they lost the dealership.

GLENN: Yes.

GRETCHEN: Thank you for having me on the show to talk about that extensively. Thank you for caring.

You know, my mom she said over my dead body is this thing going to go away. It's been in our family for over 100 years. And she fought back, Glenn. She became friends with every politician. She lobbied on Capitol Hill. And guess what, she got the dealership back.

GLENN: Holy cow.

PAT: Wow.

GRETCHEN: My mom is 74 years old, and she now runs the dealership. So I have an amazing role model, but we just built a whole new building. And they are coming back like wildfire. But it's a testament to another great lesson in my book about perseverance. Right?

I mean, I learned it from my parents and my grandfather who was a minister, who grew the church from 800 to 8,500 members. Hard work and perseverance, with some pitfalls along the way, build character in people. And my parents are shining examples of that.

GLENN: Name of the book is Getting Real. Gretchen Carlson is the author. And it's good to have you.

POLL: Are foreign hackers behind 2025 bridge crash?

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A Mexican Navy ship crashing into the Brooklyn Bridge has left the nation stunned, and Glenn is demanding answers.

Are recent devastating ship collisions—first Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge in 2024, now Brooklyn in 2025—really just accidents, or is something far more sinister at play? Glenn recently warned that these incidents, both involving foreign vessels losing power near critical U.S. infrastructure, could be “shark bumps” by foreign adversaries testing our defenses through cyber sabotage. With the government and media quick to dismiss concerns, Glenn is calling for urgent investigations into possible hacking, independent audits of our ports and bridges, and a serious look at whether our enemies are exploiting vulnerabilities in our digitized systems.

Glenn wants to know what you think: Are these crashes coincidental, or are we under attack? Let us know in the poll below:

Could the recent ship crashes into American bridges be the result of cyber attacks by foreign adversaries?

Should the US government investigate these incidents for possible foreign interference?

Is our critical infrastructure adequately protected from cyber threats?

Are you concerned that foreign adversaries might be targeting US infrastructure through cyber means?

Do you think the media and government are properly addressing the security concerns raised by these incidents?

Glenn: Biden’s autopen scandal rocks White House

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Top Democrats knew Biden’s health was deteriorating but covered it up to keep power. Jake Tapper’s book finally lifts the lid on their deception.

Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson’s new book confirms what we suspected all along: Joe Biden’s health was rapidly declining, and the Democratic Party establishment knew it. Rather than be honest with the American people, they chose to cover it up, to prop up Biden just long enough to survive the election cycle. And the media helped them do it.

For years, any mention of Biden’s cognitive decline was framed as a “right-wing smear,” a baseless conspiracy theory. But now, Tapper and Thompson reveal that Biden’s top aides privately discussed the need for a wheelchair after the election — because the man can hardly walk.

We had no functioning president for much of the past administration.

And while Biden’s closest aides were planning that, they and their allies in the press were publicly spinning the fantasy that Joe Biden’s halting gait was due to a heroic foot fracture from a dog-related incident four years ago. They said his frailty was due to his “vigor.” That’s not a joke. That’s a quote.

And while they said this, they were having special shoes made for him with custom-made soles to help him stand. They weren’t planning for a second term. They were planning how to prop him up — literally — just long enough to survive the election. That is a cover-up.

It doesn’t bother me that Biden might need a wheelchair. What bothers me — what should bother every American — is that his aides talked about hiding it until after the election.

Biden wasn’t leading

Needing a wheelchair in your 80s is not a moral failing. It’s human. I own President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s wheelchair — it sits in my museum. That chair represents the strength and resilience of a man who, despite paralysis, led this nation through World War II against a dictator who was gassing the disabled and infirm. He hid his disability out of fear the public wouldn’t accept a leader who couldn’t walk. But he led.

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But Joe Biden wasn’t leading. He was a puppet played by faceless swamp creatures whose only concern was maintaining their iron grip on power.

Whatever you think of Tapper, the book reveals the chilling reality that we had no functioning president for much of Biden’s administration. Our commander-in-chief wasn’t just aging — he was declining. And the people around him — government employees, funded by your tax dollars — weren’t honest with you. They lied to you repeatedly and willfully because the truth would have guaranteed a second Trump term. That’s what this was all about.

Who signed the pardons?

Consider the implications of this revelation. We had a president signing documents he didn’t read — or even know about. We had an autopen affixing his name to executive actions. Who operated that autopen? Who decided what got signed or who got pardoned? Who was in charge while the president didn’t even know what he was doing?

Those are not minor questions. That is the stuff of a constitutional crisis.

The problem isn’t Biden’s age. The problem is that the people you elected didn’t run the country. You were governed by unelected aides covering up your elected president’s rapid cognitive decline. You were fed a lie — over and over again. And if anyone tried to blow the whistle, they got buried.

Don’t get distracted by the wheelchair. The chair itself is not the scandal. The scandal is that people inside your government didn’t want you to know about it.

They made a bet: Lie until November, and deal with the fallout later. That is an insult to the American people — and a threat to the republic itself. Because if your government can lie about who’s running the country, what else are they lying about?

