Miss Cleo is from CA not Jamaica, man.

March 15, 2002 10:39 AM

Miss Cleo is from CA not Jamaica, man. Who would have thought that she was a fraud?
posted by aj100 (26 comments total)

There's no such person as Sergio Valente, either, as far as I can tell.
posted by jonmc at 10:44 AM on March 15, 2002

Check out the proof at The Smoking Gun.
posted by mrmanley at 10:47 AM on March 15, 2002

A fraud? NEVER! Don't you know she's physic, man?
posted by dwivian at 10:47 AM on March 15, 2002

As a psychic, she must've seen this coming.

I'll be here all month.
posted by Karl at 10:50 AM on March 15, 2002

Is there a Mrs. Butterworth? Or a Mr. Clean for that matter? Anyone who believed she was actually a "renowned shaman" and not simply playing a fictional character should be advised to watch television with caution.
posted by Fofer at 10:58 AM on March 15, 2002

fofer does have a point, she was more of a figurehead, but it's interesting, because some local radio station djs were actually FRIENDS with her. and she lied to them as well.

so if miss cleo was just a character, well, it would have been a different story. but she wasn't.

i'd much rather have jay and silent bob start up a psychic hotline.
posted by jcterminal at 11:04 AM on March 15, 2002

I don't think Silent Bob would make an ideal telephone psychic.
posted by goto11 at 11:24 AM on March 15, 2002

Whether Miss Cleo is a savvy sister from the Valley who wanted to make some cash, a well-intentioned actual psychic who fell in with crooks, or simply the greatest character actress of our time, I will always love her.
posted by RJ Reynolds at 11:31 AM on March 15, 2002

Well, at least she makes funny phone calls.
posted by robbie01 at 11:39 AM on March 15, 2002

Speaking of psychics...when I lived in Mountain View (CA), every so often there would be a "Psychic Fair" held in the community. Little posters and flyers were posted on telephone & uility poles around town. My question: why did they need to advertise?
posted by davidmsc at 11:51 AM on March 15, 2002

You mean that the incredibly bad fake accent wasn't a giveaway?
posted by Trik at 11:51 AM on March 15, 2002

She used to live here in Seattle a few years ago, and pretty much created the Miss Cleo character at a local theatre company. Like any grifter, she befriended many people who all thought the world of her before she picked their pockets and skipped town. She is very good at what she does.
posted by Lokheed at 12:06 PM on March 15, 2002

I knew someone would post this today.
posted by th3ph17 at 12:08 PM on March 15, 2002

I knew someone would make the "psychic fair advertisement" joke today.
posted by grum@work at 12:22 PM on March 15, 2002

the only psychic hotline I'd pay for is the one that calls me in my hour of need
posted by eyere at 12:27 PM on March 15, 2002

Wait...there's no Mrs. Butterworth, either?

OH GOD, WHY DO YOU MOCK ME?
posted by electro at 1:26 PM on March 15, 2002

When I was about four I used to beg my dad to buy Mrs. Butterworth's syrup because I honestly thought she would start tooling around the table, talking to me about pancakes.

I'm proud to say I've become wiser since then, and never for a second thought Miss Cleo was a real psychic. Whether or not she dispenses syrup is a matter for further investigation.
posted by jennyb at 1:37 PM on March 15, 2002

jennyb - that's the beauty of effective advertisng icons. I remember an ad for Bic pens that featured a spokesperson dressed as a banana. My 8-year-old self desperately wanted a banana costume for a few months. Failing that, I bought a pak of Bic's hoping the banana-acity would rub off somehow.
posted by jonmc at 1:49 PM on March 15, 2002

I still hide under my bed every time somebody makes Kool-Aid for fear of that awful Kool-aid man bursting through the walls and eating me.
posted by dcgartn at 3:05 PM on March 15, 2002

Anyone who has ever been around Jamaicans for more than five seconds would realize her phony accent. At least, that's what I thought. I have been thoroughly amazed at the people who accepted her Jamaican-ness as a given.
posted by owillis at 3:41 PM on March 15, 2002

I gotta say, though, I really enjoyed the cheesy commercials.
posted by alumshubby at 4:07 PM on March 15, 2002

dcgartn: don't come out from under that bed -- the second you peer out, he WILL get you. ;-)

eyere: damn, you're right. I'm mad that I didn't think of that, too!
posted by davidmsc at 7:33 PM on March 15, 2002

Anyone who is gullible(stupid) enough to fall for her act and think she is a Jamaican Shaman should be sued for breathing air that can be used by intelligent people.
posted by JakeEXTREME at 7:36 PM on March 15, 2002

I'd be worried about receiving any advice from a lady who would organize as outrageous a scam as this while not expecting to get her ass sued off. She's gotta be facing major jail time and penalties, right? Or maybe Harris & Co. knew this was coming, made as much money as they could before the lawyers airlifted, and hid it in the Caymans... you heard it here first!
posted by gsteff at 9:39 PM on March 15, 2002

I just don't understand why they want to shut her down. She's the stupidity tax the government is too PC to impose.

Take 80% of her profits to buy hot lunch for prostitutes, or to inoculate uninsured babies or something, and everybody could be happy.
posted by Sallyfur at 10:06 PM on March 15, 2002

Right now in the American midwest, thousands of Jerry Springer refugees are hanging their heads in profound shock and disbelief.

Now all we need is for somebody to tell them about Betty Crocker, Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben, and the Jolly Green Giant.

So don't you do it.
posted by Bixby23 at 11:19 PM on March 15, 2002