Miss Cleo

Youree Harris was born on August 12, 1962,{{cite web |title=Youree D Harris, Born on August 12, 1962 in Los Angeles County, California |url=https://www.californiabirthindex.org/birth/youree_d_harris_born_1962_8028366 |website=CaliforniaBirthIndex.org |access-date=26 December 2022}} at Los Angeles County Hospital to Alisa Teresa Hopis and David Harris. She attended, as a boarder, Ramona Convent Secondary School, a Catholic girls' school in Alhambra, California.{{Cite web |website= Advocate.com | url= https://www.advocate.com/politics/commentary/2006/09/25/miss-cleo-comes-out|title=Miss Cleo Comes Out |date= September 25, 2006|access-date=July 27, 2016}}

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer{{'}}s Dorothy Parvaz reported that University of Southern California found no records that Harris had enrolled for four classes in 1980, as reported by People magazine.{{cite web |last1=Rogers |first1=Patrick |last2=Hogan |first2=Kate |title=The Truth About Miss Cleo: How a Privileged Girl from L.A. Became a Psychic Sensation |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/truth-miss-cleo-privileged-girl-171959485.html |website=people.com |publisher=yahoo news |access-date=26 December 2022 |date=July 27, 2016}}

In 1996, Harris as "Ree Perris", wrote a play entitled For Women Only, playing a Jamaican woman named "Cleo", in Seattle.

In 1997, Harris as "Ree Perris", produced and performed two plays with the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center in Seattle, Summer Rhapsody and Supper Club Cafe.

Her last project, Supper Club Cafe in 1997, was not successful, and she "left town with a trail of debts and broken promises", according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Some of the cast of her productions claimed that they were never paid, and that Harris "told her cast members she had bone cancer" and "her medical costs would prevent her from paying people immediately", but she wrote each actor and crew member a letter telling him or her how much money she owed them.

In January 1993,{{cite news |last1=Gaines |first1=Jim |title=Pop Culture Phenomenon Miss Cleo Remains a Mystery |url=https://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/pop-culture-phenomenon-miss-cleo-remains-a-mystery-6323143 |access-date=26 December 2022 |work=New Times Broward-Palm Beach |language=en}} Steven Feder and Peter Stolz (sometimes spelled: Stotz{{cite news |last1=Strouse |first1=Chuck |last2=Swanson |first2=Jess |title=Miss Cleo, Famed Fortuneteller, Dead at 53 Years Old |url=https://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/miss-cleo-famed-fortuneteller-dead-at-53-years-old-7948832 |access-date=26 December 2022 |work=New Times Broward-Palm Beach |language=en}} Stoltz[https://ag.ks.gov/docs/default-source/consumer-judgments/2001-2005/2002-c-1415.pdf?sfvrsn=9e2ad51a_4 2002-c-1415] - Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt Stolz{{cite news |title=2 MISS CLEO EXECUTIVES ENTER 'NO CONTEST' PLEAS |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-2002-10-03-0210030079-story.html |access-date=26 December 2022 |work=Sun Sentinel |date=2002-10-03}}) started Psychic Advisors Network, launched to compete with Psychic Friends Network using Philip Michael Thomas, Billy Dee Williams and Catherine Oxenberg.{{cite news |last1=Bean |first1=Matt |title=Seeing the future—or just dollar signs? |url=http://courttv.com/news/feature/cleo/misscleo_ctv.html |access-date=26 December 2022 |work=Court TV |date=January 17, 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021017154500/http://courttv.com/news/feature/cleo/misscleo_ctv.html |archive-date=17 October 2002}}

