Congrats to country star Gretchen Wilson, who has officially proved herself the academic equal of Jamie-Lynn Spears.
The 34-year-old, who dropped out of high school after ninth grade, passed the GED in April, and will graduate on May 15.
Gretchen says the reason she decided to get her GED was her seven-year-old daughter. “I certainly don’t want her to think you can be this successful without an education.”
It’s funny; I’ve always been a huge proponent of higher education, but, after twenty years of secondary, college and graduate education, I’ve settled happily into a job that doesn’t even require a high-school diploma. It’s ironic. But when I mention that, people are always quick to point out that, while my job currently doesn’t require much in the way of non-celeb education, I probably would have had a much harder time building this website and growing the audience without all that education. So, you know, stay in school, I guess. :)
An education after high school is great because i get to learn about so many things that i would never be able to had i gone straight to work. and beet- if the celeb obsession ever dies done you’ll be happy that you did go to school. you know unless you meet Adrian Grenier and run off into the sunset with him. in that case, your education will have proven to be worthless.
“I certainly don’t want her to think you can be this successful without an education”
I didnt know being a 1 hit wonder was successful
i’d never heard of her until i read this… but good on her for gettin her ged :)
20 years of secondary, college, and graduate education? Beet, aren’t you in like your mid-twenties? Quite the prodigy were you? ;) The puppy s cuter than hell, BTW. The bladder control thing can be a problem with the little guys, keep on him & (cover his ears!) neuter him early.
First of all, I really don’t think getting your GED qualifies you as being educated.
I too am doing a job that doesn’t require a university degree but I have one and nothing can take that away. So your job might not require one on the job application however it’s important that you are able to write clearly, state an argument, prove said argument and be clever at the same time. You wouldn’t be able to do that with just a GED. All that to say, if you didn’t have those skills (acquired through education), you wouldn’t be able to do your job.
Jamie-Lynn Spears is wise. She opted to get her GED before her baby’s birth, so there will never an issue of who should be reading whom Dr. Seuss.
I’m a proponent of using the word proponent.
After completing my advance degree I’ll be over 30k in debt.
I sometimes am ashamed that I just have a high school diploma. But I have a great career, very good salary, and not a penny in student loan debt. There are pros and cons to everything. I got lucky. And it doesn’t hurt that my lack of college degree isn’t indicative of a lack of intelligence or knowledge, just a decision not to pursue one. I think I’m a pretty smart cookie and that’s gotten me where I am in life. You’re probably similar. You could do this job without your college education. But not everybody could. It’s not about the degree or lack thereof, it’s about the intelligence and skill of the person doing the job.
I think you can be successful without going to college, I was just too afraid to risk it.
Good for Gretchen. Honestly she’s made a killing as a member of the Muzik Mafia, so it obviously wasn’t something she had to do. I’m all for self-betterment!
What job do you have exactly? How does one get a smut writing job? I’d really like to know.
Currently my boyfriend who got an associates is making much more than me and he still manages to bitch about it despite the fact that he has a job that involves what he ‘loves’.
jerkwad.
The reason I read your blog, Beet, is that you’re obviously intelligent, worldly, and a good writer. Celebrity gossip as a genre is about as banal as you can get; it takes a good writer with an incisive wit to turn gossip into entertaining social commentary. Years of schooling aren’t the only way to develop those skills, but they sure help.
I was teaching SAT Writing prep last year. Some of the kids’ writing skills were great, but some of the others…I’m afraid…I’m very afraid…
Windy, I dunno if you’re asking me or someone else (I presume you know what Beet does…) but I’m a software tester for an insurance company. I work from home and make good money, it’s a good deal. :) Took me a while to work up to it, I started 10 years ago in a pretty entry level position. But intelligence, creativity and drive will always make a difference and forge you a path if you try.
I know I lucked out. I do know tons of people with degrees struggling like crazy though. It’s all a crap shoot.
um… she doesn’t want her daughter to think she can be successful without an education.
but gretchen whatever didn’t prove anything, since she JUST GOT an education and she ALREADY WAS successful.
does she not understand this (aka does she need some MORE school), or is she just planning on not explaining to her daughter the timing of this whole thing?
She is so beautiful. Her blog and photos were found at dating site —“W e a l t h y l o v I n g .c o m ” —- last week. I am wondering what kind of relationship she is seeking on that site.
She is a beautiful woman and it is great that she got her GED i am proud for her and she is makeing herself a GREAT influence to her daughter!
SHE IS AMAZING!!!! LOVE GRETCHEN WILSON!
Wow wont she be looked at as a high class educated person by her redneck peers? She is a disgusting individual and the only reason shes so popular is the downfall of music she has no talent what so ever
I agree with Ryan, I saw a video of one of her live “performances” one day. I was amazed at how little talent she has. The idea that “ignorance is bliss” has been purported for a long time by the red neck community and if that’s the case, Gretchen must be in euphoria! Real talent went out a long time ago in show business. Has anyone heard of Eleanor Powel? Buddy Rich? etc. Modern day entertainment is little more than super hype and greed. Wilson is a no talent. I don’t care how hard she works.