Willie Geist (3:23)

Leanne, I'm so happy to see you.

Leanne Morgan (3:25)

Oh, Willie, honey, I'm so tickled to be here. Thank you for having me.

Willie Geist (3:30)

And to catch you in the middle of this ride. You've just done the Tonight show last night. You've got a second season of your show coming up. You just wrapped this tour that lasts two and a half years. You've got so much going on. What is the feeling right now? What's it like to be in the middle of it?

Leanne Morgan (3:48)

It's like a whirlwind, my darling. It's a whirlwind. But I'm trying to be present and every day, you know, And I'm so grateful. I'm grateful. And you know what people say to me all the time? They go, how are you doing this? Because I'm 60. You know, I just turned 60. And so women comment on social media and go, I'm so tired. I just went to Atlanta for the weekend and I can barely go, how are you doing a tour? But I think the energy and the adrenaline, because it is so special. I mean, it's fun and wonderful.

Willie Geist (4:17)

And we were talking about how the road for you has been long to get to this. You've been at this for 25 years or something like that.

Leanne Morgan (4:24)

25 years, yeah.

Willie Geist (4:25)

So does that make it all the sweeter to know the road that got you here?

Leanne Morgan (4:30)

Yes. Because let me tell you, Willie, for a long time I thought, am I crazy? Am I like one of those little kids on American Idol that thinks they can sing? You know, when, remember, they would have them? And I thought there were Times when I'd think, maybe I'm crazy. Am I just, this is not what I'm supposed to be. But then I would get one little, you know, something to keep me going all those years while I was raising my children, and I just stuck with it.

Willie Geist (4:58)

You stayed with it? Yeah. And you've got this new special, Unspeakable Things. I will not ask you to describe what the unspeakable things are. People have to watch to figure that out. Chuck Morgan, there's so much in there that your fans are going to love, whether it's Claremont Lounge, where I have been myself in Atlanta.

Leanne Morgan (5:16)

I have, Willie.

Willie Geist (5:18)

I've been.

Leanne Morgan (5:19)

Did you think that was. What did you think, Willie?

Willie Geist (5:24)

Even as a young man, I thought, wow, this is a lot. This might be too much. And I take it you felt the same? You felt the same way?

Leanne Morgan (5:33)

Oh, just bizarre. I felt like I wanted to rock those little women in my lap. I don't know. But, you know, people say everybody's gone, and it's like Lady Gaga. I've heard her talk about it. She went, people, it's a destination in Atlanta. But you as a young boy, that's almost like going and seeing somebody give birth before you had your own children.

Willie Geist (5:59)

Well, we should say Clermont Lounge is a gentleman's club, but it's almost like a drag club. Also. It's more performance than people might think of.

Leanne Morgan (6:08)

A gentleman's gentleman's club. And as I say in my special, it's sweet that they let everybody participate. It's not what you see in the movies as a.

Willie Geist (6:20)

No.

Leanne Morgan (6:21)

Strip club.

Willie Geist (6:22)

No.

Leanne Morgan (6:22)

It's not. J. Lo.

Willie Geist (6:24)

No.

Leanne Morgan (6:24)

In Hustler or whatever that thing was. It's not that.

Willie Geist (6:29)

Did you see a performer named Goldie by any chance?

Leanne Morgan (6:32)

I haven't. I didn't that night. And I don't know if little Goldie. Is she still with us? Because more people say, okay, you've heard. What about Goldie?

Willie Geist (6:39)

You've heard.

Leanne Morgan (6:40)

And what she does on stage.

Willie Geist (6:41)

She's got a trick up her sleeve.

Leanne Morgan (6:46)

She was not there. Another little girl, young girl, who was beautiful, had another trick. We cannot talk about it.

Willie Geist (6:53)

Okay, let's save this for the special. Ok? This is the little tease everybody has to go watch. It's so, so good. Your fans are gonna love it.

Leanne Morgan (7:01)

You think so, Willie?

Willie Geist (7:03)

Without question.

Leanne Morgan (7:04)

Oh, good.

Willie Geist (7:04)

And a lot of those are new fans who've come around to you just in the last few years and can't get enough of you on Instagram or wherever they. So when you're putting this act together. What is the process for you? I love talking to stand up comedians about that. Where do you pull the material? Is it just things you come across? I mean. Cause a lot of these are just stories you're telling of things that have happened in your life.

