A Documentary About '90s TV Psychic Miss Cleo Is In Production

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Miss Cleo, the popular television psychic whose commercials became iconic during the 1990s, is set to be the focus of an upcoming documentary.The documentary, produced by the nonfiction entertainment studio XTR and production company Majority, will explore the life and career of the alleged Jamaican shaman who rose to national prominence with the phrase “Call me now!” According to Deadline, Miss Cleo’s Psychic Reader’s Network raked in over $1 billion until the Federal Trade Commission brought charges against her in 2002, ultimately ending her career.Award-winning filmmaker Senain Khesghi, best known for her work on films such as Project Kashmir and The Diplomat, will direct the documentary about the late Miss Cleo (born Youree Dell Harris), who died in 2016 at the age of 53 after a bout with cancer.“Youree Harris may have been an accomplice or perhaps a victim in the Psychic Reader’s Network fraud, but she also had talent and personality, which for women doesn’t always translate into access or wealth,” Kheshgi said in a statement. “Her story is an example of how brown and Black women have historically been marginalized and exotified in society and popular culture.

The enduring image of the dark, mystical woman still continues to perpetuate this stereotype. As a woman of color and a director who wants to explore stories from diverse perspectives, I am moved by how Youree found a way to navigate her life on her own terms.”The forthcoming documentary will be executive-produced by XTR’s Bryn Mooser, Kathryn Everett, Justin Lacob, Abazar Khayami and India Wadsworth.