
It’s 87 days of chicken piccata with the wonderful Leanne Morgan. A yelling beagle, breast-feeding & hemorrhoids, plus all those girls shooting boars in their panties. And yes, of course: some follow-up questions about the chicken and the porch. “Every day’s a party,” …on an all-new SmartLess.
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Will Arnett
What if there were a technology that lets you communicate with animals by pretending to be an animal? Disney and Pixar's new movie Hoppers follows animal lover Mabel, who uses this technology to become a beaver to communicate with animals, but gets in way over her head when she accidentally gets them to plot against humans. And you'll just have to see what happens next. Disney and Pixar's Hoppers now playing only in theaters. Tickets available now. Whole Foods Market is your go to destination for flavors inspired by regions across the world. Explore the store for yellow signs to find big sales on brands like Siete Te, Checo, Rao's and San Pellegrino to bring together a delicious meal. The prepared foods department at Whole Foods Market makes dinner time easy with empanadas, burritos, soups, and more. Explore the frozen foods aisle for 365 brand taquitos at cool, great low prices. Save on regional flavors at Whole Foods Market. This episode of Smartless is sponsored by Allstate. Checking Allstate first could save you hundreds on car insurance. That's smart. Not checking the day's weather forecast before breaking out. New suede shoes. Big oops. Confidence started high, but that fashion optimism dissolved fast into a wet reality. Yeah, checking first is smart, so check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate. Potential savings vary subject to terms, conditions and availability. Allstate North American Insurance Company and Affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois. It's so cold in here. Is anyone else cold or is it just me? I mean, like. Oh, it's. Oh, God.
Leanne Morgan
Oh, God.
Will Arnett
It's a. Oh, Lord. It's like a. It's like a cold. This is. There's nothing colder than a cold open snake. The cold open. Ah, now I'm getting bit by a snake. Everybody run. The snakes are cold. It's a cold open. Ah, my phone is ringing. Hang on one second. It's time for a cold open. Welcome to Smart Less Smart.
Leanne Morgan
Less.
Sean Hayes
Smart.
Jason Bateman
Less.
Sean Hayes
Sm.
Will Arnett
Listener. Oh, we're talking about the Golden Globes. Yeah.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, we're talking about the Golden Globes.
Will Arnett
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
And. And it was fun. We had a good time, us guys.
Sean Hayes
We did have fun.
Jason Bateman
That was.
Will Arnett
That was super fun.
Sean Hayes
We did our. We did. We did our sweaty bit at the beginning.
Will Arnett
It was great. It was super fun.
Jason Bateman
Nice to be a part of the. Of. Of that. That. What was it, I guess, category. And as. As our friend Jimmy Kimmel put it, nice to be a part of that catego end up like break dancing at the Olympics and never coming back.
Will Arnett
Break dancing at the Olympics.
Jason Bateman
The last time you see that category. I don't know. But congrats to Ms. Amy Poehler for winning absolute best podcast in the world.
Sean Hayes
Good hang.
Jason Bateman
Did.
Sean Hayes
Did very well. It was. It was a good hang. Her speech was a good hang.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, a lot of good speeches last night.
Will Arnett
A lot of good.
Sean Hayes
You know what's fun about. I saw Amy right before I saw Amy and Joel in the thing in the back, and she was like, oh, my God, you guys are going to win. I go, bull effing.
Will Arnett
Yeah. We've been saying win for months.
Jason Bateman
I won 200 bucks. I bet. I bet on her and won $200. I know.
Sean Hayes
You bet with Krasinski. And then I. I told Amy that you bet with Krasinski. Krasinski and I go right from moment one, you know that she's got it locked up when it comes to that. Like, you know, she's Miss Golden Globes. Yeah.
Will Arnett
She loves the darling. Yeah.
Sean Hayes
She deserves it, but she's beloved.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, for sure. For sure.
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
But anyways, did you guys meet anybody you were excited to meet last night? Did you have anybody come up and
Will Arnett
I had a wonderful conversation with Kevin Bacon and Sean Penn. Yeah, those guys are great. Yeah.
Jason Bateman
Willie, did you get some nice compliments on your film?
Sean Hayes
I did, actually. Yeah. It was nice. There was a lot of. A lot of nice people said. A lot of people that. That I really look up to and that I love things.
Jason Bateman
Yeah.
Sean Hayes
Yeah. George was very nice about it. Yeah, he was very sweet about it. He sent me a nice text as well. And Sandler and those guys.
Will Arnett
That's nice.
Sean Hayes
Super nice. And had some good laughs. At one point, Jason was bothering me, pretending that he was working at the after party, and he just kept bothering me, pretending that he was running.
Jason Bateman
Running the martini card.
Sean Hayes
He was running the martini card. He goes, I'll just be right here if you want anything.
Jason Bateman
I Vodka and gin. Vodka and gin.
Sean Hayes
Vodka, like, into my ear. And I just kept going, would you off? It's hilarious.
Jason Bateman
Shie is every. Everything's okay. Sean had to. Had to leave early. Sort of an ailment.
Sean Hayes
It's funny how it timed out right to us losing our category that his emergency.
Will Arnett
So crazy. Who could have called that?
Jason Bateman
Unfortunate timing, but everything was all taken care of. He got home in time, ended up being okay. Evacuate, whatever was good.
Sean Hayes
Yes.
Will Arnett
No, thank you for your concern. Thank you. Yeah, no, everything turned out terrific.
Leanne Morgan
Yeah.
Will Arnett
I was just like, you know, it's super fun to go the Show. Will and Grace. The Will and Grace program and myself and all the cast and everybody.
Sean Hayes
Now that's a comedy.
Jason Bateman
Bring him back.
Sean Hayes
Because there he's gay. So they can't be together. But they're best friends. But they would be perfect together. But he's gay. Boy, this guy's astute. He's got a real take on Will and Grace. The guy in the back of the theater.
Will Arnett
That is so funny. But anyway, we've been total nominated a total of 27 times.
Sean Hayes
No way.
Will Arnett
Yeah. And then last night was 28. When never won one.
Sean Hayes
Is that true?
Will Arnett
Yeah. Never won.
Jason Bateman
Will and Grace was up for what, last night?
Will Arnett
No, I'm just saying. Total. And then last night was one more that I. And the. Oh, that you were a part of.
Jason Bateman
Gotcha. Gotcha. That's. That's 28. Zero. Oh, and 28 at the Golden Globes.
Will Arnett
That is correct. Or something like that. 26, 27.
Sean Hayes
I was there. Jay. I was there the night Jay won one. I was sitting next to Jay and we had a nice deep.
Will Arnett
Oh, that's nice. That was for Ozark.
Sean Hayes
For arrest.
Jason Bateman
This was for arrested. Yeah.
Will Arnett
Oh, that's great. Congratulations.
Jason Bateman
Yeah.
Leanne Morgan
Yeah.
Sean Hayes
That was.
Jason Bateman
I made the mistake of thanking every single person I've ever met in my life.
Sean Hayes
No, you know what? I remember that. And I was really sweet and. And you were legitimately surprised. And it was a. That was a really, really fun to look that up.
Will Arnett
I'd like to see that.
Sean Hayes
Yeah, it's you.
Jason Bateman
You get to have nice things. Don't usually happen for me.
Sean Hayes
Oh, I know. I know. Everybody's. Everybody's real concerned about. You've had a rough road.
Jason Bateman
I was proud. I was proud of our little bit. The three of us, you know, we committed. We were cooking with gas up there.
Will Arnett
That's right, by the way. And I said to Jason, nobody in the. In the history of an award show has done a bit with their back towards the audience.
Sean Hayes
I know. It was so good, jb.
Will Arnett
That was great.
Jason Bateman
Try to create a private moment.
Will Arnett
It was so funny. I started laughing at that.
Sean Hayes
I liked Clooney's and a bit with Don Cheadle. Cheetle. That was good. They were. They were really good. Anyway.
Will Arnett
Anyway. All right, here we go. Ready?
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
Y.
Will Arnett
My guest today is wonderful. She's fantastic. She's living proof that good things come to those who wait. She grew up in Adams, Tennessee, population 600.
Jason Bateman
Whoa.
Will Arnett
Where her parents ran the only grocery meat shop in town. She hung around the local funeral home for fun. After college, she sold Jewelry at house parties to help make ends meet. 25 years later, she's finally having her moment at 60. Sold out arenas, Netflix specials, best selling memoir, hit sitcom. She's a self proclaimed Mrs. Maisel of Appalachia. It's the hilarious big hearted Leanne. Leanne Morgan.
Sean Hayes
Leanne Morgan. I knew it. I knew it. I knew it. I knew it. I knew it was Leanne Morgan.