Leanne Morgan (7:26)

For this special, the first one I'm every woman was, oh, gosh, that was 100 cities I did before I shot that thing. And I feel like some of my best is before anybody ever knew who I was, because I feel like. And I would have television deals for sitcoms. A lot of people don't know that I had like four before this sitcom made it. When my children were little. But I would lay out Chuck Morgan and then my oldest, Charlie, and then Maggie and then Tess. And showrunners would say, you've already laid out this sitcom for us because you developed these characters. But they're all so funny and so different. And so when this one. And through the years, you know, I'm doing what is happening to me in my life. So little children in elementary T ball. Somebody pooped on a T ball field, you know, and I had to flick it into the woods. That and then, you know, birthing before that, birthing was a prolific time for me. Then middle school. Shut your mouth. Don't say our name out of your mouth. So I didn't. And that was a dry time. High school, they were like, we don't care what you do because they, you know, don't care what you do in high school and they're tired of you. And then this didn't happen for me, really blow up big until my early 50s. So then I was going through menopause, so I had to talk about that. Which evidently nobody talks about that on Netflix or movie stars don't want to talk about it because it's gross, I guess. And then this one, I said, like, my family, all my kids were like, mom, you never told this story. What about this story? But what I do now is I get my phone, everybody's got an iPhone, you know, And I take notes about something that I'll remember that I think is funny. And then I can get it out, you know, in a club or whatever. I'll work it out on stage, get it out of my mouth, see if there's anything to it. When I was raising these children before an iPhone. Oh, Willie. There's probably four hours of material that's lost somewhere that went to landfill because I would write on the back of my checkbook. It would drive Chuck Morgan crazy. Cause I never balanced My check. And then I would write on the back of, like, a Walgreens receipt, and, like, little ideas that I think come from heaven. And I'd be washing clothes, put my head in, you know, and washing all these kids clothes. And something would dawn on me. I'd go write a piece of paper. I don't know where it went, but this is how I did this one. I had thoughts of what I wanted to talk about, and it's just random. It's. Cause I'm a mama and a grandmama, you know, I like to talk about my kids and their daddy. He gives me a lot of material.

Willie Geist (10:07)

Yes, he does.

Leanne Morgan (10:07)

That's what Morgan does.

Willie Geist (10:08)

He does. He's really the headliner in this special.

Leanne Morgan (10:12)

And he's getting a big head over it.

Willie Geist (10:13)

Is he really?

Leanne Morgan (10:14)

Yeah, he is. And people ask me, is Chuck here? And I go, no, he needs to keep working. He needs staying home.

Willie Geist (10:24)

So you've sort of answered the question, but do any of your three children or Chuck, do they have any veto power over the material? Like, please don't tell that on stage. Yes, they do.

Leanne Morgan (10:34)

And I run everything through everybody, and everybody's okay with everything. There was one time that Chuck Morgan said, do not say that about me. And okay, Willie. I had nursed three babies for a long time, which I'm so proud of. I mean, it was a good time. And I should have been a mama gorilla. You know, I raised them in the bed with me back then. Sleeping in the bed, all that very kumbaya. And. But then I'm very vain, and I was young and still had life left in me, so I wanted to get my breasts done, okay? And I sat on stage early on. And Chuck Morgan sells mobile homes. He works for big Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett Company, Clayton Homes, and he has for 30 years. And I said on stage, I want to get my breasts done, but it's been a bad mobile home year, and I didn't think a thing in the world of it. And he goes. He said, I'm so hurt. My life. He goes, I've always provided for you, and I could write a check for your breast today. And he said, don't tell people that I'm not providing for you, because that's his. That's how Chuck Morgan feels value is that he is a working mule, honey. And he. And he is an overachiever. I told you that. And he studied in school and paid attention. I didn't. I didn't know where Slovenia was and that. And so I've never seen anything like that. Now he says, you know, I can say it in interviews.

Willie Geist (12:09)

Well, I love. It's doubly funny knowing everything you say about him in this special. That that's the thing that upset him, not all this other stuff you're saying about him.

