Alicia Machado

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Yoseph Alicia Machado Fajardo (born December 6, 1976), commonly known as Alicia Machado, was the fourth woman from Venezuela to win the Miss Universe crown. She won the Miss Venezuela 1995 pageant representing Yaracuy.

Machado was born in Maracay in the state of Aragua. She is the daughter of a Cuban father and Spanish mother. Despite not being a major favorite for Miss Venezuela, Machado defied all predictions and went all the way to win the Miss Universe 1996 pageant 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, and was marred by a scandal surrounding her weight gain following her win.

[edit] Weight controversy

Shortly after her crowning, Machado was asked what she would do now that she was Miss Universe. She immediately replied in Spanish "Eat! Eat! Eat!". The heavy schedule of her new responsibilities as Miss Universe left little time for the intensive weight-control program that had previously undertaken, and she soon gained weight. The Kellogg Company, breaking a contract, withdrew the planned production of "Special K" breakfast cereal boxes featuring Machado's photo. Donald Trump referred to her publicly as an "eating machine," insisting that winners of the title have an "obligation to stay in a perfect physical state." Finally, when Machado had gained a total of 40 pounds, Pageant officials insisted that she lose 27 pounds in two weeks or lose her title. With the help of aerobics instructor Edward Jackowski, (who determined that Machado's ideal weight was somewhere between 125 and 130, not the 118 pounds she had been when she won the title), she managed to lose weight and retain her crown.

[edit] After Miss Universe

One of the most controversial beauty queens in history, she has followed a short television career with a new foray into music. In 2004 she launched the Latin American segment of her new album by performing onstage at the Miss Venezuela pageant, appearing as an honored guest along with the country's first Miss Universe, Maritza Sayalero.

Among the controversies that have followed her career is a supposed rivalry with fellow former Miss Universe Amelia Vega, who is also breaking into the Latin American music industry. Another was the breakup of her engagement to major-league baseball star Bobby Abreu in May 2005. Abreu, an idol in the Latin world and an icon in Venezuela, split with Machado after she was filmed having sex with another man on La Granja ("the farm"), a Spanish program similar to Big Brother. They had been planning to marry in December.

During 2004–2005, she pursued a career as a TV commercial model with particular success in promoting a dieting product.

On February 19, 2006, Alicia 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) where the winner have the chance for a dream to be true, it is very similar to Dancing with the Stars (USA) and Mira Quién Baila (Spain).

During her stay in Mexico, Alicia appeared on the cover of the Mexican edition of Playboy magazine for the February issue of 2006, becoming the first and only Miss Universe to do so.[1] She dedicated her photographs to Donald Trump.