Raúl "El Gordo" De Molina (born March 29, 1959, in Havana, Cuba) is a Cuban-American television presenter, best known as the co-host of the Univision Network entertainment news show El Gordo y la Flaca, for which he won multiple Emmy Awards.[1]
Early life and education
Raúl De Molina was born in Havana, Cuba in 1959. De Molina's father was detained as a political prisoner for 24 years by the Communist Party of Cuba. De Molina's family left Havana and lived in Spain when he was 10 years old. They moved to the United States when he was 16.[2] As a child, De Molina became interested in photography. While in high school, he took photos for the school yearbook.[3] He later attended The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. He was also a graduate of Miami Photography College in North Miami. [4]
In 2005, De Molina's photography was displayed in the "Pictures of a Lifetime" exhibition at the Gary Nader Gallery in Miami.[9]
Television
De Molina began appearing on various talk shows during the 1990s, including The Joan Rivers Show, Maury Povich Show, and Geraldo.[4] These early television appearances brought him to the attention of Spanish-language channels Telemundo and Univision.[10][11] He made appearances on shows like Sábado Gigante, and in 1998 became the co-host of El Gordo y la Flaca, alongside Lili Estefan. He has continued to host the show ever since, which has more viewers on its time slot than ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX combined.[12]
He has hosted and reported for programs such as Primer Impacto, Ocurrió Así, Hola América, and Club Telemundo, as well as primetime specials and his own productions.[13]
De Molina has also covered live events such as the Latin Grammy Awards in Las Vegas,[14] and the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square, Manhattan.[15][16] While in South Africa to cover the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Molina was stranded during a safari when his car engine caught fire, and he was surrounded by lions. According to Molina, he was rescued after a passing family gave him a ride.[17]
In 2008, De Molina was chosen as one of the "Most Influential Hispanics" in the United States by People en Español.[18] He was featured in both the "Most Beautiful" and "Best Dressed" special issues of People en Español.[19]
In October 2008, Random House published his second book La Dieta del Gordo about his own struggles with weight, and his secret to losing 70 pounds.[20] De Molina was an inaugural contributor to the HuffPost's Food section. He continues to write regular columns on food, healthcare, sports and Hispanic culture.[21][22][23][24] He is also a regular contributor to AOL News.[25]
De Molina married his wife Millie de Molina in 1994, and they have a daughter named Mia.[29] He travels extensively and documents his journeys through photography, and frequently vacations with his family.[6] He is a survivor of kidney cancer, and has spoken publicly about his efforts to lose weight and improve his health.[30]
De Molina serves on Art Basel's host committee, and his annual party is regarded as the unofficial "kick-off" event of the international exhibition show.[33]
He has an interest in cars, which he developed as a young teen living in Spain where he often watched car races. His personal car collection includes a special edition 2013 Mini Cooper GP, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and a 2006 Ford GT40.[2]
Philanthropy
De Molina has supported various philanthropic organizations, especially those related to children's health. He sponsors Voices for Children and the Miami Children's Health Foundation.[34] He is an ambassador and sponsor for the Nicklaus Children's Hospital. De Molina photographed the hospital's patients and employees for its 2016 benefit calendar.[35]
Awards
De Molina has received several Emmy Awards, with his most recent nomination in 2016.[36] In addition, he has won three Suncoast Regional Emmys.[11]
In 2013, he was presented with the 20 Years Career Award during the 31st TVyNovelas Awards to commemorate his career.[37] He was awarded the "Outstanding Achievement in Hispanic Television" at the 14th Annual Hispanic Television Summit in 2016.[38]
De Molina and his co-host Lili Estefan were awarded their own stars on the Las Vegas Walk of Stars in 2009.[39]
