MISS CLEO COMES OUT; WILL BE ON SURREAL LIFE
Saturday, September 23, 2006

In The Advocate, Miss Cleo (born Youree Dell Harris) reveals that she was inspired to come out because of a gay, teenage family member:
- “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 100%, and he embraced [coming out] whole-heartedly. 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.’”
On why she decided to stay in the closet until now, when she’s in her 40s:
- “The reason it’s scary is because in my personal experience, black cultures throughout the world have a more difficult time accepting homosexuality in their family. I have family members who will be shocked; they don’t know. I have some family members who are very close to me, and they know. But I’ve been afraid of the wrath, of the exile. When I came out to a number of friends in the late ’80s, I had a number of friends who turned their backs on me and walked away That was really intense. I really believed they were my friends.”
In related news, Ms. Cleo will join the cast of the reality series The Surreal Life. It is scheduled to air on VH1 in late 2006-early 2007.








72 Comments
1.
Angel.La
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
One of her old commercials..
2.
hdizzle
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
What the FEEZY.
3.
Mark (South Side Chi)
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
Do some of these people just get up one day and decide they wanna be gay? I seriously dont think 100% of these gay celebreties were born gay.
4.
antoinette
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
ok…who just really cares if MS. CLEO is gay??? it aint like she is some well respected celebrity that could represent the gay community. She is a Nobody and needs to sit her nobody ass down.
5.
tee
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
i remember this crazy bithc lol
6.
hdizzle
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
My shock aint for her comming out of the closet. Its from the shock of this woman still being in the news.
7.
Tracey
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
that’s right #1, this shit “came” out of left field, while out of the damn closet, lol. who knew….
8.
Mark (South Side Chi)
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
People will go this far for some little publicity……….
9.
Ja' Net pronounced Jah-Neh
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
call me now for your free psychic reading!
10.
pittbboi
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
Wow, I’m pretty shocked.
It’s nice that she came out in support of her young family member. However, at the same time, I wonder why she didn’t respect her family enough to come out to them personally. I understand that she’s afraid, but, it would suck to learn something like that from hearing it on the street.
11.
Dino
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
“Call me now, for your free terror reading.”LMAO
Thats all I remember from her. I remember they said she wasn’t really Jamaican and she was phoney and thats why she got fired/cancelled. **shakes head/laughs**
12.
hdizzle
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
AHH shit she gon be on sureal life. Ima have to whatch that. If not just to see what her real voice sounds like. But on some real shit I dont care about her or her damn nephew but the advocate is a gay mag and they dont have much to report on seeing how you can count the number oven OPEN gay celebs on one hand.
13.
hdizzle
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
“whatcha waiten’ fee” taht had me rollin.
14.
jewell
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
i wonder if she’ll use her fake jamaican accent while on the Surreal Life
as far as her coming out of the closet…
I can’t imagine living all those years and lying about who I am just so that others will be comfortable.
15.
Lea
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
Why is she relevent? She is not even a has-been cuz she was never a celeb to begin with.
16.
Asentha
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
This reaks of desperation! Who cares if she’s gay???
17.
TOOMUCHTOOHANDLE
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
What is up with all this gay celeb news?! Miss Cleo, Jay-Z’s mom, Oprah,Gayle, Lil Wayne, Baby, the damn blind news people…..sigh. It’s too much. I don’t think all these celebs are gay. Gay men are only less than 3% of the total population and lesbians are even a smaller percentage. Maybe some people are born gay(Only God knows for sure) but I think other people are just jumping on the bandwagon.
18.
ashleigh
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
i always knew. look at dat picture. it just scream carpet muncher
JAY Z’S MOM IS A LESBIAN?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? when and where did this cum about. is dis tru???? I NEED ANSWERS!!!!
19.
Cassius25
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
LoL…..Forget About Being Gay I wanna see how she gonna act on the Surreal Life??? See if Somebody gonna clown her for not being a real pyschic!!!!!
20.
Class Of 2007
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
@ 17. There are many more gay men than just 3 percent, maybe 3 percent are out of the closet and the rest are afraid to admit what they are because of fear of what family and society will think of them, the same follows for lesbians….most of the people in prison are having sex with eachother, which means they are gay or lesbian. But i’m shocked to see when anyone comes out, especially in the media, that takes alot of courage so i’m happy for her.
21.
Nix
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
lol @ fer less than $1.00 a minute
i want to hear what her real voice sounds like too
her jafakin azzzzz
22.