In 1997, Harris moved to Florida, met Steven Feder and Peter Stolz, Fort Lauderdale cousins behind Access Resource Services, doing business as Psychic Readers Network and took a call-taker job as reader No. 16153.{{cite news |title=Former 'Psychic Network' Miss Cleo content with life away from TV |url=http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/apr/04/former-psychic-network-miss-cleo-content-with/ |access-date=26 December 2022 |work=Spokesman.com |date=4 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090409023950/http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/apr/04/former-psychic-network-miss-cleo-content-with/ |archive-date=9 April 2009}}{{cite news |last1=Wortham |first1=Jenna |title=Miss Cleo Went From Joke to Legend |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/12/21/magazine/the-lives-they-lived-miss-cleo.html |access-date=26 December 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=21 December 2016}} Harris was using the Jamaican accent when she moved to Florida and began working as a tarot-reading psychic for a telemarketing center.{{cite news |last1=Rogers |first1=Patrick |last2=Morrissey |first2=Siobhan |last3=Stambler |first3=Lyndon |last4=Bonawitz |first4=Amy |title=Say It Ain't So, Cleo |url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20139413,00.html |access-date=26 December 2022 |work=People.com |date=March 3, 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921073913/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20139413,00.html |archive-date=21 September 2015 }} Harris was approached by Access Resource Services while working at an event in a Pompano Beach, Florida, mall and agreed to appear in an ad in 2000.

"the whole point was two things: keeping people on the phone as long as possible...and...telling people what they wanted to hear"{{cite web |last1=Barthel |first1=Rebecca |title=It Happened To Me: I Was a Telephone Psychic For Miss Cleo |url=http://www.xojane.com/it-happened-to-me/it-happened-to-me-i-was-a-telephone-psychic-for-miss-cleo |website=xoJane |access-date=26 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929232721/http://www.xojane.com/it-happened-to-me/it-happened-to-me-i-was-a-telephone-psychic-for-miss-cleo |archive-date=29 September 2012 |date=September 27, 2012}}

In the late 1990s, Harris began work for the Psychic Readers Network under the name Cleo. She appeared as a television infomercial psychic in which she claimed to be a shaman from Jamaica.{{cite web |url= http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-miss-cleo-dies-20160726-story.html|title=Actress who played TV psychic Miss Cleo dies of cancer at 53|agency=Associated Press|newspaper= Chicago Tribune |date=July 26, 2016 |access-date=July 26, 2016}} Her employers' website also stated that Harris had been born in Trelawny, Jamaica, and grown up there.{{Cite web |url= https://www.cnn.com/2016/07/26/entertainment/miss-cleo-youree-harris-obituary/index.html|title='Miss Cleo,' TV psychic network pitchwoman, dies| first= Lisa |last= Respers France |website= CNN.com |date=July 26, 2016|access-date=July 27, 2016}}

The network used the title "Miss Cleo" and sent unsolicited emails,{{cite news|work= Erie Times-News |title= Phone psychics' scam follows script|date=December 1, 2001|page=2}} some of which stated, "[Miss Cleo has] been authorized to issue you a Special Tarot Reading!... it is vital that you call immediately!" Charges of deceptive advertising and of fraud on the part of the network began to surface around this time.{{cite news| last= Lithwick| first= Dahlia| url= http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2002/03/with_psychic_friends_like_these_.html |title= With Psychics Like These…: The lawsuits pile up for Miss Cleo| work= Slate.com| date= March 26, 2002| access-date= August 4, 2015}} Among the complaints were allegations that calls to Miss Cleo were answered by her "associates" who were actors reading from scripts, and that calls promoted as "free" were in fact charged for.

A tie-in book, Keepin' It Real: A Practical Guide for Spiritual Living appeared in 2001. Its authorship was attributed to Miss Cleo.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/27/business/media/tv-psychic-miss-cleo-dies.html |title= Youree Dell Harris, the TV Psychic Miss Cleo, Dies at 53|last=Rogers|first=Katie|date=July 26, 2016|newspaper= The New York Times | issn=0362-4331|access-date=July 27, 2016}}{{cite book| author= Miss Cleo |title=Keepin' It Real: A Practical Guide for Spiritual Living |date=2001|publisher=Radar Communications|isbn=0-9715399-0-1}}