Sunday Sit Down Podcast Announcer (12:17)

No, that's fine.

Willie Geist (12:18)

Go ahead, tell the world. Tell the world.

Leanne Morgan (12:21)

He's the one that said in this special, tell him about the time I got arrested. Oh, really? Uh huh.

Willie Geist (12:27)

So he cleared that one.

Leanne Morgan (12:28)

He cleared that one. But he said, but explain it, Leanne, that it wasn't something bad.

Sunday Sit Down Podcast Announcer (12:34)

Hey guys, thanks for listening to the Sunday Sit down podcast. Stick around to hear more from Leanne Morgan right after the break.

Rob Lowe (12:42)

Hey everybody, it's Rob Lowe here. If you haven't heard. I have a podcast that's called Literally with Rob Lowe. And basically it's conversations I've had that really make you feel like you're pulling up a chair at an intimate dinner between myself and people that I admire, like Aaron Sorkin or Tiffany Haddish, Demi Moore, Chris Pratt, Michael J. Fox. There are new episodes out every Thursday, so subscribe, please and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

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Sunday Sit Down Podcast Announcer (14:03)

Welcome back. Now more of my conversation with Leanne Morgan.

Willie Geist (14:07)

You, you mentioned that this all came to you later in life. And I think there's part of what the appeal has been to a lot of women I know in my house and a lot of her friends and all that is that you're talking about things they can relate to that they don't hear other comedians talk about. So in some ways the fact that your material has matured into this stage of your life gives women all over the place someone to point to and relate to and say, yes, I Know.

Leanne Morgan (14:38)

Isn'T that a blessing? Yeah, because I wanted to make it when I was young and thin, really. I was dreaming big, you know, through this whole thing since I was 9, 10 years old. But when I would get these television deals, I was probably in my 40s, you know, and still had my bloom. And I wanted to, you know, I would be devastated when something wouldn't make it. And I. And the Comedy Central did not, you know, care for me. I was not the hip, edgy, you know, comedian. So there was a lot of no's, a lot of heartbreak. But I look back on it, and I think all of it, I think it was wonderful timing. Wonderful timing because, one, I got to raise these children. I have led a full life as a mama, a grandmama. My parents are still with me. I tend to them when I can. I've got this full life I can talk about, and that's what people are relating to. And I just. And I really feel. Not feel sorry. There are these young girls who've got pretty legs and they're doing big things, but I think, oh, my gosh, do they have to sustain this for that long? I mean, I'm 60 years old. I think I'm having a bowl. And then someday I would like to. If I'm not touring, not able, I would like to do movies like Big Cloris Leachman, Betty White, kind of. I think that'd be fun, you know?

Sunday Sit Down Podcast Announcer (16:01)

I love that.

Leanne Morgan (16:02)

I know. Wouldn't that be fun?

Willie Geist (16:03)

Yeah, I can see it. Don't you feel like that's all coming? I mean, you've got this hit Netflix series we were just talking about, which is so funny, but you never know how these things are gonna land or how they're gonna do, and then it comes out, and it's like the most streamed comedy they've ever had, and they wanted another season of it. Was that experience because it's so different from what you've done? Was that a little scary to step in there, Willie?

Leanne Morgan (16:27)

I was scared out of my mind. And my baby child is my makeup artist on that series, and she lived with me out there in la. It was just me and her away from our family. And every day for the first four episodes, I would say, pack your bags. We were getting out of here. I'm not doing this. I mean, I was scared out of my mind because it is a whole different thing. And my name's on it, Leanne. And then, you know, all these people are looking at me.

Willie Geist (16:56)

So at what point did you start to get comfortable? Because I cannot imagine having never done it before, how nerve wracking it was. When did you start to feel like, oh, I can pull this off.

Leanne Morgan (17:05)

Okay, Episode three, I thought, okay, I don't think I'm gonna get the shingles. Episode six, I had Andy Ankerman direct me, who did a bunch of Curb and Jerry Seinfeld. Seinfeld. And there's something clicked then where I certainly didn't think I was a pro, but I thought, okay, maybe I can do this. You don't have to pack your bags. And of course, Chuck Lord, none of them knew I felt this way. They will know now, but I was. I mean, it's a lot to learn camera blocking, but let me tell you, in that script every week, that was daunting. But they said, you'll build this muscle in. There'll be a memory muscle that you. And I was like, no, I won't. And I did. They were right. And I got better at that through the time. But we filmed in front of a live audience and if something doesn't land, they start walking toward you and tell you another line, you know, to see what else works. And then you gotta relearn that all over on the spot. And so that was frightening. But you get used to that too.