Jason Bateman
I've never seen Will so, so happy
Leanne Morgan
with all of y'.
Will Arnett
All.
Leanne Morgan
And I mean in a sinful way. Thank y' all for having me. This is.
Jason Bateman
Oh, my gosh, to have you here
Will Arnett
for us, too, Morgan.
Sean Hayes
Oh, my God, I'm so happy. I love your story. I love that you are having this moment. It's so deserved. You're so funny and cool and original. Oh, I'm so psyched that you're here.
Leanne Morgan
Thank you, thank you. Now I've got a beagle yelling at me. Hold on, boys.
Will Arnett
A beagle, A beagle, a beagle.
Jason Bateman
A little beagle. I like beagles.
Leanne Morgan
I'm up on my top floor and she doesn't like for me to talk on the phone. So let me get that out of the way. I'm sitting here in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains in Knoxville, Tennessee, and I love.
Jason Bateman
That's so good, y'.
Leanne Morgan
All.
Jason Bateman
We love you.
Sean Hayes
By the way, Leanne, when you said you had a beagle talking to you, Sean was thinking to himself at the same time, he's like, I feel like there's Bagel talking to me from the kitchen.
Jason Bateman
Soup.
Will Arnett
So you're Knoxville.
Leanne Morgan
Eat me.
Will Arnett
That's amazing. I mean, it is really cool, like Will said, to hear your story, and we'll get into it in just a sec. But, like, I am so. I don't even know you, and I'm so excited for you for all that's happening here. It's really, really cool.
Sean Hayes
I've seen. I've seen you do. First of all, congrats on your. I know your show has been a super big hit, so congrats on that.
Leanne Morgan
Thank you.
Sean Hayes
And then now you're. Did you just have a special? A Netflix special?
Will Arnett
Yeah, it was in the top 10.
Sean Hayes
Yeah, it's like, exactly. Like, you're just having all this stuff, and then I've seen you in a couple of interviews and you've got a great vibe. I watched a little bit of your. You were on with Conan, and it was so funny.
Jason Bateman
God, we like that Conan.
Sean Hayes
We love Conan. Isn't he the best?
Leanne Morgan
I know, he was wonderful.
Sean Hayes
I mean, this guy's Working with nothing. He has so little talent. And then he's managed to, like, kind of stay smooth. Yeah, stay smooth and kind of scotch something together. This dude, bless his heart, it's amazing.
Jason Bateman
Yep.
Will Arnett
It's only repetitive, but it works.
Sean Hayes
It is. And think about how little intellect he has and yet he's able to kind of make it work.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, it makes the hair dance a little bit. And he distracts you.
Leanne Morgan
His hair.
Sean Hayes
I know, I know.
Leanne Morgan
Blew me away.
Will Arnett
Wait, Leanne, so tell me, like, to what Will just said. Why do you think. What do you. Why do you think you are hitting at this time right now in your life, in this business and all of it? What do you think's going on?
Leanne Morgan
Oh, my Lord. I don't know, boys. I guess. Okay, I guess. You know, I've been doing standup for 20 years when this hit. I was in my early 50s, so.
Jason Bateman
Good.
Leanne Morgan
And I think that, I mean, I was doing the same stuff I'd always been doing. And one time I was Backstage with Reba McEntire's ex husband, Norville, and he
Jason Bateman
said, no, we know Norval well,
Leanne Morgan
that has Blake Shelton and all these people, Kelly Clarkson. And he said, it's just a phenomenon, Leanne. Like, you've been doing the same thing for 20 years and you, you know, changing up my material, you know, all that. But doing stand up and then this hits. It's like somebody turned a light on in a dark room. But I started doing that social media thing, y'. All. I found my audience, and I think that I found a niche, a demo. I don't know what you call you Hollywood boys would call it, but of a bunch of people that were probably being ignored by Hollywood. I think that. And I think I spoke to all these darling people that love to be entertained, buy tickets to theaters, and have been wonderful to me, and they like my sitcom and they watch my specials.
Sean Hayes
They love your sitcom, by the way. These guys are. I'm from Toronto. I'm just a kid. I'm just a. Aw, shucks, Kid from Toronto. It should be noted. I'm just a Canadian kid. Yeah.
Jason Bateman
We'll fill in all the Hollywood stuff for you guys. Sean and I, we got you.
Will Arnett
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Jason Bateman
But, yeah, you know, it is interesting that I think our buddy Judd Apatow explained why comedy movies are not doing as good a business nowadays is because social media, there's these great little bite size moments of comedy that people kind of get satisfied by, and it is great. I mean, I'm looking at them too. I'm Laughing my ass off. And it does seem like.
Sean Hayes
And it's immediate, right?
Leanne Morgan
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
But it is helping some parts of the business and maybe hurting others or I don't know, but it is.
Leanne Morgan
I think it hurts. I love a comedy. I love a movie I was in. I've only done one movie, and I played Reese Witherspoon's big sister, Gwen.
Will Arnett
With Will Ferrell.
Leanne Morgan
With Will Ferrell. He was darling and we had a ball. But I miss movies like that. I love all of Judd Apatow's. I mean, I just. Yeah. And I do. I think there's these little snippets, and then people just get satisfied with that.
Jason Bateman
Yeah.
Leanne Morgan
And let me tell y' all that my sitcom made it to number two on Netflix because the Hunting Wives came out the same time. All those that were shooting boars in their panties. Did y' all ever watch that show?
Sean Hayes
Wait, what?
Will Arnett
No.
Sean Hayes
What is it?
Leanne Morgan
It's Hunting Wives.
Jason Bateman
They'll shoot a wild boar in panties.
Leanne Morgan
They were shooting boars in their panties. Jason.
Will Arnett
Jason's like, what channel?
Leanne Morgan
And then would do sexual stuff with each other? And I could not beat that. You know, a multi wild.
Sean Hayes
Could not beat that. How do you spell hunting? Sorry, my Internet's slow here. But
Jason Bateman
is that true? I have heard of the Hunting Wives, but I haven't seen it yet. Is that what we can look forward to if we sample that?
Leanne Morgan
Yeah, I think you would enjoy it, Jason, in the privacy of your own home. And then my special Unspeakable Things. That's the one that just came out. The first one was I'm Every Woman. And I could not believe Netflix gave me a special. Me being out in the.
Will Arnett
Were they both in the top 10?
Leanne Morgan
Yes.
Jason Bateman
Yeah.
Will Arnett
That's so amazing.
Sean Hayes
That's so good.
Jason Bateman
Deservedly so. It's funny as hell. Yeah, but so then you think that perhaps the bits that you were releasing onto social media, they caught fire a bit. And then did you then see attendance at your standup gigs get larger? And Netflix took notice of that, and then they said, okay, now you get a special. Is that the way that.
Leanne Morgan
Yes, that's exactly what happened.
Jason Bateman
And then that special brings even more people, and then there's another special.
Will Arnett
She gets a signal.
Jason Bateman
That's the way it goes.
Sean Hayes
Jason works in business affairs, so he's trying to figure out the commerce here.
Jason Bateman
At what point was the big negotiation? Was it before the first special or after?
Sean Hayes
How far apart were you guys on your first offer? Okay.
Leanne Morgan
I think what turned it around, I was. I could not get arrested. I Always say that I could not sell tickets and clubs. I was in my early 50s. I already felt like it was over. And then clubs would say, we love her, but she can't sell tickets. And I was just about to give up. And then I put out a clip of me taking my husband, Chuck Morgan, to go see Def Leppard and Journey. And how everybody looked sick and had plantar fasciitis. And that went viral. And then I think people saw that and they were like, what else does she have?
Sean Hayes
Everybody looked and had plantar fasciitis.
Jason Bateman
That is a rough crowd.
Will Arnett
Because of the way he walks. Is that what it is?
Leanne Morgan
Oh, the little boys in Journey, you know, well, they've hired that little guy, that little young guy, and he can still flip and squat and stuff, but those old boys. And then Def Lempard came out and I thought he had a little bump underneath his little chest. What? Jason?
Jason Bateman
Is it Benson Boone? Is that the flip and squatter?
Leanne Morgan
Oh, no, he's a skipper in squatter. But no, the little. They've hired Journey, you know. Cause Steve Perry had a hip replacement. And maybe they even fell out. Maybe somebody got mad and they fell out. But as we say in the south, but he. They've hired some little man that could sound like Steve Perry and he could still move. But all the old boys were in the back, you know, and had a blank stare. And you could. But then Def Leppard came out and had like a little bump under. And I thought, he's got a hernia. Little Def Leppard man.