Nix
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
and i know she had a nice stash when she got pulled off tv
i hope she saved some of that
23.
Mark (South Side Chi)
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
. Maybe some people are born gay(Only God knows for sure) but I think other people are just jumping on the bandwagon.
^^^^^^^^^^^^
lol, thats the same thing is said. If gay folks makes 3% of the men, women then I think like another 7% in the closet. making the total 10%. But even that number is low, its like celebraties get more famous for being gay.
24.
sheneice
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
SHE STILL ALIVE
25.
pittbboi
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
lol–oh really? How many celebrities out there are coming out and getting more famous for it?
26.
MissTee2U
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
Cosigning with number six!!! LOL
Who gives a good damn? I mean what a waste of time. Post the horrible story about the black woman in E. St. Louis killing her girl and stealing her baby out of her womb. Now there is a search on for her other children…. I know this is an entertainment site, but that’s some shit people need to know about. This is the ill shit going on out here every day.
27.
pissed off motha
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
is this another rosie o donnell fay ass rumour?
28.
LadyMahogany
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
I remember those commercials,they came on like every ten minutes if not sooner.She used to tickle me.
29.
Carla
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
::Sigh:: It’s ashame she’ll go this far to get back on tv. It’s not a coincidence that the Surrel Life is about to come back on and her ass comes out of nowhere to get get back in the public eye.
30.
StylishLibra
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
O.K., 2day, I just have seen and heard too much to stay quiet:
Open your eyes and minds. This is nothing new: many people being homosexuals. It’s just that these days they don’t really have to hide it anymore. There were always plenty of lesbians and homosexuals back in the day (think of how many “aunts”, “sisters”, “uncles” who were really of no blood relation to eachother who lived together, also that guy from the Brady Bunch, etc. nobody knew til later. They just felt they had to hide it, now it’s still hard, butmore accepted somehow.
I have a college friend who even went as far as to get engaged to a man just to see if she could escape being gay, notw she’s embraced who she is and doesn’t care what others think. Most people aren’t ashamed, they just know life will be much harder because of how society treats homosexuals so they stay in the closet.
When they come out they are not jumping on the bandwagon, they are just more comfortable to make it known. Now, I know some girls just think it’s cute and sexy to hug up and kiss and dance on one another at clubs just to get attention, but I’m not talking about them.
I’m not gay, I personally think that most gays are born that way though (even as children I could tell my cousin wasn’t as “masculine” as the others) and others become that way through traumatic experience (molestation, rape, etc). We do have to be more accepting as a community though: love is love, the color or sex of the one you love should make a difference.
AS FAR AS MS. CLEO: she was a fake on t.v. so ppl will think she’s a fake here or even if they do elieve her she’ll get no respect from them because she was a liar from the get-go and is not an influence in the entertainment world.
31.
Peaches
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
She looks like a lesbian…no surprise to me!!
32.
hdizzle
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
LADYMAHOGANY what you been doin wit mis cleo…. Im jus playin, chill out.
33.
SUGA BUGA
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
YAWWWWN,
CALL ME NOW!!
34.
Freida
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
Hahahahaha. Some of yall niggas act like yall was trying to hit up Miss Cleo for some ass or something. Hahaha, why does anyone care about this? Hahahaha
35.
blackspirals
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
#31 Peaches
I’m just curious, what does a lesbian look like? I’ve never met one before.
36.
LadyMahogany
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
hdizzle lol you are funny,unlike some people on here I don’t jump to conclusions.That’s funny you tried to cover it real quick.lol
37.
Catajstrophe
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
Isn’t this chick’s 15 seconds (yes, I said it right) of fame over!?!? Question: Why does she look like Queen Latifah’s twin in Set It Off? LOL.
38.
Ms1derful
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
Really…?
Who gives a shit about Ms. Cleo?
39.
brownsugah305
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
She looks like the man who was on that Martin episode. The one where he had the Christmas special on Word on the street and he came through with a fake bomb strapped to his chest?
I knew this lady was a fake since she first came out. I even have a tape of me pretending to be her…
40.
NetworKing
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
I think alot of people are gonna start coming out like next year. Times are a changing. I dont think people give a shit too much anymore!
41.
NetworKing
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
well maybe black people, but we got all kinds of issues with people. Some of us are really pathetic.
42.
lilli
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
Just my opinion….
