Gretchen Wilson Takes a Single Lady’s Pop Quiz

Listen up, guys. If you want to date Gretchen Wilson, you've got to be energetic, funny ... and over 40. Our favorite 'Redneck Woman' is very much the single girl at the moment, though probably not for long. The Boot puts on our matchmaking hats to find out what the country star is looking for in a man, along with her thoughts on love, heartache, and who should pick up the check.

What's a deal-breaker for you in a relationship?

Obsessive gum chewing.

Is it hard to meet eligible men when you're famous?

It actually is. I can't remember if any man has ever asked me out on a date -- ever. I've always had to be the instigator. I think I'm intimidating. Maybe it just shows I'm happy being single. [laughs]

If you were to put out a personal ad, what would you say about yourself?

Single, white female, seeking someone who can tolerate anything.

What qualities in a man turn you off?

Laziness. I can't stand anybody who's lazy. I work too much, and I'm constantly moving. My motto is: If you don't go to bed completely exhausted, you've wasted a day. I can't handle laziness.

What's a turn-on for you in a man?

Sense of humor ... easy going, kind of go-with-the-flow.

Does personality trump good looks when you meet a single guy?

Absolutely, always has. And I can prove that by photographs of the men I've dated! [laughs]

Is it important for you to date someone exclusively or do you like to play the field?

All or nothing. It's exclusive or not at all.

Who is your celebrity crush?

Clint Eastwood. He is damn good looking. I have not been able to get 'The Bridges of Madison County' out of my head.

Have you ever had a broken heart? If so, how did you mend it?

Yes, I have had a broken heart ... and time is all that really works. Your first real love ... when everybody's making fun of you saying, 'Oh, it's just puppy love.' Those are the ones that just hurt so bad! And you look back when you're an adult, and how you felt like somebody was just ripping your heart right out of your chest, and nobody understood ... and it was over nothing more than he held hands with another girl. Those are the ones that really get you. I can't even imagine what I'm going to go through when my daughter starts feeling those things. I don't know how I'm ever going to deal with any young man. I'm going to hate them all.

When was the last time you had the first date jitters?

I'd say six or eight months. That lasted about two months. The one thing I think I've learned in the last couple of years is that I'm going to have to stick with 40 and up. I'm 36, I'll be 37 in June.

Would you be offended if your date expected you to pay for dinner?

No, I usually do anyway. [laughs] I always tell that little joke that I pull out the company card, and go, "I'll just put this on the company card ... oh, wait, that's me."

Would you consider dating someone 10 years younger than you?

I have dated someone 10 years younger, and I've dated someone 10 years older. Maybe it's insecurity, but I feel more comfortable with an older man. Do you want to go to an awards show and sit next to Britney Spears? No, not really! Can you sit a couple of really ugly people in between us?

What is your idea of a fun date?

It would be hanging out here at my house -- fishing, having a barbecue, four-wheeling and drinking a couple of beers. Just hanging out and talking, getting to know each other.

You're out on a date, and a very attractive girl flirts with your man. What do you do?

Beat the s--- out of her. [laughs] I don't know. How do you handle that situation? I probably wouldn't react. I'd probably wait to see how he reacted. If there is a reaction, maybe you rethink the date you're on to begin with.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is it for you to be in love?

One. I just really don't have time for it. I always say that, but I don't want it right now. I've worked really hard to get myself where I'm at, and I've gotten to a really good spot where I feel like I'm being a full-time, 100 percent parent [to eight-year-old daughter, Grace]. Everything from dropping her off in the morning to packing her lunch to being at every Easter egg hunt and every school outing. And I've got the other side of my life which is my career, and running a record label, and being a songwriter and a producer, and running a fan club and doing all that stuff. What little bit of time I get to myself, I like to keep it to myself. I keep trying to have a relationship, and I resent somebody within a week for taking up too much of my time.