Youree Dell Harris, who was best known as Miss Cleo, a TV psychic in the 90s, died Tuesday morning after a lengthy battle with cancer. She was 53 years old.
A rep for Youree Dell Harris described her as “a pillar of strength” in her final hours, and that she passed comfortably with family and friends. Miss Cleo first came to prominence playing a Jamaican character in 90s psychic informercials, and gained much fame through her singular catchphrase “Call Me Now!”
In addition, Miss Cleo also provided voice work for the 2002 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City once her career as a TV psychic ended.
But outside of her professional career, she grew into a bigger model when she came out as a lesbian in 2006. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she attended a Catholic school, and, during an interview with The Advocate, she cites how her godson was instrumental in her decision to come out publicly.
“He and I started talking when he was concerned about coming out. He was 16. When he made the decision I told him I’d be there to support him 100%, and he embraced [coming out] wholeheartedly,” she told The Advocate.
“It’s a different vibe than when I was his age, being raised Catholic in an all-girls boarding school. But he was afraid of nothing, and I thought, I can’t be a hypocrite. This boy is going to force me to put my money where my mouth is.”
When she came out in 2006, she became a pillar of the LGBT community, being one of the more prominent open figures for her time, serving as a beloved staple of a generation for those who remember the TV psychic Miss Cleo all too well.
[Buzzfeed]
