In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Miss Cleo became a household name thanks to her vibrant personality and the unforgettable Miss Cleo Psychic Commercial that urged viewers to call me now! for tarot readings and psychic guidance.
I guess I’ll date myself here, but I was just in high school when these commercials were airing and became popular. And if it weren’t for fearing the wrath of my parents when they opened their phone bill, I would have taken Miss Cleo up on calling her.
Her fame grew as she became synonymous with late-night infomercials, overtaking the association once dominated by Dionne Warrick. She delivered insights with a distinctive Jamaican accent that was nothing if not forced.
In recent years, her life and legacy have been revisited through the Miss Cleo documentary titled Call Me Miss Cleo, which explores the fascinating and controversial story behind her iconography.
This article explores who Miss Cleo was, the cultural impact of her commercials, the merchandise tied to her persona, and the revelations uncovered in the documentary.
Who Was Miss Cleo?
Miss Cleo, born Youree Dell Harris on August 12, 1962, in Los Angeles, California, was an American television personality who skyrocketed to fame as the face of the Psychic Readers Network.
Adopting a Jamaican persona, she presented herself as a mystical shaman with extraordinary tarot-reading and psychic abilities. To this day, her catchphrase, “Call me now!” has become part of popular culture, and her personality captivated viewers across the United States. At the height of her fame, she was being interviewed even on mainstream talk shows.
Despite her charming and charismatic public image, Miss Cleo’s life was far more complex. It was revealed that her Jamaican heritage was fabricated, a character developed as part of her role with the Psychic Readers Network.
Prior to her psychic fame, Harris was an actress and playwright, with a background in theater that heavily influenced the Miss Cleo persona. While controversies surrounding her authenticity and the ethics of the Psychic Readers Network marred her reputation, her legacy remains iconic.
The Miss Cleo Psychic Commercial and Merchandise
The Miss Cleo psychic commercial was a defining feature of late-night television in the late 1990s. I swear, I can’t remember late night TV without it, an ad for Britney Spears’ debut album, and the infomercial for the George Foreman grill.
These infomercials featured Miss Cleo passionately offering tarot readings, often engaging with callers live to provide them with psychic insights. Her larger-than-life personality, paired with her dramatic delivery, made her an instant hit. The commercials were a mix of entertainment and mysticism, presenting Miss Cleo as a trusted confidante who could unravel the mysteries of life.
The commercial’s success spurred an entire brand. Merchandise tied to Miss Cleo included tarot card sets (its among my favorite tarot deck that I both own and use to this very day), psychic reading guides, and even hotline memberships.
Her name became synonymous with psychic entertainment, and the products allowed fans to bring a piece of her mystical aura into their own lives. Though many questioned the legitimacy of the Psychic Readers Network’s claims, there’s no denying the lasting impact of Miss Cleo’s vibrant presence on TV.
My favorite tarot deck, second only to my original deck by Ciro Marchetti!
The Miss Cleo Documentary: Call Me Miss Cleo
The Miss Cleo documentary, Call Me Miss Cleo, offered a comprehensive look at the person behind the television persona.
Released in 2022, this documentary uncovers the layers of Youree Dell Harris’s life, exploring her rise to fame, the controversies surrounding her career, and the challenges she faced both personally and professionally.
What the Documentary Covered
Having just watched this documentary earlier this year on HBO Max, I feel qualified to give brief rundown of what it covered:
- Her Early Life and Career: Before she became Miss Cleo, Harris was a playwright and theater performer. The film explores how her theatrical background helped shape the Miss Cleo character.
- The Psychic Readers Network: It reveals the inner workings of the network, shedding light on the company’s controversial practices, including lawsuits and allegations of consumer fraud. Funnily enough, Miss Cleo was just the face and personality, but she owned no rights to her likeness or any merchandise.
- Her Persona vs. Reality: The film discusses the public’s fascination with her accent and personality, contrasting it with her real-life identity as an African-American woman from Los Angeles.
- Personal Struggles: The documentary also covers her battles with health issues, financial troubles, and her later life, where she attempted to move beyond the Miss Cleo persona.
The documentary makes several surprising revelations, including:
- The company used aggressive tactics to lure callers and faced legal troubles for unethical practices. Miss Cleo, however, was often seen as a scapegoat for the organization’s failings.
- Harris maintained that she truly believed in her ability to help people, despite the controversies surrounding her methods.
- She actually had a psychic gift that was marred by her association with Psychic Readers Network.
Call Me Miss Cleo is both a celebration and a critique, painting a nuanced portrait of a woman who became a cultural phenomenon.
It was incredibly infuriating to watch how she was railroaded as a double minority (African American and woman) by two greedy, corporate Caucasian men who received nothing more than a slap on the wrists for their unscrupulous practices, while Cleo went down as a pariah.
Conclusion
Miss Cleo remains an unforgettable figure in the world of psychic entertainment.
The Miss Cleo psychic commercial brought her vibrant persona into millions of homes, creating a legacy that still sparks conversations today. Her merchandise and hotline services made her a cultural icon, while the recent Miss Cleo documentary, Call Me Miss Cleo, offered new insights into her life and the complexities behind the persona.
From her theatrical roots to her status as a pop culture legend, Miss Cleo’s story is a mix of charisma, controversy, and cultural impact.
Ultimately, Miss Cleo’s story and legacy is one of intrigue. While her career was marred by controversy, her ability to captivate audiences and make an indelible mark on television history cannot be denied.
Call Me Miss Cleo invites viewers to re-examine her story with fresh eyes, revealing the humanity behind the mystique.
Whether celebrated as a psychic entertainer or critiqued for her role in the Psychic Readers Network’s practices, Miss Cleo’s impact is undeniable and enduring.