I have been to several blogs…but I must say this community of bloggers is one of the most HOMOPHOBIC I have ever been on. I was reading a story the other day about Baby and Wayne “supposedly” kissing on each other. Well, the who kiss thing is their way of trying to be like the MOB…but regardless…sisters were all typing about how disgusting it was for 2 men to kiss…
Then they wonder why they have to “worry” about their boo ‘Kenny’ being on the DL…Most brothers are on the DL cause of hateful, stereotypical, phoney calling on the Lord, sisters that make these brothers date you in order to hide who they really are.
If we (Black Community) were more accepting of people, then Kenny would not have to date you and get with Ray Ray behind your back!!
SMH!
43.
lilli
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
IN Addition, let me say that the HOST of this site seem to be very open minded and not homophobic. I have read where Angela has called people to task and told them some of their hateful comments were as she said ‘that shit aint cool’
44.
Shannon
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
Maybe this would be interesting if she was someone who’s sexuality we were concerned with. C’mon. It’s Ms. Cleo! So what?
Lilli: Clapping! Black folks betta get off that mess and stopped being so damn concerned with who folks are sleeping with.
45.
sally sue
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
Being gay is not who you are its what you do. I can’t stand when gay people say “well this is who I am” as if taking it in the exit defines who you are…
And yes, sex is what it boils down to because with out the sex it would just be a friendship…no matter how much people try to deny it, its about perversion, who cares if its two consenting adults? Its still perversion.
46.
GG Boo
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
Seems to me that last statement (45) is the reason people stay in the closet. I’m not gay and not personally attacking 45, but I can seriously see why a person would stay hidden or on the DL. Just my 2$. (There’s no cent sign on here so I’ll just have to donate a little more this time)
47.
Leti
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
She is such a joke.. Her accent is 100% fake!
She is not even from the Caribbean,and doesn’t even have any Caribbean lineage…A few yers ago,they did a story on her on the local news here is DC, cuz she was living here. There was some class-action lawsuit against her from people who called the psychic line and were majorly overcharged. They tracked her down where she was shopping in a local DC grocery store…They copnfronted her with the lawsuit papers and bills…she was so shocked and embarassed…she spoke, and had no accent whatsoever!!..Totally American(not a surprise). She filed for bankruotcy due to all the lawsuits. She’s broke as a joke!
She looked f***ed up and ashy!!
48.
Quadee
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
#17 and #23
Thats the most insane stupid ass shit I ever heard in my life. You both make no damn sense.
49.
afro jamaicano
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
duh…no woman that wears those big smocks is dick chasing…… good for her… i don’t care her entire “career” has been a sham/shame, she lied about being pshyicic and was lying about her sexuality
50.
Elvira
Saturday, September 23, 2006 /
#45, you couldn’t be more wrong. Sexual orientation is not determined by who you are sleeping with. Your Sexual orientation is formed well before you ever sleep with anybody. Nobody turns gay or bi, some just discover their true sexual orientation later in life because they were taught to believe what you believe. That just because you have heterosexual sex, it makes you heterosexual. Nothing could be futher from the truth. Sex is an act that anybody can participate in regardless of desire or arousal. Unfortunately it’s that very same principle that makes heterosexuals question true homosexual orientation. In their minds, homosexual desire does not exist and being gay is just a conscious decision. Sexual orientation can not be consciously decided, just like you don’t consciously decide your favorite flavor of Icecream, all you know is that it taste good to you, but you have no idea why.
51.
BETTYB
Sunday, September 24, 2006 /
WHO CARES ABOUT HER UGLY, MANLY LOOKIN ASS.
52.
mizzlizz
Sunday, September 24, 2006 /
nice explanation elvira.
lol really, who cares about ms. cleo =]
53.
soulchild
Sunday, September 24, 2006 /
class of 2007 u are so right. and us younging aint no exception! so many guys i graduated wit comin out 2 b gay and had girlfriends and was sleepin wit them and he boys. man……
54.
afro jamaicano
Sunday, September 24, 2006 /
#17 wuhs up w/ all the gay celeb news? well in the blk community ANYTHING other than heterosexuality is seen as perverse, so blacks always try to find the people that are dif and ostrisize them.
