For her Lunch column on FishbowNY this week, Diane Clehane attended the 4th annual gathering of influential and inspirational women assembled by Hearst CCO Joanna Coles at Michael’s. Among the attendees, Gretchen Carlson.
“It’s been a surreal experience,” Carlson said of her June departure from Fox News, the filing of a sexual harassment lawsuit, the resignation of Roger Ailes, and a $20 million settlement with 21st Century Fox. “Now I’ve got all these new buckets to fill in my life,” Carlson said.
She told me she’s currently at work on multiple projects, which include a new book about “female empowerment” which she describes as “a playbook on dealing with sexual harassment.” She is also planning on doing speaking engagements and launching a foundation dedicated to the same mission. Said Gretchen: “It’s about standing up and speaking up.” She said news about the book’s title and publisher are imminent. Gretchen told me she’s been contacted by “over 10,000 women” since she went public about her experiences. “I responded to every single one of them.”
AdvertisementIn addition to her newfound advocacy work, Gretchen said she hopes she will land another on-air job. “One of my buckets is getting me back on television. When this first happened, I thought I’d be sitting home.” When I told her that seemed unlikely she said, “I had no idea what to expect. You just never know what your life’s mission is going to be.”