Karen Mcdougal Biography

Early Life And Education of Karen Mcdougal

Karen McDougal was born in Merrillville, Indiana, near Gary, on March 23, 1971. She belongs to American nationality and is of Mixed ethnicity (Cherokee Indian and Irish descent). When McDougal was 9, her mother, Carol McDougal, remarried after which the family moved to Sawyer, Michigan. She has 3 older brothers, Bob McDougal, Dave McDougal, and Jeff McDougal, and a younger sister, Tina McDougal. Growing up in Merrillville, Indiana, she studied ballet and tap dance with a dream to become a ballerina.

McDougal was a cheerleader, band member, and a member of the color guard, during her high school. At the time, she was also heavily involved in sports, played volleyball and softball. Her high school nickname was “Barbie” because she was considered wholesome and sweet. She graduated from high school in 1989. 

McDougal later attended Ferris State University at Big Rapids, Michigan, majored in Elementary Education. After studying for a couple of years in college, she began working as a preschool teacher in Detroit, Michigan.

Karen Mcdougal's Professional Career

Modeling

McDougal went on to compete in the local Venus Swimwear swimsuit competition in Michigan which she won, earning a spot at the international finals in Florida. After the competition, she caught the eye of Playboy photographer David Mecey who approached her for a test shoot at Playboy Studio West.  

Karen McDougal got a chance to try out for Playboy, in the late 1990s. The American businessman and magazine publisher Hugh Hefner announced McDougal as the 1998 Playmate of the Year. For winning the Playmate of the Year, she also received $100,000 and a special edition silver Shelby series 1 convertible with a customized Michigan license plate "PMOY 98".

McDougal then featured on the cover of many following issues of Playboy. She also featured on The Magic Hour to promote her PMOY issue. In a poll conducted by Ranker, she listed number one on the hottest Playmate of the 90s.

McDougal was the first woman to feature on the cover of Men’s Fitness magazine, in March 1999. She expanded her career in modeling by featuring in fitness and several bodybuilding magazines, including Muscle & Fitness in January 2000, Physical in June 2004 and Iron Man.

In 2002, Karen McDougal released a limited edition doll based on her likeness. After a couple of years, she appeared in a photo spread in a fashion and lifestyle magazine Vogue, alongside fellow Playmates, Pamela Anderson, Tishara Cousin, and Audra Lynn.

Following her success as Playmate of the Year, McDougal featured in various pin-up posters, magazine covers, calendars, advertising campaigns, clothing, swimwear, promotional events, and lingerie catalogs.

Film And TV

In addition to her contribution to modeling, Karen McDougal has also appeared in several TV programs and played a number of significant roles in movies. Her acting credits include Joe Dirt, Charlie's Angels, Grind, The Girl Next Door, Lovespring International, Anger Management, The O'Reilly Factor.

According to her Instagram bio, McDougal works as a fitness model and a columnist for OK Magazine, Radar Online, and Star Magazine.

Other Work And Hobbies

In 2010, McDougal became one of the prime shareholders of Pharmore Alternatives, a company selling various health and wellness supplements. At the beginning of 2011, she attended the 2011 AVN Adult Entertainment Expo as a promoter.

Karen McDougal loves riding motorcycle and is an avid car collector. She bought a pink custom-built motorcycle, in 2004. The motorcycle received the Best Radical Custom award. She is also an animal supporter who has a small puppy named Shihtzu.

Karen Mcdougal's Net Worth And Height

Karen McDougal has a height of 1.73 (5 ft 8inch).

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Karen McDougal’s estimated net worth is around $1 million, as of February 2018.

McDougal was awarded $100K and a special edition silver Shelby Series 1, after becoming the Playmate of the Year. A high-performance roadster Shelby Series 1 was worth around $225,000 at that time. Currently, McDougal is a fitness model and a columnist for several well-known magazines such as Ok Magazine and Star Magazine.

According to some reputable online sources, McDougal earns more than $60,419 annually as a fitness model. She is a former Playboy model who earned between $55,989-$60,516 while she was working for the company. 

Reportedly, McDougal was offered $150,000 by the American Media, Inc. the owner of the National Enquirer, to acquire the rights to her story about her affair with Donald Trump. She featured in a 2000 American action comedy film Charlie’s Angeles which grossed a whopping box office collection of around $264.1 million worldwide.  

Karen Mcdougal's Personal Life

Former Playboy model, McDougal is not married yet and has no children. She allegedly had an affair with Donald Trump over a decade ago while he was married to his current wife, Melania Trump. McDougal reported that she and Trump first met at Hugh Hefner’s mansion in June 2006. 

Trump started talking to McDougal at the party and they hit it off. She claimed that he finally asked for her phone number and got her number at the end of the night. The alleged couple later started talking on the phone and finally began an affair, shortly after the birth of his son Barron Trump with Melania.

McDougal claimed Donald Trump offered her money after they had a sex. The relationship between them continued for several months and the affair ended in April 2007. Following their break-up, McDougal’s friend John Crawford said that she was feeling guilty regarding her affair with Trump.

The American Media, Inc. the owner of the National Enquirer offered her $150,000 to acquire the rights to her story about her affair with Trump. However, the story is yet to be published.

In 2007, Karen was romantically involved with the actor Bruce Willis. The couple dated for only a year and broke up in late 2008.

Five fascinated facts about McDougal.