#45 being gay is not a choice or anyhting, u are born being gay!! scietists don’t know hwy or how but that’s how it is. now honestly let me ask u this: if god thought homosexuality/bisexuality was wrong then why wude he allow people to be born w/ it?? he controls eveything in the world!! he knows wuh yi gun fi say b4 yi say it!! so why wude he set someone up to fail? personally i think people try and say homosexuality is wrong b/c we are supposed to reproduce and hav kids u know, well wuh if u hav kids w/ someone else and liv a homosexual lifestyle?? that wudent be breakin gods laws…..god never puts more on u than u can bare, and he doesnt set people up to fail, i will never believe that he sets peeps up to fail
55.
jody1
Sunday, September 24, 2006 /
why is she still living???
now about the gay thing…….it’s a choice!
being born black or white is not having a choice
with the exception of “michael jackson”
i’m attracted 2 the idea of robbing banks
and shooting fully automatic weapons at high level government officials
but “I dont”
so the whole i was born gay is bullshit.
you can be attracted 2 whatever but you
CHOOSE who you sleep with etc.
enough all fuckin ready…………..
56.
Angry Black
Sunday, September 24, 2006 /
Of all the random ass people to come out…oh well then, I WILL be watchin that Surreal Life.
57.
BashyBoo's BIRTHDAY !!!
Sunday, September 24, 2006 /
I AM SPEECHLESS BUT ILL BE WATCHIN…
58.
mizzlizz
Sunday, September 24, 2006 /
the homophobe returns…
59.
TIA
Sunday, September 24, 2006 /
GESH……………..WELL ALL I CAN SAY IS CALL ME NOW!
60.
Miss K
Sunday, September 24, 2006 /
she was staying at the hostel in venice beach back in 2001.
and she said she was on tv and everywhere and all that but it was hard 4 me to belive it cuz i have never seen her and she was broke at that time i met her.
i don’t care if she gay…
61.
afro jamaicano
Monday, September 25, 2006 /
#55 ok so if someone isnt born gay then i guess they arent born str8t either? they are born asexual and then develop who they like??? no!!!!
peeps are born gay!!! it’s no big deal
62.
Quadee
Monday, September 25, 2006 /
#55 Jody1
Honey, You seem to know alot about this topic, you sure you ain’t deeping around.
63.
Tisha
Monday, September 25, 2006 /
I personally don’t care what type of life style you choose, as long as no outsiders are hurt. Ok OK…Honestly, when I think about what a bi or homo does behind closed doors, I want to vomit. I get kind of uneasy when I am around lesbian lovers or girly guys who are gay. Its best not to think about the sexual part. I think about st8’s ( myself included) behind closed doors too and I don’t vomit( unless its a sloppy sweaty fat guy). I think being a homo is NOT what God intended. But what da heck do I know? I’m not a psychic!! LOL. I’ll leave that up to Ms. Cle-O-wata-phony. God surely did not intend for there to be criminal violence in the world. In reality, violence and alot of other bad or unnatural acts exist in our world… God did not put anything on you that you could not handle; if that was the case for everyone, there would not be such a thing as suicide. Who am I kindin’? I don’t know what God intended. I need to call in for a free reading from cleopatra or catch up on my wednesday night bible readings. DARNIT!
64.
jody1
Monday, September 25, 2006 /
62.. project your homo
fantasy elswhere pimp.
the kid is straight.
65.
doinitwell
Monday, September 25, 2006 /
not a shock!
next!!
66.
bill
Monday, September 25, 2006 /
Who really cares ??
* It’s is interesting, that she choose NOW to come out of the closet, because of her upcoming apperance on the SURREAL Life..
Other than let that, Whatever man (woman)…Live your life…
67.
Fruity Pablo
Monday, September 25, 2006 /
LAdies dont mean to burst your bubble but any man can be gay , no matter how thugged out and gangsta he is, so you never know who you sleeping with. Even married men sleep with other men, Oprah did a whole show about it.
Way to go Miss Cleo you rocked back in the call, “Call me now fi u free reading” me and my friends used to luv those commercials.
68.
jewel13
Monday, September 25, 2006 /
She’s gay…..so what, does anyone really care?
69.
Cmeez
Monday, September 25, 2006 /
I think I’m going to be sick.
70.
Quadee
Wednesday, September 27, 2006 /
64. How was that a homo fantacy now you talking rubish. But if you really want to know my homo fantasies, I would gladly tell you all the details.
71.
mezzo.soprano
Thursday, September 28, 2006 /
Who cares about her being gay, really?
What about that fake ass Jamaican accent, now that has me a little upset. At least get someone authentic to portray the role. Ugh!
72.
Leticia
Tuesday, November 21, 2006 /
This bitch just wants publicity, pay miss cleo NO MIND.