In 2001, Access Resource Services, doing business as Psychic Readers Network, was sued in various lawsuits originating in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas,{{cite news |title=Kansas investigating Miss Cleo's 'psychic hotline' |url=http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2001/sep/27/kansas_investigating_miss/ |access-date=26 December 2022 |work=LJWorld.com |date=September 27, 2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061205043105/http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2001/sep/27/kansas_investigating_miss/ |archive-date=5 December 2006}} Missouri,{{cite news |title='Miss Cleo' corporations cut a deal |url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/2002/10/03/Miss-Cleo-corporations-cut-a-deal/14351033665445/ |access-date=26 December 2022 |work=UPI |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Missouri sues company behind TV psychic Miss Cleo |url=http://articles.cnn.com:80/2001-07-25/justice/psychic.lawsuit_1_tv-psychic-miss-cleo-access-resource-services-pay-per-call?_s=PM:LAW |access-date=26 December 2022 |work=CNN |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100925202356/http://articles.cnn.com:80/2001-07-25/justice/psychic.lawsuit_1_tv-psychic-miss-cleo-access-resource-services-pay-per-call?_s=PM:LAW |archive-date=25 September 2010}} New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Florida and elsewhere, as well as the Federal Communications Commission,{{cite web |title=Access Resource Services, Inc. et al. |url=https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/cases-proceedings/012-3084-access-resource-services-inc-et-al |website=Federal Trade Commission |access-date=26 December 2022 |language=en |date=14 February 2002}}{{cite news| url=https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news02/cleo_settle.html |title=Miss Cleo Settles for $500 Million |date=November 14, 2002 | access-date=March 1, 2010| work= ConsumerAffairs.com |publisher= Consumers Unified LLC |quote=Consumers Unified, LLC d/b/a ConsumerAffairs.com (“we” or “us”) is a licensed mortgage broker, where applicable by law, with its principal place of business located at 600 East 4th Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74120. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030421224247/http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news02/cleo_settle.html |archive-date=21 April 2003}}

In 2002, the Federal Trade Commission charged the company's owners and Harris' promoters, Steven Feder and Peter Stolz, with deceptive advertising, billing, and collection practices; Harris was not indicted.{{cite web|url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2002/02/ftc-charges-miss-cleo-promoters-deceptive-advertising-billing-and|title=FTC Charges "Miss Cleo" Promoters with Deceptive Advertising, Billing and Collection Practices |website= FTC.gov |date=February 14, 2002 |publisher= Federal Trade Commission |access-date=July 26, 2016}} The network had billed its victims for an estimated $1 billion. Her promoters agreed to settle by paying a $5 million fine to the Federal Trade Commission, as well a combined debt forgiveness and refund checks to callers which came to a monumental $500 million.{{cite news | url=https://business.highbeam.com/5799/article-1G1-98252920/miss-cleo-settles-federal-trade-commission | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151121155003/https://business.highbeam.com/5799/article-1G1-98252920/miss-cleo-settles-federal-trade-commission | url-status=dead | archive-date=2015-11-21 | title='Miss Cleo' settles with the Federal Trade Commission – News and Comment | work= Skeptical Inquirer |volume=27|issue=2|date= March–April 2003 | first=Kevin | last=Christopher | page=8 | access-date=August 4, 2015}} It emerged during a lawsuit in Florida that Harris had been born in Los Angeles, and that her parents were American citizens.

The state of Florida also sued Harris under a provision of the law that allowed spokespeople to be held liable. Dave Aronberg of the Florida Attorney General’s Office led the state’s case against her. His successor dropped the charges.