Jason Bateman
He's wearing yoga pants still. And he's.
Leanne Morgan
He has tiny legs. His legs were this big. And he had hair down to here, and you could see through it. And I thought through it and I just. And I had never done that bit before. And I was going to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and I thought, everybody's already heard all this mess. I gotta come up with something new. And I thought, oh, I'll tell em about me and Chuck Morgan going to see Def Leppard and Journey. And that's what did it. And then I got the Big Panty Tour, boys. So then I was. I found myself talking about my panties a lot. So I named it the Big Panty Tour. But that was all like coming out of COVID So everything was booming. And I was selling tickets.
Will Arnett
And then your daughter used to run your Facebook account during COVID Cause you didn't know how to. You're not like a tech person. And that's when you discovered like, oh, yeah.
Leanne Morgan
Oh, my kids Were doing it until I hired these darling young guys who they had during COVID They helped me.
Will Arnett
Yeah, yeah.
Leanne Morgan
And I was on my back porch, you know, eating chicken and dressing. Well, I don't even wanna say that in front of y'. All. Cause that's country. Like a chicken casserole. And drinking wine. Too much wine. And then I went on tour, and every picture of me at the Big Panty tour, I looked sweaty and heavy and like, I was just like, chicken casserole was coming out of my pores. And I had imposter syndrome. And I was freaked out. And then Netflix bought that, and I did that special. And then, you know, Netflix is the stamp. I think Netflix is the stamp to say she's legit. This is the real deal. And that changed my life. That changed my life. Yeah. And then Chuck Lorre came to my house in Knoxville, Tennessee, and asked me if I would do a television show with him.
Will Arnett
And this was. And talk about, though, before that, there was four other, like, ones that didn't work for you. Like, were they pilots or were they actual shows that were.
Leanne Morgan
I never shot a pilot, but I did. But I would be in Knoxville, Tennessee, raising my three children. And I guess my first one, Warner Brothers and abc, ABC bought it. And my children were in elementary and maybe one was in middle school. And I thought that was it. This was it. I'm gonna be the next Roseanne. And then the writer strike hit. That first writer strike hit. And it was over in a day and in 07.
Sean Hayes
So that was a while ago.
Leanne Morgan
Yeah. And then I got two or three more. You know, you get them mixed up. Some of them I think could have gone somewhere. Some of them I don't think were ever gonna go anywhere. But I didn't know. I'm not a Hollywood, you know, I don't know all that.
Sean Hayes
But it's not the way it was. That was not your story. This is your story. And this is kind of the best version of it, too. I think it's awesome. That was not your train, Leanne. This is your train. You're on it now. It's so exciting to watch and to see. And Jason has some follow up questions about the chicken and the porridge.
Jason Bateman
Yeah. Was it a white wine or was it a red wine? Because it was a red.
Leanne Morgan
It was a red. Jason in the middle of perimenopause. That made that worse. You talking about wallering in the bed at night, sweat. And y' all are asking each other, how did you sleep before I came over?
Jason Bateman
Real warm at night.
Leanne Morgan
Not well, I know it.
Jason Bateman
I know.
Will Arnett
And then wait. And then did I. Speaking about food, you celebrated your 60th birthday by going and eating two cakes with a fork at the grocery store. Is that right?
Leanne Morgan
Okay.
Jason Bateman
Oh, my God.
Leanne Morgan
We were in Florida, my favorite beach to go to. Chuck Morgan took me and all these kids and my two grandbabies. I've got two grandsons, a blonde and a redhead. Will. Cause I did Amy Poehler's podcast, that Doll, and she said, we've got. Honey, we've got that too. Okay. And they took me down there and we had a one. And they're toddlers, so we stayed in every night. It was wonderful. And then my kids bought me two birthday cakes from the grocery store, and I stood and ate them at the counter with a fork, with an old tankini swim skirt. Lands end bathing suit boys.
Will Arnett
Wow.
Leanne Morgan
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
Why did we get two? Cause you have two favorites.
Leanne Morgan
Well, my kids, I've trained them that we overeat, but they were like, we know she likes chocolate. And the grandbabies like chocol. And then we know that they. I think they wanted Chuck Morgan. He also likes a vanilla and a chocolate. So they said, let's get two. Because I've raised them that every day's a party. I have.
Will Arnett
Right, right, right.
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
And we will be right back. My home, like your home, it's a retreat, right? It's your nest. Right. And you want to be able to just lay out in that nest, you know, after a long day. So, you know, like. But my couch, like your couch is probably deep. It's soft, highly crashable. Right. The home should show off who you are. And Ashley has styles that balance timeless appeal and modern trends to bring your personal look home. Ashley offers well crafted, affordable pieces built to stand up to real life with great looks that are made to last more than just eye catching design. Get features like stain resistant and performance fabric options that are incredibly durable, stain resistant with machine washable cushion covers. Plus, Ashley provides fast, reliable white glove delivery right to your door. Now, my buns are very familiar with the Jerson Low swivel chair. I sat in this chair at our show in Los Angeles that we did in front of a live audience. And let me tell you something, I would have sat there for another three, four, five hours, but then we would have had to have charged everybody four, five times the amount they spent on the one hour show. So it didn't make any sense. But the Jerson Low swivel chair made that a temptation for me. Visit your local Ashley store or head to Ashley.com to find your style.
Will Arnett
Hi Jason, how are you?
Jason Bateman
Sean, can I ask you a question quickly? Are you tired of paying too much for prescriptions?
Will Arnett
I am.
Jason Bateman
Well, GoodRx can help you take control of your health and your budget. Big guy from GLP1 medications to allergy relief, so much more GoodRx makes it easy to save. Tell them about it.
Will Arnett
Shani well, GoodRx is free and easy to use. Just search for your prescription on the website or the app, compare prices and get a free coupon to show your pharmacist.
Jason Bateman
Can I say something about it?
Will Arnett
Yes please.
Jason Bateman
Okay. Check GoodRx to save at over 70,000 pharmacists nationwide, including Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, Publix, Kroger. I could go on many more or get prescriptions delivered right to your front door.
Will Arnett
Shani plus, with GoodRx you can get access to telehealth and wellness tips all in one place.
Jason Bateman
And GoodRx is not insurance. It's not, but it works whether you have insurance or not. And it could beat your insurance.
Will Arnett
Co Pay price, save time and money on your prescriptions. With Good Rx go to goodrx.com smartless that's goodrx.com smartless. This is a paid ad by BetterHelp. You know, you've heard me talk a lot about my mom and how funny she was and how much we love her, but boy was she a huge inspiration to me. She gave me the tools I needed for the work ethic I have and the funny bone in my body. She she's one of the best human beings, if not the best human being I've ever known. Women deserve to be celebrated, but we should also recognize that many women carry emotional weight at work, in relationships, in families, and in the roles they play for others. Whatever you're navigating, career expectations, parenting, caregiving or more therapy with better help can help you check in with yourself, unpack what's feeling heavy and build healthier pathways forward. BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform and handles the initial therapist matching work for you. Just take a short questionnaire to share your needs and preferences. And thanks to BetterHelp's industry leading match fulfillment rate, they usually get your match right the first time. You can also feel confident knowing BetterHelp therapists work according to a strict code of conduct and are fully qualified. Your emotional well being matters. Find support and feel lighter in therapy. Sign up and get 10% off@betterhelp.com smartless that's betterhelp.com smartless. And now back to the show.
Sean Hayes
Can we just talk a little bit about Chuck Morgan? Because I love this idea of Chuck Morgan. I like hearing his full name every time. I love it. Now, what's the deal with Chuck Morgan? He's a character, right?
Jason Bateman
He's been a problem for some time.
Leanne Morgan
He's been a problem sometime.
Jason Bateman
Yeah.
Will Arnett
Yeah.
Leanne Morgan
I met him at the University of Tennessee, honey. And I had gone through a divorce and had smoked cigarettes and not gone to class, y'. All. I hate to even say that to y', all, but I was wrong.
Sean Hayes
I dropped out.
Leanne Morgan
Dropped out.
Jason Bateman
It's all voluntary. When you get to college, you do whatever the hell you want, you know,
Leanne Morgan
And I was an idiot. And then I went back to finish, and I did. And then Chuck Morgan, I think, is attracted to people who are broken. And so we started dating.
Jason Bateman
Not a lot of pushback from the broken folks.