Willie Geist (18:12)

It's just so different than anything. So different, right?

Leanne Morgan (18:16)

So different. And I wasn't a theater kid. I mean, I was in one play in my little bitty country sweet high school where everybody raised dark fire tobacco. But I did have a. I had some kids in that class that were very talented. One went on to Juilliard and became an actor and has been in a bunch of stuff. But they did a lot of musicals because we had all these musical kids and I couldn't do anything. So I tried out for Stupefying Jones in Little Abner. She was the sex symbol. And I put my own. It was a bathing suit with pantyhose underneath it and I just had to gyrate. I didn't have a line. And I really, honest to goodness, in my 17 year old mind, I thought, this is the beginning. Stupefying Jones in this tiny theater with 100 people. And my little daddy said, you didn't have a love like you just gyrated in front of people that we go to church with.

Willie Geist (19:13)

But in your mind, a star is born.

Leanne Morgan (19:14)

A star is born. A Dan, A Dan.

Willie Geist (19:17)

The phone's gonna start ringing. But so when Leanne becomes a hit and it's clear and you're seeing the streaming numbers and all that, I mean, Are you surprised by that?

Leanne Morgan (19:32)

Oh, I was so surprised.

Willie Geist (19:33)

Obviously you're thrilled. But I mean, your first time out to get that reaction is unheard of.

Leanne Morgan (19:38)

I don't know why I didn't get the shingles while we were waiting on, you know. Cause Netflix will tell you in about 30 days.

Sunday Sit Down Podcast Announcer (19:44)

Yeah.

Leanne Morgan (19:45)

And because they look at all those numbers, you know, it's a numbers thing. And I thought, and sometimes things do wonderful and they may not pick it up because it's too expensive to make or whatever. So I was hysterical. Also, it came out the same time as Hunting Wives.

Willie Geist (20:00)

Right.

Leanne Morgan (20:01)

So I had to compete against those women shooting boars in their panties. And I thought, but then they go, it's not a comedy land. You're in a different thing. But I wanted to get to number one. I kind of can get competitive.

Willie Geist (20:16)

Yeah, I bet.

Leanne Morgan (20:17)

But I was, you know, I stayed in the top 10 for yes. And that was. And so I thought, surely to goodness, but you just wring your hands until they tell you. But I was thrilled. I think I would have been devastated because I put everything I had into that and I wanted people to love it and it meant a lot to me and I want to be successful. And so I think I would have been devastated if it hadn't been picked up. And Jerry Seinfeld called me the day it came out and said, who has been precious to me through this whole thing? And he said, leanne, even if it doesn't get picked up, you have a sitcom with your name on it, which is unheard of. And you think. He goes, you're in there with Bob Newhart, Mary Tyler Moore, Lucille Ball. Wasn't that sweet?

Willie Geist (21:02)

Yes.

Leanne Morgan (21:03)

And he said, I know, you're a Christian lady. Right, Leann? He goes, everything happens for a reason. It will be. You've already had a year of success. I mean, a season come out. Multicams are not even coming out. I mean, so that made me feel good. And then so it was icing on the cake when I got.

Shopify Advertiser (21:22)

Oh.

Leanne Morgan (21:23)

And then you think about those people that are with me, who they put those pros around me and what a blessing they've all been. And we love each other. And I think you can tell it on that screen.

Willie Geist (21:35)

Absolutely.

Leanne Morgan (21:36)

Oh, Kristin Johnson.

Willie Geist (21:37)

Kristen's amazing and has wonderful things to say about you. You taught her an accent, first of all. She's like, I need Leanne's help with that. She got it, I think, right?

Leanne Morgan (21:47)

Uh huh. Yeah. She tried to do like my daughters because they were raised in the city.

Sunday Sit Down Podcast Announcer (21:52)

Right.

