The King who Save the Kingdom

Alex de Oliveira is now a long-time friend of SambaLa and of President David and show director Doris de Hilster. This is his third trip to Long Beach and he has been king over 7 times in Rio de Janeiro - something of a modern-day record. Yet this is not his greatest of feats.

In the early part of the 21st century, Rio de Janeiro decided that it would do away with the King of Carnaval, Rei Momo (or King Momo). This tradition is a very old tradition of carnaval and is symbolized by the handing over of the key of the City to the King of Carnaval signifying the transition from a formal government, to the kingdom of Carnaval. This ceremony is held with the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro for many decades, yet they wanted to abolish the contest.

Yes, the contest was getting out of hand with the contestants having to weight well over 300 lbs or more. This was not in line with the morals of modern society but that was not the problem. They simply didn't think it important any more. Outdated. Over played. Yet they underestimated one person: Alex de Oliveira. David de Hilster, the international organizer of Unidos do Mundo from 2000 to 2004 talked extensively with Alex during one tough year where Alex was fighting to keep the tradition alive. He was struggling to convince people that the position was one of a historic and symbolic one that should not be lost to the modern trappings of Rio's huge carnaval commercial machine.

But somehow he prevailed. Somehow he convinced the powers at be that the contest and position was not worth giving up. And he was willing to change also. He did gastric bypass surgery recently and lost an incredible amount of weight. Part of the new rules to be king was not a minimum weight, but a maximum. Alex is now a real skinny minny and looks great.

But he will always be remembered for his saving of the King's position in the grandest of grand carnaval parties - Rio de Janeiro's Carnaval.

... where he is still literally the king!