Leanne Morgan
So we thought, let's merge this like Kmart and what was that? Sears and let's just run it in the ground. But anyway, so Chuck Morgan and I marry, and then he buys a used mobile home business. He got an mba, and he had never stepped in a mobile home, a trailer, and bought a mobile home business and moved me to the foothills of the Appalachia Mountains. All the while, y' all knowing from the time I was little, I'm gonna be in show business. I'm gonna be on television. I knew it from the time I was 10, really, but I just didn't know how, you know, I was from the country and farming people. I didn't know how to. You know, I would have loved to have done the Groundleighs or Second City. I was raised on Saturday Night Live. I would have loved to have done, but I just didn't know how. You know, I was this little bitty
Will Arnett
country, and all through your 40s and 50s and all that, you still held onto that kind of thing. That I'm still. It doesn't matter how long it takes, I'm still gonna do it.
Leanne Morgan
When I started, I called myself a true standup. When Chuck sold that business and went to work for a big Chuck Morgan, Berkshire Hathaway company. Chuck Morgan. And he moved me to San Antonio, and I would go drive back and forth to Austin, Texas, where one of the best comedy clubs in the United States was in Austin. And Jimmy Miller, who is Dennis Miller's
Sean Hayes
Brother, we know Dr. Jimmy Miller. He's got a PhD in show business. That's what I always say. We love Dr. Miller, the third brother,
Leanne Morgan
owned that comedy club. And he's the one that sent my first CD CD to Hollywood to Jimmy. And he gave it to Tom Warner at Warner Brothers. And that's how I got that.
Sean Hayes
Hey, Tom, Jimmy Miller here. I got a hot CD for you. Tom's like, oh, great. Sounds great. Thanks, Jimmy. Thanks. Two great guys.
Leanne Morgan
I was 32 when I started doing clubs and I considered myself a real. But I had been doing, like little gigs in Morristown, Tennessee, in the Appalachia. Like somebody say, can you come and do your program at the Rotary? And I would get paid $50, take my babies to mom's day out and go do that. But I started doing club and, you know, being more like the real thing at 32 years old.
Jason Bateman
Who was your hero? Who was your hero coming up? Like, who were you looking at going, I'd love for my career to go that direction. Was it somebody on a sitcom or was it a standup?
Leanne Morgan
I loved all sitcoms, but I love standup. I love Johnny Carson and watching the standups. So I would watch, you know, Jay Leno, David Letterman.
Jason Bateman
Remember David Brenner?
Will Arnett
Yeah.
Leanne Morgan
Yes. And Richard Lewis. Yeah, I love Richard Lewis. I would watch Ellen, Roseanne. When Roseanne was on there, it blew me away. But I loved sitcoms. I grew up, you know, watching WKRP in Cincinnati.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, sure.
Leanne Morgan
And Cheers and Frasier and all that. But anything to do with, you know, comedy movies, stand up, I loved all of it. And I just didn't know what I was gonna do and how you can make a living at it.
Will Arnett
Yeah, yeah.
Sean Hayes
Well, guy, I'm gonna go around the horn. What was everybody's favorite multicam sitcom of all time?
Jason Bateman
All in on the Family.
Sean Hayes
You're number one.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, yeah.
Sean Hayes
Cheers for me, too. Cheers for me too.
Jason Bateman
Taxi was up there. Pretty good too.
Will Arnett
Yeah, I should say Will and Grace, but.
Jason Bateman
Will and Grace, which one was that?
Will Arnett
No, no, I. I mean, because I was on it. So it'd be something else. So it would be.
Sean Hayes
No, it would be weird if you said if you name your own show.
Will Arnett
That's right. That's right.
Sean Hayes
Let's just say. But yeah, Cheers for me. Okay, sorry. Okay, okay, sorry. Wait, what was your. Wait, wait, Liam, what was your favorite favorite of all of all the multi camp sitcoms of all time? If you had to pick one Gun to your hand, I don't know why there'd be a gun to your hand. There is a gun.
Leanne Morgan
I Love Lucy. Oh, gosh. Okay, y', all, let me think I does that. I really enjoyed WKRP in Cincinnati.
Sean Hayes
There you go.
Leanne Morgan
I just loved it. And I loved Lonnie Anderson.
Will Arnett
I love Les Nessman.
Leanne Morgan
I loved all those guys on radio.
Jason Bateman
I just.
Leanne Morgan
When I think about it, or like Three's Company. I'm 60.
Sean Hayes
I love Three's Company.
Leanne Morgan
Three's Company.
Sean Hayes
Never has has a swinging door been wet. What more well used than in Three's Company. The kitchen. That swing.
Will Arnett
Oh, right. Play by genre.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, that pretty good too.
Leanne Morgan
Sure.
Will Arnett
So wait, when you first started out, you were doing like Kiwanis club stuff, right? Like community center stuff. And did you know by those early. And then you were doing. I said in the intro you were doing jewelry. Oh, like, like, oh, jewelry, right. Jewelry parties. Is that like Tupperware parties?
Leanne Morgan
Yes, I was selling because Chuck Morgan, y', all, is tight with money. And people don't believe me when I say that. I remember that we were just in New York celebrating my 5 year old grandbaby's 5th birthday. We took him to the Museum of Natural History and to the Lion King and all that. Chuck Morgan booked me in a Hilton Garden Inn.
Jason Bateman
That's where Will is right now.
Will Arnett
Exactly.
Leanne Morgan
But you know, I kind of, kind of. I'm a big deal. But he likes to keep us, you know, with the brakes on. But so I wanted to, I wanted to. Of course, he was 27 years old, y', all, and had a business and was having to, you know, all these people on payroll. So I wanted to make a little money. I wanted to stay home and breastfeed my first baby. And I wanted to make a little money and get my hair highlighted. And then so one of my friends said, I'm selling this jewelry and I don't even care about jewelry. And she goes, you can meet people. Cause I, I was isolated up in the Appalachian Mountain. She said, you can meet people and you can eat a d. Eat some dip, eat a brownie, sell some jewelry, get it.
Will Arnett
And so by the way, I'm in.
Jason Bateman
I just had a. I had a vision of you just now presenting a necklace with a little bit of dip underneath your fingernails.
Sean Hayes
Jason's thinking about other people touching the other vegetables in the dip or the chip, all the other fingers that get in there. Right? J. A little bit.
Jason Bateman
Oh, a double dipper.
Leanne Morgan
But you know, I look back on, it was really fun. And I sold jewelry to everybody in the Appalachian mountains. Cause I was funny. And people thought they would book me about a year in advance because they would have a good time. I wasn't talking about jewelry. I kind of Developed some of my first material. And I was talking about breastfeeding and hemorrhoids. I always talk about what I'm going through, and women could relate to it. And then I remember saying to women, because you have to do the pitch at the end, like, to book a party with me. And I said, I mean, it's see me in. See me. Get me now with the party, or see me in Las Vegas later.
Sean Hayes
You're right.
Leanne Morgan
It's up to y'. All. But I felt in my heart, y', all, I thought, I'll be on TV one day. I'm gonna be on. You know, I'll be in Las Vegas. I'm gonna be. Which was crazy, But I thought that. I felt that every time. And then the company noticed. Yes.
Sean Hayes
You have to see it. You have to see it to believe it. You really, really do.
Jason Bateman
You don't believe in you. No one else is gonna.
Sean Hayes
Yeah. It's so true.
Leanne Morgan
And I always believed it. I got real worried in my. Right before I blew up, I told Chuck Morgan, I go, I don't think anything's gonna happen. I feel desperate. I think I'm gonna open up a hardware store. And he was like, that's crazy. And you don't need to do that, Lynn. And that's the first time I had doubt. And I almost quit. And then that's. And I said, these social media boys that I hired who are darling. I'm still with them. And I never spent that kind of money on my career. And I thought, I'm giving it three months. Cause it was expensive. I thought, I'm giving it three months. If nothing happens, I know that's a sign, and I will bail out. In the first video they put out, went viral and changed everything.
Sean Hayes
Let's get a shout out to those boys. What are their names?
Leanne Morgan
Honest Fox Media. And that is Jared and Andrew. And they are precious. And I tell you, y', all, they had a mom. They grew up with a big bunch of brothers and sisters. And they got my voice. They understood my brand from the word go.
Jason Bateman
That's great.
Sean Hayes
What does Chuck Morgan think about the money you spent with Jared and the boys?
Leanne Morgan
He fought me on it.
Sean Hayes
Yeah, of course he did. Classic Chuck Morgan.
Will Arnett
And I read that Chuck Morgan didn't know, didn't realize how big your fame was until a gig at the University of Tennessee or something like that. You're walking out.
