Alicia Machado

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. Machado was born in Maracay in the state of Aragua. She is the daughter of a Venezuelan father and Cuban-descent mother.Machado won the 1995 Miss Venezuela 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 two Venezuelans from the same pageant won two world titles. 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 and retained her title. Donald Trump, however, was less magnanimous. While calling in live on the Howard Stern radio show to promote the 1997 Miss Universe pageant, he called her an "eating machine," which earned her more international fame.
In 1998 Alicia made her debut on the popular Venezuelan soap opera Samantha as the lead role. Following the success of Samantha she was called to start in Infierno en el Paraiso another successful soap opera that made her a well known actress.In 2001 she had a small role on the international successful soap opera Secreto de Amor. During 2004–2005, she pursued a career as a TV commercial model with particular success in promoting a dieting product. In 2005, Machado appeared on a spanish reality show called La Granja de los famosos ("The Farm") and caused scandal when she was filmed having sex with another show participant. After the film and photos became public, her then-fiancee, New York Yankees' right fielder Bobby 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 (U.S.) and Mira Quién Baila ("Look Who's Dancing") (Spain).
Machado appeared in (and on the cover of) the February 2006 issue of Playboy magazine's Mexican edition, thus becoming the only Miss Universe to pose nude for Playboy. She dedicated her photographs to Donald Trump and Shane Filan (former dream lover). One of her movies was titled I love Miami, sharing credits with Ofelia Medina.
She currently lives in Mexico City. On June 25, 2008, Alicia gave birth to her daughter, Dinorah Valentina, with then boyfriend, Mexican businessman Rafael Hernandez Linares.

Soap Operas

* Samantha (1998)
* Hell in Paradise. (Infierno en el paraiso,1999)
* Secret Love .(Secreto de Amor,2001)
* Mambo and Cinnamon . (Mambo y Canela ,2002)
* The Panther.(El Pantera, 2007)
* Love without makeup .(Amor sin maquillaje,2007)

Awards

* Miss Yaracuy 1995
* Miss Venezuela 1995
* World Cofee Queen 1996
* Miss Universe 1996
* ACE (Best New Actress (1998))
* Midia Awards (Best New Actress. (1998))