On 11 July 2001, Harris started a company, Waghwaan Entertainment.{{cite news |last1=Gaines |first1=Jim |title=Old-School Psychic |url=https://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/old-school-psychic-6322600 |access-date=26 December 2022 |work=New Times Broward-Palm Beach |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Cleo's Tarot, Pyschic and Astrology Lines |url=http://www.misscleo-psychic.com/ |website=misscleo-psychic.com |publisher=Total Telcom Media |access-date=26 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010201062700/http://www.misscleo-psychic.com/ |archive-date=1 February 2001}}

Harris voiced the character of Auntie Poulet in the 2002 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.{{cite web |last1= Clary| first1= Mike |title= Psychic network accuses cereal maker of infringing on 'Miss Cleo' copyright|url=http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fort-lauderdale/fl-miss-cleo-cereal-lawsuit-20150826-story.html|website=SunSentinel|access-date=January 16, 2016|date=August 26, 2015}}{{cite web | url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/09/12/the-11-best-gta-supporting-characters | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140913015111/http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/09/12/the-11-best-gta-supporting-characters | url-status=dead | archive-date=September 13, 2014 | title=The 11 Best GTA Supporting Characters | work= IGN.com| date=September 12, 2014 | access-date=March 2, 2016 | last= Reed| first= Chris}}

In 2003, the New York Daily News reported that TV music network Fuse had signed Harris as a spokeswoman.{{cite news|first1= George| last1= Rush |first2= Joanna| last2= Molloy |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/141528p-125431c.html |title= Unde-Fuse-able feud |work=New York Daily News |date=November 30, 2003 |access-date= January 8, 2008 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20031205053234/http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/141528p-125431c.html |archive-date= December 5, 2003 }} In early 2005, Harris was reportedly appearing on television as Miss Cleo in advertisements for a used car dealership in Florida, according to the Broward-Palm Beach New Times.{{cite news |author= |url=http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/drink-and-scoot-6316047 |title=Drink and Scoot! |at=Section: "Call Me, Darlin'" |work= Broward-Palm Beach New Times |date=February 5, 2005 |access-date=January 8, 2008}}

Harris offered "readings", priced from $75 to $250, and "weddings", priced from $350 and up.{{cite web |title=Special Services |url=http://the-real-mscleo.com/services.htm |website=The Real Ms. Cleo |access-date=26 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221031613/http://the-real-mscleo.com/services.htm |archive-date=21 February 2009 |date=2008}} Harris had a podcast.{{cite web |title=Conversations with Cleo |url=http://www.conversationswithcleo.com/ |access-date=26 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140505090246/http://www.conversationswithcleo.com/ |archive-date=5 May 2014}}

In September 2007, Harris released a spoken-word CD, Convicted for My Beliefs.{{cite news |last1=Cunningham |first1=Jonathan |title=Miss Cleo, This Time for Real |url=https://www.browardpalmbeach.com/music/miss-cleo-this-time-for-real-6310671 |access-date=26 December 2022 |work=New Times Broward-Palm Beach |language=en}}

Under the name Cleomili Harris she spoke, from Toronto, about her experiences at the Psychic Readers Network in the 2014 documentary Hotline, which focuses on the history of telephone hotlines.{{cite news |last1=Sowunmi |first1=Jordan |title=Miss Cleo on Her Allegedly Fake Patois and Getting Ripped Off By the Psychic Readers Network |url=http://www.vice.com/read/we-spoke-to-ms-cleo-about-her-fake-patois-and-getting-ripped-off-by-her-old-bosses |access-date=26 December 2022 |work=vice.com |date=April 30, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502054425/http://www.vice.com/read/we-spoke-to-ms-cleo-about-her-fake-patois-and-getting-ripped-off-by-her-old-bosses |archive-date=2 May 2014}}{{cite web |url= https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/03/ms-cleo-coming-out-gay_n_5259690.html|title=The Elusive 'Psychic' Ms. Cleo Talks About Coming Out |first= Cavan |last= Sieczkowski |work= The Huffington Post |date=May 3, 2014|access-date=July 26, 2016}}{{cite web |author1=Hot Docs Fest |title=Hot Docs Trailers 2014: HOTLINE |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRoqVr01-gc |website=youtube |date=March 18, 2014 |access-date=26 December 2022 |language=en}}