Leanne Morgan
Yeah, maybe when we went to see Lionel Richie in Earth, Wind and Fire and People, he got me regular tickets, which, you know, I don't Mind sitting regular in somewhere. But now I got a bunch of darling middle aged women, you know, they've had a cocktail and before you know it, I mean, we're all kissing and hugging and I don't see the show. But anyway, he. People were yelling at me through that at the big arena and he. And I think he was dumbfounded.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, well, let's say more about that. What happens ol Big Britches? Chuck Morgan with his Berkshire Hathaway gig and he's seeing Leanne. Yeah.
Sean Hayes
You're jackassing it back to Austin. It's not for shits and giggles. You're really doing something. And all of a sudden, check. Chuck Morgan's in for a bit of
Jason Bateman
a reality security's getting between you and Chuck Morgan, you know, walking back out to the car and he's not comfortable with that, is he?
Leanne Morgan
Well, no, some of it. He loves Jason. Some of it. I think it's been. It has been something to navigate. I think he does like to go to the University of Tennessee and set up in a box and meet Peyton Manning.
Sean Hayes
Yeah, yeah, of course he does.
Will Arnett
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
Who doesn't suck, does it Old Chucky Bump.
Will Arnett
Chucky Bump.
Leanne Morgan
He's been a wonderful provider.
Sean Hayes
So I think, you know, we love Chuck Morgan.
Leanne Morgan
It was hard for him for me to make honey to have this power. You know what I'm saying, boys?
Sean Hayes
Yeah, yeah. But let me. Leanne, let me ask you just a little bit about you saying that Chuck Morgan got you the regular tickets and you don't mind and stuff like that. But now people are yelling out and that experience of like. Because there is that thing of people go, oh, look at those celebrities. They're in that special thing. And now you're like, oh, I kind of get it a little bit because. Right. A little bit. Can you speak to that?
Leanne Morgan
Yeah. Because y', all, I mean, there are. I have wonderful fans. And when I tell y', all, I go out in those theaters or arenas and they stand up and blow me kisses before I've ever said a word. They're precious and they want to see me win. And I think a lot of women my age are. I think they tell me it's inspiring that this happened to me at this age and it's not over and all of that. But you never know if somebody's crying. There could be somebody that's unhinged, you know, and you just don't know. And I didn't know that. I didn't know. So when I am, only when I'm in large crowds they'll have somebody walk with me. But Chuck goes, we don't need anybody, Lynn. I got it. And Chuck's a big man. He's six four. He's grumpy, you know, he's pissed.
Will Arnett
Do you run stunt material by him at all? Like, you're like, is this funny? Is this or does he not?
Leanne Morgan
No, I don't. Because now he'll say to me, you need to say that. Or tell him this, Leanne. Like, he'll remember something and say, why don't you tell him that? And he gives me a lot of good material, y'. All, because he's peculiar.
Jason Bateman
What about your kids? Do your kids think you're funny?
Will Arnett
That's peculiar.
Leanne Morgan
They do. They do.
Jason Bateman
Do they give it up?
Leanne Morgan
They're annoyed by me, too. Yeah, they do. They'll go, girl, you're funny. But they also think I've gotten kind of. Of diva ish.
Sean Hayes
Yeah, sure.
Jason Bateman
So do they. Yeah, they are all grown.
Leanne Morgan
They can cook. You know, I get home, I've been on the road. Y' all are on the road. Y' all know, you get home, you're exhausted, you're staring out into space. Could somebody else boil the macaroni?
Jason Bateman
Right?
Will Arnett
Yeah, yeah.
Jason Bateman
Mom's hammering it.
Will Arnett
And then. And then when you were. You got. Wait, how many kids you have?
Leanne Morgan
Three. A boy and two girls.
Will Arnett
Right? And you said, babies come first, comedy came third. So what does that imply that you're second or, like, what's second?
Leanne Morgan
Oh, Lord, I don't know. I didn't feel second. What would that be? I mean, being a wife, probably. Did I say that out of my butthole?
Jason Bateman
Okay, so it's Mom. It's mom, wife, career. Yes, but now. But now the kids are out of the house. Yes. Chuck's doing just fine. He's got a brand new chair that he loves. He can spend all day in that chair now.
Will Arnett
He's good.
Jason Bateman
And so now do we get to move a career up to number one now?
Leanne Morgan
Yeah, it's number one now, Jason.
Jason Bateman
There we go. And it's Leandro.
Leanne Morgan
And I feel bad because I am the mama. Don't you feel bad? And they do still need me some. But, yes, this has taken over everybody. Y' all know what that it's take. I go. I live out in la part of the year to shoot, and so I can't be there for. I try. And I miss my family so badly, and they come out back and forth to see me and I'll go home. But yeah, it's taken over everything.
Jason Bateman
So Wait, so this is the sitcom you're shooting out here, right?
Leanne Morgan
Uh huh.
Jason Bateman
Now that schedule. That schedule does free you up quite a bit, doesn't it? That's a real nice schedule. Those sitcoms. The Chuck Lorre world. Oh, mama. Are you doing just four day weeks. Weeks over there?
Leanne Morgan
No, we do. Well, we do a table read on Monday and then rehearsal Tuesday, Wednesday, and then pre shoot Thursday, and then live audience Friday.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, right. Have them slide that table read over to Friday right before you start shooting and you can free up that Monday. Yeah. Spend more time in Chattanooga. Yeah, okay, there you go.
Will Arnett
That's not a bad idea.
Jason Bateman
Tell Chuck there's a new plan.
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
You know.
Will Arnett
Yeah, yeah.
Sean Hayes
Jb, you're gonna run into Chuck Lori, like today, and he's gonna be like,
Will Arnett
hey, man, I mean, isn't that kind of so great that you're so used to a live studio audience since you
Leanne Morgan
toured all that changed everything.
Will Arnett
Yeah. It probably relaxes you.
Leanne Morgan
No, it does. And I'm telling y', all, this scared me to death. I had always wanted this, you know? And then you're like, oh, my gosh, why did I wish for this? Cause at first it was so stressful. And Kristin Johnston plays my sister who is a pro, and she had to tell me what to do and had to do her job and then teach me. I was like, what is that? What are y' all talking about? So at first I was terrified, and then. And Reese Witherspoon said to me, it's the best schedule in television land. It's the best thing you could do. And we shoot two weeks on, one week on as a Chuck Lorre. That's the way he wants it.
Jason Bateman
It used to be three. This is very. How great. Now are you able to cross paths with the great director Jimmy Burrows at all?
Leanne Morgan
I have not met him yet, no. And I've heard them say something about him. I did have Andy Ackerman for an episode.
Sean Hayes
Very good, very good.
Leanne Morgan
And I love him, and I'm hoping I get him on some of these this season. I loved him. That was my favorite episode.
Jason Bateman
Are you shooting over at Warner Brothers, or are you over there on the Netflix lot?
Leanne Morgan
Yeah, Warner Brothers. On the Friends lot.
Jason Bateman
This is.
Leanne Morgan
I mean, on the Friends soundstage.
Will Arnett
And do you use. Is it a lot of. Do you rely on a lot of your own family stories to write stories for the show?
Leanne Morgan
No, not really. I mean, they listened to every podcast, read my book, watched all my standup. So it's based on my standup. But I mean, they'll get ideas from me, but not. I mean, I've got a really. I got Nick Bakai.
Will Arnett
Cause when I was reading it, when I was reading about your stuff, all your family stories are so funny. Can you say the one about the ski trip and your. And one of your kids getting hurt?
Leanne Morgan
Oh, when, When I fell off the ski lift. Are you talking about when I fell off at 49 years old?
Will Arnett
No, one of your kid. Well, no, yeah, that. But one of your kids scared a per. You know, shared a personal observation about themselves.
Leanne Morgan
Oh, are you talking about when the baby. Who is my makeup artist, who is my true makeup artist on tour? She says now she's my caregiver and she hates that, but she's also my makeup artist on the set at Warner Brothers. Your youngest kid, the baby. Uh huh. And she's been a booger. I'll just tell y', all, I'm in love with her. And she's funny. She's so funny. But she has been like Chuck Morgan. She's a lot like her daddy. Very strong willed. She's been a lot. And we were in Beaver Creek, Colorado. She was. And I think it was one of the two or three times we had been already. All right, everybody goes off skiing. This baby is on the gondola with me to go up to the bunny slope, which is not far, to get up on that. And it's just me and her. And in that short amount of time, she takes all of her clothes off. And you know, skiing is hard. I've never enjoyed it. Morgan loves it. It's like I, I compared it to working in a coal mine when I go skiing, because I gotta get everybody dressed, I gotta make lunches for everybody because chicken tenders cost $45 up on that ski mountain. And Chuck Morgan doesn't go for that. But anyway, I said, why are you taking your clothes off? And she said, my butthole itches.
Jason Bateman
You can't get to it through all those layers.
