Machado to Pen Book About Her Negative Experiences with Donald Trump

Former Miss Universe Alicia Machado is ready to write the world’s wrongs…

The 38-year-old former-beauty-queen-turned-actress/singer is planning to write a book about the “abuses of power” and “racism” she suffered at the hands of Donald Trump in the mid-‘90s during her reign.

Alicia Machado

Machado was crowned Miss Universe in 1996, the fourth woman from Venezuela to win title, and soon after made headlines for concerns about her increasing weight.

When Machado was crowned she weighed 118 pounds, and eventually the 5-foot-9 beauty queen reached 160 pounds. Pageant officials apparently found the weight unacceptable and threatened to revoke her crown if she didn’t trim down.

Months before the 1997 Miss Universe pageant, in which Machado was due to hand the crown over to her successor, Donald Trump — who partly owns the Miss Universe Organization — called in fitness expert Edward Jackowski to help Machado lose weight through a rigorous diet and exercise program, all of which was documented by photographers and camera crews.

Trump told People magazine back in 1997, “We want her to stay as Miss Universe and she is working on her problem. When you win a beauty pageant, people don’t think you’re going to go from 118 to 160 in less than a year, and you really have an obligation to stay in a perfect physical state.” The real estate mogul also reportedly called Machado “an eating machine” during an interview on the Howard Stern show.

Machado, then 20 years old, told People at the time, “Before Miss Universe I was a normal girl, but my life has had big changes. I travel to many countries, eat different foods.”

The beauty queen has since been very vocal about her experience with Trump, calling him “a detestable being” as recently as June to Mexican newspaper La Reforma.

In a formal statement issued earlier this week, Machado’s reps declare that she “will share all the details, abuses of power, arrogance, and racism on Donald Trump’s part that she suffered in the flesh, issues that Alicia will share for the first time and at the appropriate time so that the whole world can see who this person really is, someone who has gained even more notoriety recently for his attacks on the Mexican people.”

Machado currently stars in Televisa’s new Spanish telenovela Lo Imperdonable. The statement mentioned that after her contractual duties with the soap opera are over, Machado will announce more details about the book. Until then, “she won’t be saying anything else on the matter.”

Castillo Advances to “America’s Got Talent” Finals

Joe Castillo is prepared to sand and deliver as he moves one step closer to the America’s Got Talent title and one-million dollar prize.

Following the first round of season 7 semifinals, the Mexican-native sand story artist has moved forward to the finals of NBC’s reality talent competition.  Castillo was one of three acts from the first semifinal round, which featured 12 acts, to advance.

Joe Castillo

Earth harpist William Close and stand-up comedian Tom Cotter advanced to the finals based on viewers’ vote, leaving the judges to choose between Castillo and dog ventriloquist/comedian  Todd Oliver.

Howard Stern cast his vote for Oliver, while Sharon Osbourne and Howie Mandel picked Castillo, sending the sand story artist to the final round.

Joe Castillo

Castillo has made an impression on the judges and America with his unique way of storytelling that features sand, a light table and music as a medium.

One of a handful of sand story artists in the world, Joe has performed hundreds of sand stories for eight years in more than 18 countries around the globe.

Next week, 12 other acts will perform in a bid to get viewers’ support to nab the last three positions in the finals. The winner receives $1 million and a headline show in Las Vegas.