We need further investigation and to hold these crooks accountable. If we don’t, it will happen over and over again.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

The Woodrow Wilson Mother's Day loophole

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I’ve got a potentially helpful revelation that’s gonna blow the lid off your plans for this Sunday. It’s Mother’s Day.

Yeah, that sacred day where you’re guilt-tripped into buying flowers, braving crowded brunch buffets, and pretending you didn’t forget to mail the card. But what if I told you… you don’t have to do it? That’s right, there’s a loophole, a get-out-of-Mother’s-Day-free card, and it’s stamped with the name of none other than… Woodrow Wilson (I hate that guy).

Back in 1914, ol’ Woody Wilson signed a proclamation that officially made Mother’s Day a national holiday. Second Sunday in May, every year. He said it was a day to “publicly express our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.” Sounds sweet, right? Until you peel back the curtain.

See, Wilson wasn’t some sentimental guy sitting around knitting doilies for his mom. No, no, no. This was a calculated move.

The idea for Mother’s Day had been floating around for decades, pushed by influential voices like Julia Ward Howe. By 1911, states were jumping on the bandwagon, but it took Wilson to make it federal. Why? Because he was a master of optics. This guy loved big, symbolic gestures to distract from the real stuff he was up to, like, oh, I don’t know, reshaping the entire federal government!

So here’s the deal: if you’re looking for an excuse to skip Mother’s Day, just lean into this. Say, “Sorry, Mom, I’m not celebrating a holiday cooked up by Woodrow Wilson!” I mean, think about it – this is the guy who gave us the Federal Reserve, the income tax, and don’t even get me started on his assault on basic liberties during World War I. You wanna trust THAT guy with your Sunday plans? I don’t think so! You tell your mom, “Look, I love you, but I’m not observing a Progressive holiday. I’m keeping my brunch money in protest.”

Now, I know what you might be thinking.

“Glenn, my mom’s gonna kill me if I try this.” Fair point. Moms can be scary. But hear me out: you can spin this. Tell her you’re honoring her EVERY DAY instead of some government-mandated holiday. You don’t need Wilson’s permission to love your mom! You can bake her a cake in June, call her in July, or, here’s a wild idea, visit her WITHOUT a Woodrow Wilson federal proclamation guilting you into it.

Shocking Christian massacres unveiled

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Is a Christian Genocide unfolding overseas?

Recent reports suggest an alarming escalation in violence against Christians, raising questions about whether these acts constitute genocide under international law. Recently, Glenn hosted former U.S. Army Special Forces Sniper Tim Kennedy, who discussed a predictive model that forecasts a surge in global Christian persecution for the summer of 2025.

From Africa to Asia and the Middle East, extreme actions—some described as genocidal—have intensified over the past year. Over 380 million Christians worldwide face high levels of persecution, a number that continues to climb. With rising international concern, the United Nations and human rights groups are urging protective measures by the global community. Is a Christian genocide being waged in the far corners of the globe? Where are they taking place, and what is being done?

India: Hindu Extremist Violence Escalates

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In India, attacks on Christians have surged as Hindu extremist groups gain influence within the country. In February 2025, Hindu nationalist leader Aadesh Soni organized a 50,000-person rally in Chhattisgarh, where he called for the rape and murder of all Christians in nearby villages and demanded the execution of Christian leaders to erase Christianity. Other incidents include forced conversions, such as a June 2024 attack in Chhattisgarh, where a Hindu mob gave Christian families a 10-day ultimatum to convert to Hinduism. In December 2024, a Christian man in Uttar Pradesh was attacked, forcibly converted, and paraded while the mob chanted "Death to Jesus."

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recommends designating India a "Country of Particular Concern" and imposing targeted sanctions on those perpetrating these attacks. The international community is increasingly alarmed by the rising tide of religious violence in India.

Syria: Sectarian Violence Post-Regime Change

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Following the collapse of the Assad regime in December 2024, Syria has seen a wave of sectarian violence targeting religious minorities, including Christians, with over 1,000 killed in early 2025. It remains unclear whether Christians are deliberately targeted or caught in broader conflicts, but many fear persecution by the new regime or extremist groups. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a dominant rebel group and known al-Qaeda splinter group now in power, is known for anti-Christian sentiments, heightening fears of increased persecution.

Christians, especially converts from Islam, face severe risks in the unstable post-regime environment. The international community is calling for humanitarian aid and protection for Syria’s vulnerable minority communities.

Democratic Republic of Congo: A "Silent Genocide"

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In February 2025, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an ISIS-affiliated group, beheaded 70 Christians—men, women, and children—in a Protestant church in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, after tying their hands. This horrific massacre, described as a "silent genocide" reminiscent of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, has shocked the global community.

Since 1996, the ADF and other militias have killed over six million people, with Christians frequently targeted. A Christmas 2024 attack killed 46, further decimating churches in the region. With violence escalating, humanitarian organizations are urging immediate international intervention to address the crisis.

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