Leanne Morgan
You cannot get through it through all those.
Will Arnett
She took all her clothes.
Leanne Morgan
And let me tell y', all, I had been doing that on tour. I'd been trying to work out that bit about snow skin because I hate snow. I'll go, I'll stare at rich people. But I don't ski anymore, okay? And she said to me, mom, can you tell people I was 4 or 5 years old? You did not tell them? They think I'm grown. And then I took my clothes off
Jason Bateman
and my butt was itching, right? So then I had to put in there.
Leanne Morgan
I Thought, oh my God. So then I, I started saying, okay, she was four or five years old and her butthole was itching. But yeah, I've had more people go, oh my gosh, that snow skin.
Will Arnett
Yeah.
Leanne Morgan
Cause you know, it's so hard with little children.
Sean Hayes
Oh yeah.
Will Arnett
Did you. And now is it true you bring your whole family to some of like your Netflix special? You brought your whole family for the first time?
Leanne Morgan
Yes.
Will Arnett
And what do they. And what?
Leanne Morgan
Yeah, they came out on the first one and I just, I don't know, I just naturally thought that was the thing to do.
Will Arnett
And they'd never seen you do anything like that?
Leanne Morgan
No. And they were in shock. And then I brought them out on the second one and each child now introduces me. So Charlie, my oldest, introduced me on the first one, and then Maggie, my middle child, introduced me on the second one. But y' all won't believe how many people have said, that's so sweet you brought your family out and we wanna see your family. Cause you tell all these stories.
Will Arnett
Yeah.
Leanne Morgan
And I don't know, it just seemed natural to me to bring em out. It really wasn't that calculated. I just thought, oh, look at my family.
Will Arnett
Yeah, we went on tour, I brought my sister out and the audiences thought it was like, you know, Elvis walked on.
Jason Bateman
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Leanne Morgan
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Will Arnett
And back to the show.
Jason Bateman
But doesn't it get a little tricky with the, with the, with the stories that you. I mean, perhaps some of them, you might need to embellish to trip it into hysteria. And then do some of them get a little their nose out of joint? Those like. Well, you know, you always say like that I'm the one that's dirty or that I'm the one that's lazy or the I'm the one that would like. Do you have to kind of divvy it up evenly so that you don't get a bunch of heat when you get home?
Will Arnett
Yeah, yeah.
Leanne Morgan
You know, the only time anybody's given me any grief over it and said, do not speak my name. When they went through middle school, right? Middle school, everybody was paranoid and angry and puberty. And I did not. That was a dry time for me. That's the only. And then they got in high school and they were like, we don't care what you do. And y'.
Will Arnett
All.
Leanne Morgan
I wasn't working that much. I mean, I was working, but it was so pitiful that nobody cared. And then college, you know, they didn't even know who I was. And then now I always say, is this okay? And now they even say to me, mom, you've never told this story. Tell this one.
Jason Bateman
Oh, that's great.
Leanne Morgan
So now everybody's in on it and they're fine. The only time Chuck Morgan ever said to me, don't you ever say that again. It was one of the first times I was on stage. I'll just tell you boys, I'd breastfed three babies. My breasts, breasts looked terrible. They had sucked up into my body. They Were like a little wadded piece of tissue with, like, in the bottom of a tube sock. And I had life left in me. I had life left in me. And I was 32 years old, and I wanted to get my breasts done. And I said one of the first times I was ever on stage, I said, I want to get my breasts done, but it's been a bad mobile home year. And Chuck Morgan said to me, don't you ever say that again. You know, I can write a check for your breast today. I always provided for you. And it hurt his feelings. And so I've never said anything. Well, now I say it on interviews. But now, I mean, after that, I never said it again.
Sean Hayes
I love that Chuck Morgan took issue with the. When you talked about a downturn in the mobile home sales, that was the only thing that bummed him out.
Jason Bateman
Yeah.
Sean Hayes
You know what I mean? That's so good. What a dude. That's such a dude.
Jason Bateman
Have you guys. Do you guys currently have a mobile home that you guys like to travel around in?
Leanne Morgan
No, These are the kind, Jason. They're not even those. This is the kind that you. A double wide. Have you ever heard of that, my darling?
Jason Bateman
Oh, this. This. This can be like.
Sean Hayes
This is a home.
Leanne Morgan
Yeah. Whether you put it on a foundation, this is the. One of the largest home builders in the United States.
Sean Hayes
Wow.
Leanne Morgan
And he has worked for them for over 30 years. And it is a Warren Buffett company. And they have sent us to Cancun.
Jason Bateman
Oh, wow.
Leanne Morgan
I mean, yeah, boys. Yeah, Jason.
Sean Hayes
Yeah, Jason. Jason's been on a couple motorhome. Who'd you go with? Jb? I forget.
Jason Bateman
With the Leif Garrett. We went on a nice ski tour.
Leanne Morgan
Oh, my God.
Will Arnett
Yeah. There was snow of a different kind.
Leanne Morgan
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
I've got some video of that trip I gotta find.
Leanne Morgan
Do you think an RV would be fun?
Sean Hayes
You had your mountain bikes with you, too, didn't you?
Jason Bateman
Yeah. Up on the roof there. So we could travel from the mobile home lot where we plug in, dump the dump. Dump the. Dump the trash, and. And then bike into town.
Will Arnett
Oh, God.
Jason Bateman
Oh, yeah. God, it's good times.
Will Arnett
So, wait, Leanne, you were going to be. Is it true you were going to be a therapist at one point? Did you study?
Leanne Morgan
I did study. I wanted to be a child and family therapist if I didn't make it in Hollywood.
Jason Bateman
Wow.
Leanne Morgan
And I love all that. I still love that. I loved my degree and I loved all that. And, you know, I look back on it, and I think during COVID when I was wringing my hands and drinking wine and eating a chicken casserole. I should have gotten a master's online.
Will Arnett
Did you get a degree in psychology?
Leanne Morgan
I got it in crisis intervention counseling under child and family studies.
Jason Bateman
Loved it.
Will Arnett
Cool.
Leanne Morgan
After I went back, y', all, after I went back and got through all that bad time, then I buckled down and studied and. But yeah, do you.
Jason Bateman
It makes me think, like, you know, sometimes when you see, like, one of my favorite movies is King of Comedy, when Jerry Lewis played a very, very sort of severe, serious talk show host behind the scenes and, you know, comics, particularly standup comics, always have this exciting, darker, quiet. Do you. I start thinking about, like, this degree you've got and therapy and all that. Do you ever fantasize about playing a role where it's dark and it's quiet and there's this sort of this flip side to the character? Do you have, like, acting aspirations like that?
Leanne Morgan
I do, Jason, and y' all would know better than I do. If I could even do it, I'll
Jason Bateman
bet you'd be fine.
Leanne Morgan
I would love to do drama and I would love to do dark or character.
Will Arnett
It'd be great.
Jason Bateman
You can't do what you do without that side being under it all. Like, we, we, we. We get. We know what you're doing. You, you should. You should get after that.
Will Arnett
Yeah.
Leanne Morgan
Thank you, my darling. I would love to. I don't know if anybody would take me seriously.
Jason Bateman
Sure, they would be.
Sean Hayes
Jason's a big time director. Jason, what are we talking about here?
Leanne Morgan
Big time.
Sean Hayes
You are. You're a big time director.
Jason Bateman
You're a big, big, big, big.
Sean Hayes
You are.
Jason Bateman
But no, that would be. That would be very cool. So, you know, more exciting. Even more so now that everyone is so excited and familiar with the flip side of it and you show em what's behind the curtain. Leanne, I would love that.
Will Arnett
I love that. Leanne, you said so many little tiny things. Like you love doing laundry, which is like, what? Who loves doing laundry?
Jason Bateman
Therapeutic.
Will Arnett
And gas station. Your favorite gas station snack on tour. Because I heard you love grabbing stuff at gas stations. Like, when you're on tour, what's your classic snack?
Leanne Morgan
Well, honey, we have to. I don't want a boiled egg, but I try to because I don't want my butt to look big on tv. That was a shock, boys. That was a shock.
Jason Bateman
You know what I don't like?
Leanne Morgan
Where's my chin?
Jason Bateman
I don't like boiled nuts, which you see a lot in the South.
Will Arnett
Like warm nuts.
Jason Bateman
No, no, boiled, like, they're in a bag like a wet that frickin bag that makes the peanut shell all soft and sometimes they're a little spicy. And I'm a big peanut fan. And so I tried to get into it over and over again there in Georgia. All the years I've spent there, I just can't get there. But I feel like it might be close. No, no, don't stop trying.
