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Alicia Machado Profile |
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Birth Date: December 6, 1976
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Birth Place: Maracay, Venezuela
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Birth Name: Joseph Alicia Machado Fajardo
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Height: 5'11"
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Biography |
Alicia Machado was the fourth woman from
Venezuela to win the Miss Universe crown. Machado was born
in Maracay in the state of Aragua. She is the daughter of a
Cuban father and Spanish mother.
Machado won Venezuela's 1995 pageant representing Yaracuy
and then the Miss Universe 1996 crown in Las Vegas. The
runner-up, Jacqueline Aguilera, also won the Miss World 1995
crown, marking the second time that Venezuela had held the
two world titles simultaneously. Machado's reign came as
Donald Trump took ownership of the Miss Universe pageant.
During her reign as Miss Universe, Machado made headlines
when it was reported that she gained too much weight and the
Miss Universe Organization was considering replacing her
with her runner-up, Taryn Mansell of Aruba. In the end,
Machado managed to shed some of the weight off and retained
her title. Donald Trump, however, was less magnanimous
(kind). While calling in live on the Howard Stern radio show
to promote the 1997 Miss Universe pageant, he called her an
"eating machine".
During 2004–2005, she pursued a career as a TV commercial
model with particular success in promoting a dieting
product. She also became engaged to Venezuelan baseball
player Bobby Abreu, then with the Philadelphia Phillies. In
2005, Machado appeared on a Spanish reality show called La
Granja ("The Farm") and caused scandal when she was filmed
having sex with another show participant. After the film and
photos became public, Abreu broke off their engagement.
On February 19, 2006, Machado debuted on a Mexican reality
show named Cantando Por Un Sueño ("Singing For A Dream") a
program in the line of the previous Bailando Por Un Sueño
("Dancing For A Dream") in which the winner has the chance
for a dream to come true. The show is very similar to
Dancing with the Stars (USA) and Mira Quién Baila ("Look
Who's Dancing") (Spain).
Machado appeared on the cover and in the Mexican February
2006 edition of Playboy magazine. She became the first and
only Miss Universe to pose nude for Playboy. She dedicated
her photographs to Donald Trump.
One of her movies was titled I love Miami, sharing credits
with Ofelia Medina.
She currently lives in México. |
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Other
Information |
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Miss Universe 1996 |
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since September 4, 2007