In 2015, as Miss Cleo, Harris appeared in a series of advertisements for the General Mills breakfast cereal French Toast Crunch. The Psychic Readers Network sued on the basis that they owned the character of Miss Cleo. The advertisements were discontinued.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/youree-dell-harris-who-played-jamaican-psychic-miss-cleo-in-tv-ads-dies-at-53/2016/07/26/4f8d076c-5374-11e6-bbf5-957ad17b4385_story.html|title=Youree Dell Harris, who played Jamaican psychic 'Miss Cleo' in TV ads, dies at 53 |newspaper= The Washington Post|access-date=July 27, 2016}}

The Psychic Readers Network sued Benefit Cosmetics, a Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey subsidiary, for using Harris as "Miss Cleo" in a makeup commercial, as the persona{{'}}s owner.{{cite web |last1=Allison |first1=Wayne |title=Louis Vuitton's Benefit Cosmetics Sued Over "Miss Cleo" |url=https://allisonlegal.com/6129-2/ |website=Allison Legal Law Firm |access-date=26 December 2022 |language=en |date=11 October 2016}}{{cite web |last1=Joseph |first1=Samantha |title=Louis Vuitton's Benefit Cosmetics Sued Over Use of 'Miss Cleo' |url=https://www.law.com/dailybusinessreview/almID/1202769518327/ |website=Daily Business Review |publisher=American Lawyer Media |access-date=26 December 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20221226124337/https://www.law.com/dailybusinessreview/almID/1202769518327/ |archive-date=26 December 2022 |language=en |date=October 10, 2016}}{{cite news |last1=Walano |first1=Rose |title=Real Thing: The Glorious Miss Cleo Is Now Working a Compliments Hotline! |url=https://www.usmagazine.com/stylish/news/miss-cleo-joey-lawrence-shannen-doherty-benefit-video-201514/ |access-date=26 December 2022 |work=Us Weekly |date=1 April 2015}}

Harris married at age 19, gave birth to a daughter, and divorced at age 21. She had a second daughter while in her late 20s. In 2006, she came out as a lesbian.

Harris developed colorectal cancer, which metastasized. She died under hospice care in Palm Beach, Florida, on July 26, 2016, at the age of 53.

In December 2022, HBO Max released a feature documentary about Harris' life titled Call Me Miss Cleo.{{cite web|first=Nick|last=Schager|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/call-me-miss-cleo-documentary-unraveling-the-mystery-of-your-favorite-90s-tv-psychic-and-scammer|title='Call Me Miss Cleo' Goes Way Too Easy on the Scamming TV Psychic|website=The Daily Beast|date=December 13, 2022|accessdate=December 18, 2022}}

On August 10, 2024, Lifetime Movie Network released a Movie of the Week titled, Miss Cleo: Her Rise and Fall. The movie is a Hillionaire Productions film, and the executive producer is Jami McCoy Lankford.

{{reflist|30em}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090219172611/http://the-real-mscleo.com/ The Real Ms. Cleo]
• {{IMDb name|id=1268733|name=Youree Dell Harris}}
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4y8uubaIW4 Miss Cleo] on The Jenny Jones Show
• Paul A. Lucas. (2005) [https://web.archive.org/web/20060206223800/http://infomercial.tvheaven.com/miss-cleo.htm Miss Cleo] Ridiculous Infomercial Review
• [https://skepticalinquirer.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2019/03/Issue-05-10.pdf Flawed and Fraud] - Skeptical Inquirer

Category:1962 births

Category:2016 deaths

Category:Advertising characters

Category:American psychics

Category:Deaths from colorectal cancer in Florida

Category:Impostors

Category:American lesbian entertainers

Category:African-American LGBTQ people

Category:LGBTQ people from California

Category:People associated with the tarot

Category:Writers from Los Angeles

Category:Former Roman Catholics

Category:20th-century American LGBTQ people

Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people