Leanne Morgan
I never cared about a boiled peanut. Yeah, I try to eat nuts, you know, because they, you know, a handful of nuts. I don't want to get dementia or whatever, but I don't.
Jason Bateman
Wait, does that help? Do nuts help with that?
Leanne Morgan
I think some like walnuts and brain health. I think so. Omega's something.
Jason Bateman
Omega's in there.
Leanne Morgan
But now Chuck Morgan. Now Chuck Morgan can go to a gas station, make a full meal with boiled eggs because it's cheaper. And relish and a mayo packet, and make his own egg salad. But being on tour, y' all know
Jason Bateman
what the attention is.
Leanne Morgan
I'm constantly getting, you know, trying to get in protein. Cause I'm 60 and now everybody yells about women having all that protein, but it's hard on the road.
Jason Bateman
Who's cooking in the house? Does Chuck know how to throw a meal together? When mama comes home super tired from all over, just hammering it, he can make do. Yeah.
Leanne Morgan
Cause I, y', all, I was the stay at home mom. And even though I was doing standup, I was. I cooked every meal. I am a country. I am from the country. We cook. We put everything into these children. I was doing all that and doing everything, you know. Cause he was traveling.
Jason Bateman
That household always smells so yummy. What's your. What's your go to meal? So fancy, folks coming over and you want to, you want to. You want to really wow them with how you can make this particular.
Leanne Morgan
Oh, y', all. I don't feel like. I don't feel very fancy, but no,
Jason Bateman
it doesn't need to be a fancy dish. These people, these people need not be fancy.
Sean Hayes
When you know you make.
Jason Bateman
You're looking to brag a little.
Leanne Morgan
I can make a good chicken picotta.
Will Arnett
Oh, oh, look at that. With the capers.
Leanne Morgan
Sure, with the capers. Lemon with a thin chicken breast. I can do that with a little angel hair.
Jason Bateman
A lot of water retention on the capers.
Will Arnett
Is there really?
Sean Hayes
My friend Josh, our friend Josh, he once told me that he ate chicken piccata, I think something like 87 days in a row and a real low point in his life.
Jason Bateman
He was looking a little puffy through A few months.
Will Arnett
Leanne, who's your. Outside of your family, And Chuck Morgan, who's your best. Who's your friend that makes you laugh the hardest or who makes you just gaggle?
Leanne Morgan
I tell you, Karen Mills, who is a standup, who's been doing it longer than I have, has been my saving grace in this whole thing. Because imagine y' all my girlfriends, you know, their husbands are executives. They're out playing tennis. They're all, you know, getting new countertops. And I love them. And I love them, but they don't understand the comedy mind. You know, you gotta be around other comedians. And Karen Mills opens for me on tour. Not all the time. Cause she's got her own thing going on. But I can't tell y' all how grateful I am to have her. We laugh so hard together. You know, I go back and forth with her about material. And then when we've had. Through the years, I had to do a lot of private corporate things because I had three children, couldn't stay gone. And I would do a gig and then call her and say, I'm quitting. That was the worst thing that's ever happened to me. I wish somebody had shot me while I was on stage. And she would call me on the way home from a horrible gig and say, I'm quitting. I'd go, no, you're not. But we had each other. And, you know, it really helped me to have somebody because I'm in Knoxville, Tennessee, and I'm not around in Nashville, I work Zany's all the time. And my concert promoters are out of Nashville. Nashville's a huge comedy scene now with Nate Borgazzi, John Crist, Theo Vaughan, all these people, and I get to be with them. But all these years, I was on my own, and this mom, you know, and everybody else was talking about school stuff and stuff that I was involved to with my kids. But I needed somebody that understood what I was going through. Through. Because it's hard. Stand up is hard.
Sean Hayes
The hardest.
Leanne Morgan
You know, and you drive 300 miles and make $50 and all that kind of stuff.
Will Arnett
And what.
Jason Bateman
How do you. How do you handle when it's. You were saying, like, some. Sometimes, like some of those gigs, it's just. It's the worst. Somebody shoot me. Like, how do you handle that when the audience is just not. Like, they're distracted, they're talking, they're drinking, maybe they're having a meal or whatever? Like, do they ever get nasty? Do you ever. Do you ever feel like they. Well, fuck this. I'm going to engage with these people and, like, get after them a little bit or maybe a heckler or something. Does it ever get. Does it ever get, like, not fun and contentious?
Leanne Morgan
It's not fun. And there's times when you feel gutted, you know, coming out of the. Doing a show for men that make carpet fiber. But then. But I don't get contentious.
Sean Hayes
No.
Leanne Morgan
I don't go there, Jason, because I'm too sissy. If I started, you know, going after somebody, then if they came after me, then I don't feel. People have never heckled me. Like, I only get, like, a drunk woman saying I got a C section. You know, I get that kind of stuff. I don't get, you know, people coming after me, and I think it's because I'm a mom and people are. And they can tell I've got a sweet spirit and they don't want to come after me.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, good.
Will Arnett
Right, right, right.
Leanne Morgan
But yeah, some of these corporate things will kill you.
Jason Bateman
What about cursing?
Sean Hayes
Do you ever.
Jason Bateman
There's a. There are comics that curse and comics that don't. Correct. Isn't there. There's like a. There's a demarcation line there.
Leanne Morgan
Yeah. And I don't. And I love, like, I'm a huge fan of Dave Chappelle. Oh, my gosh. I love all kinds of comedy, and I don't care if they cuss. I've never done it, but I think it's. Cause I started out, you know, with little children, and I didn't want to say anything that I didn't want them to say.
Jason Bateman
Almost funnier with that.
Leanne Morgan
And it just wasn't in my thing, you know, But I don't mind it when I. Other people do it. But yeah, there is kind of a. There's a line.
Sean Hayes
Yeah. It's like. I always love that about Nate, too. You mentioned Nate Brazi, who I love, and he's such a good dude, and he's so funny, and he never cusses. It's amazing.
Will Arnett
Doesn't.
Jason Bateman
Huh?
Will Arnett
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
No, I don't know. I don't know.
Sean Hayes
No, he doesn't. He doesn't.
Will Arnett
Leanne, we're going to do some rapid fire, and then I'm going to ask you one last question. Okay? Ready?
Leanne Morgan
Okay.
Sean Hayes
My darling, is a new section. We're doing a new cycle.
Jason Bateman
Like some Sting music to tea.
Will Arnett
I love this. Sure.
Sean Hayes
You're gonna do a little thing.
Jason Bateman
Sean's rapid fire section.
Will Arnett
There's only like five of them. Ready? Sweet tea or bourbon?
Leanne Morgan
I'd even say bourbon.
Will Arnett
Oh, love that. Jello salad or banana pudding?
Leanne Morgan
Banana pudding.
Will Arnett
Country music concert or arena rock show
Leanne Morgan
or what kind of rock show?
Will Arnett
Like a big arena rock show.
Jason Bateman
Arena rock show. Like the Journey to. Definitely.
Leanne Morgan
I'd probably go for a rock show show.
Will Arnett
Oh, wow. Live studio audience or on. On location or, like, touring or something?
Leanne Morgan
Live studio audience.
Will Arnett
How about that? Early bird or night owl?
Leanne Morgan
Early bird.
Will Arnett
Oh, wow. Pizza or barbecue ribs?
Leanne Morgan
Pizza.
Will Arnett
Pancakes or bacon?
Leanne Morgan
Pancakes.
Will Arnett
Levi's or Lycra?
Leanne Morgan
Levi's.
Jason Bateman
Boy.
Sean Hayes
Just listing all the stuff that's in front of him right now, by the way. He's just looking at stuff in his room.
Jason Bateman
Pizza and ribs.
Sean Hayes
Lycra and jeans. He's just looking at shit that's in his. In his view.
Will Arnett
Open box of pizza in the corner.
Sean Hayes
Banana pudding. He's like, I'm gonna get after that banana pudding.
Will Arnett
Leanne, I want to leave you with the. First of all, this has been so great. I just want you to say, you know, you said your message is over and over again, is about women of a certain age. As you said, it's not over for us. What does that mean? What would you tell your younger self about that growing up, by the way? We didn't even talk about you moving to a town called Bean Station. But anyway, Bean Station, I just.
Leanne Morgan
All right, y' all being in Hollywood with these young girls that are. And these actresses. First of all, if I'd moved to Hollywood at 20, I'd be on Dove. Let me say that. I don't know how they've done it. I think, you know, because I'm 60 years old and who I am, that I'm able to handle all this. But I tell young women all the time because they all think. And I remember feeling at 30, like I'm old and 40, it's over. And I feel like I'm smarter than I've ever been. I'm better at my craft. It took me 20 years to figure out how to do this.
