The first Miss Universe winner after Donald Trump bought the show said that he treated her so badly she needed therapy.
Alicia Machado was 19 when she won the crown in 1996. Trump insulted and bullied her when she gained weight in the months following the pageant. He called her “Miss Piggy,” and he said that she was “an eating machine” on the Howard Stern radio show.
Machado was one of the dozens of women interviewed about how Trump had treated her. Trump told the media that she “liked to eat” and said that she had gained 50 pounds when the gain was actually closer to 15 pounds.
Many of his pageant contestants reported sexist treatment. The first year as owner of the Miss USA pageant he kissed several of the women on the mouth more than once. Temple Taggart, Miss Utah 1997, said that he kissed her on the mouth. He also invited her to visit him in New York to discuss her modeling career. He advised her to lie and say she was 17 because he thought 21 was too old. Interviews with other contestants revealed:
“…unwelcome romantic advances, unending commentary on the female form, a shrewd reliance on ambitious women, and unsettling workplace conduct.”
Trump generally treats women badly. Here is what he said after saying Hillary Clinton is playing the “woman card:”
“I mean all of the men, we’re petrified to speak to women anymore. We may raise our voice. You know what, the women get it better than we do, folks, alright? They get it better than we do. Look, we’re living in the real world. This political correctness is killing our country.”
He’s obviously playing the “man card,” but I guess that’s okay.
We need to keep this sexist asshole away from the Oval Office.
Video of Machado being crowned Miss Universe in 1996:
Featured image via YouTube screengrab.