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Leanne Morgan
And I just think it makes sense when people make it. Like Bill Burr, I heard him in an interview say, it took me 20 years. I couldn't sell tickets. I couldn't do anything, and it was a slow build. But who I am and why it's happening to me, all this has happened to me at this age. I just think it's crazy to think that. And I know y' all have been big deals since y' all were young, and that is wonderful. And y' all have given so much joy to all of us. But I do think there's something about, you know, honing a craft and, and,
Jason Bateman
and learn, like you said, learn like you, you're at 60, you know, three times as much as a 20 year old, and so that informs the things you can access when you're talking about funny shit, you know, it's like, it just, like, makes so much more sense.
Sean Hayes
Agreed.
Will Arnett
I'm still doing the multiplication after Jason just said that.
Jason Bateman
Yeah. It's also a privilege to get older, you know, like. Cause the only other choice is dying. You know, it's like you want to get as old as possible. Cause if you don't, you die.
Will Arnett
You're dead. That's your choice. Those are your choices.
Jason Bateman
Wrinkles on.
Leanne Morgan
That's why eating those two cakes in that stretched out tankini swim skirt meant the world to me. I thought 60 was gonna be rough on me, and I thought, oh, my gosh, I'm so thankful to have my health and, and I'm having the time of my life. This is crazy what's happened to me. It's like winning the lottery. It's like God's put down at the carnival and picked up one of those little ducks and said, it's you, girl.
Jason Bateman
Since he's a new form, you know,
Leanne Morgan
I just feel so blessed by all of it.
Jason Bateman
And, well, you're doing it real well, and this has been an enormous pleasure.
Leanne Morgan
Thank you.
Sean Hayes
Sean, be honest. Be honest. Did it make you think about order, getting a cake today?
Will Arnett
100%. I just wrote it down.
Sean Hayes
You did?
Will Arnett
And I put a two next to it.
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Will Arnett
Leanne, you are. You can see why you made it. You're just an absolute unbelievable joy.
Sean Hayes
And all your success is so deserved. It's so awesome to talk with you.
Jason Bateman
Thanks for talking to us today.
Leanne Morgan
Thank y'. All. I'm in love with all three of y'. All.
Jason Bateman
Back at ya.
Leanne Morgan
Y' all are darling. Y' all have given so much joy. I hope y' all know that. To all of us people out here in the middle of the United States,
Jason Bateman
let us know when you're gonna do a set out here in Los Angeles.
Sean Hayes
I'm gonna come.
Leanne Morgan
Yeah. Okay, I will. I'll be working on that new hour.
Jason Bateman
Jason, come on.
Leanne Morgan
All right. You angel.
Jason Bateman
You angel. Thank you for this today. Have a great rest of your day, Lee, thank you.
Sean Hayes
Bye.
Will Arnett
Bye.
Jason Bateman
Bye.
Will Arnett
See you.
Sean Hayes
Sean, What a great guest.
Will Arnett
I know. She was great. I, I, you know, Scotty loves her lives, and I do, too, but, I mean, he, he's seen every single thing
Sean Hayes
she's ever done Scotty turned you on? Yeah, yeah.
Will Arnett
And I was like, wow, she is really funny.
Sean Hayes
She's really funny. I could hear her talk about Chuck Morgan all day.
Will Arnett
I want to see. Comes up a lot.
Jason Bateman
He's got to come out on stage.
Sean Hayes
Wouldn't that be fun?
Will Arnett
I want to talk to that guy.
Jason Bateman
Book him.
Will Arnett
All right. Book him. Don't shout at me. Don't shout orders.
Jason Bateman
Hey, are you going to bring a cake over tonight?
Will Arnett
Do you want me to?
Jason Bateman
Yeah. Or a pie. Why don't you go to. Once you go get. Get.
Will Arnett
I'll get a sweet Lady Jane's pie or cake or something.
Jason Bateman
Or a Winston's pie.
Will Arnett
Will you really eat it if I get it?
Jason Bateman
If you get a Winston's pie, I'm going to eat the hell out of it.
Will Arnett
They're okay.
Jason Bateman
You're not a pie guy. You're more of a cake guy.
Will Arnett
Yeah, pie. I don't. I don't understand pie. It's just fruit shoved into. Into pastry.
Jason Bateman
All right, well, get, then. Bring a cake. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Will Arnett
That I understand.
Jason Bateman
What are we watching?
Will Arnett
You said.
Jason Bateman
Oh, oh, right, right, right, right.
Sean Hayes
Are you guys getting together tonight?
Jason Bateman
Yeah, it's.
Will Arnett
Watch a movie. Come on.
Jason Bateman
Now, Will, aren't you supposed. You're supposed to come home for a week and then go back back to Long Island?
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
Is that going to happen?
Sean Hayes
I'm coming back Friday for a week. Eight days. Yeah.
Jason Bateman
Is there.
Will Arnett
Wait, really?
Jason Bateman
Is there any way that you can free up for some hangout with Danny D's on Sunday morning?
Sean Hayes
No, I can't. Sunday.
Jason Bateman
God damn it.
Sean Hayes
I know.
Jason Bateman
What about Saturday morning with me?
Sean Hayes
Saturday?
Will Arnett
Oh, that's sweet.
Sean Hayes
No, I can't, because I got that thing that you can't do Saturday afternoon that you said that you can't do.
Jason Bateman
I can't. That's why I'm going to cram in the ground in the morning, because I have two.
Sean Hayes
I have other.
Will Arnett
I thought you're going through your schedule right now.
Jason Bateman
Are we still rolling?
Will Arnett
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
Damn it. Well, hey, what about that Leanne Morgan?
Sean Hayes
I know, I know.
Jason Bateman
She was an absolute delight.
Will Arnett
She's a delight.
Sean Hayes
I mean, maybe late Sunday afternoon. So sorry. Yes. Leanne Morgan.
Will Arnett
You know, I must say, Willie, you are.
Jason Bateman
Here he comes.
Will Arnett
You're gone for a long, long time with this junket and this incredible movie that you're in. I can't wait for everybody to see you in it. When do you think you're. When will you be done?
Sean Hayes
Bye.
Leanne Morgan
Bye.
Jason Bateman
Love you all. Bye.
Sean Hayes
Smart. Worse. Smart. Less smartless. Is 100% organic and artisanally handcrafted by Rob Armjarv, Bennett Barbico and Michael Grand Terry
Jason Bateman
Smart Less
Will Arnett
Steve Carell stars in the new HBO original comedy series Rooster, premiering March 8. From a creator of Ted, Lasso and Shrinking comes this of an acclaimed author who finds himself teaching on a college campus alongside his adult daughter, navigating their complicated relationship and Greg's late in life first chance at the college experience he never had. Don't miss the world Premiere of Rooster, March 8th at 10pm exclusively on HBO Max. Subscription required. Visit HBOMax.com for details. This podcast is brought to you by Kleenex Lotion Tissues Cold season is like the ultimate plot twist sudden, unwelcome and unpredictable. Luckily, you can be prepared with Kleenex lotion tissues that protect, soothe and moisturize your skin. Keep a box in the car or close by, especially on those cold mornings. They're not just soft, they're made with coconut oil and aloe for added comfort. Whether it's binge watching season or cold and flu season, Kleenex lotion tissues are always a smart move. For whatever happens next, grab Kleenex.
SmartLess with Leanne Morgan (Jan 26, 2026) — Detailed Episode Summary
This episode of SmartLess features comedian Leanne Morgan, known as the “Mrs. Maisel of Appalachia.” The conversation, led by Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett, dives into Leanne’s unconventional, decades-long rise to comedy stardom at 60. The group discusses Leanne’s roots in rural Tennessee, the role of social media in her career breakthrough, the challenge of succeeding later in life, family, sitcoms, and the everyday hilarity that fills her material. The tone is irreverent, warm, and quick-witted, full of Southern charm and sharp Hollywood banter.
[07:31–09:58]
[10:27–14:45]
[14:55–18:23]
[18:31–22:39]
[25:22–38:05]
[28:32–30:18]
[30:32–32:59]
[33:14–58:31]
[41:12–44:58]
[59:44–60:22]
[60:40–61:38]
[62:00–64:36]
The episode is filled with laughter, support, and admiration as the hosts cheer on Leanne’s unique path. Leanne’s candor about life in the South, family, setbacks, and relentless hustle inspires not just aspiring comedians but anyone feeling overlooked after 40. The group’s playful chemistry and quick wit make this a standout SmartLess conversation.
For more laughs and Southern wisdom, find Leanne Morgan’s Netflix specials and catch her new sitcom on Warner Bros.