Leanne Morgan (21:53)

I Was raised country, so mine's thicker than my children. And then Chuck Morgan was somewhere where there was a country club, so he was in East Tennessee, which. That's a whole different thing. He got to play golf and tennis.

Willie Geist (22:07)

Oh, wow.

Leanne Morgan (22:07)

So that's. You know, we didn't even know what it was. Where I grew up.

Willie Geist (22:11)

Didn't have that in Athens.

Leanne Morgan (22:12)

We saw it on tv.

Sunday Sit Down Podcast Announcer (22:13)

Yeah, right.

Leanne Morgan (22:13)

You know, we saw people playing, saw shows about it. Right, Yeah.

Willie Geist (22:18)

I mean, you mentioned Seinfeld. We were talking earlier about Nate Bargetzi. That part of this ride for you where people I'm sure you've looked up to you now consider friends and mentors in many ways. What has that meant to you?

Leanne Morgan (22:31)

Oh, it means a lot to me, Willie, because me being a mama in Knoxville, and I started professionally, I called myself a professional comedian. When I opened for the first time at a comedy Club, I was 32. That baby child that does my makeup was 18 months old. Opened for Billy Gardelle at Zany's in Nashville. But I had to take a different path from everybody because Brian Dorfman, who owns that club and is now my concert promoter, said to me, I think you got something, but you've got three babies, Lynn, and club work. I mean, you can do a little bit, but you want to raise your own children. Because people, these women that are out here doing clubs all the time, you can't raise your own children. I mean, it's hard. So I had to cut out a different path. I did a lot of corporate, private things. Anywhere somebody let me on stage, I did it. But I always felt like I was on the outside, because Comedy Central, I would audition for Just for Laughs, all those things, and I wouldn't get it, and I would. I just felt like I was never one of the cool kids. And Nate Margetzy says to me, I've never been one of the cool kids. I go, then you need a therapist, because you're the cool kid. But now I feel like a cool kid because they've all been wonderful to me. Marc Maron had me on his podcast. Neil Brennan, Richard Lewis reached out to me on social media right before he passed away and said, I am a huge fan, and I loved everything he ever did. I got to meet David Letterman. John Mulaney has been so good to me. I mean, it's been wonderful how these. Jim Gaffigan has been darling, and that's meant a lot to me.

Willie Geist (24:12)

It was fun to see. I was saying earlier, you and Amy Poehler on that podcast, too, she Loves you. Clearly, this might be a hard question to answer because you're talking about yourself, but are you able to identify why, just even in these last couple of years, things have taken off for you the way they have? Because you're doing a lot of what you've been doing. The material's a little different, as you said, but this has been your style. You've been you this whole time.

Leanne Morgan (24:40)

I know.

Willie Geist (24:41)

Why is it connecting right now, when you think about it?

Leanne Morgan (24:45)

Okay. And let me tell you, Narvel Blackstock, who manages Blake Shelton and all these hoop de doo people in Nashville, sent to me. Reba's ex husband said to me, came to a show, and he was backstage, and he said, leanne, it's just a phenomenon that you do this same thing. And one day, it's like somebody turns a light on in a dark room. And I feel that way. I feel like, you know, I'm a believer. And I feel like God, you know, has done this for me, put this in my imagination. When I was a baby, I was in the middle of nowhere wanting to be a comedic, you know, actress. And I feel like it's God's timing, but I also think it's just. It's just his timing. Cause I think I started talking about menopause. Nobody was talking about it. I just talked about regular, everyday life. And it was just a time. After Covid, Well, I kind of was starting to go up before COVID but then after Covid, everybody wanted to laugh and get out and do. And it just went. And I named that first tour the Big Panty Tour. Because who doesn't love a big panty?

Willie Geist (25:55)

A big comfortable panty.

Leanne Morgan (25:56)

A big, comfortable panty. And maybe I'm the only one that's a fool enough to talk about it. I don't know. I don't know why. I wish I could answer that. I don't. I just feel like I got my children raised. All right, let me tell you this, Willie. This baby went to school in Manhattan for television and film, for makeup. And she had gone through thyroid cancer and been treated for that. And. Or was about. Yeah, she had been treated for that. And then we moved her. We were worried death about her. I moved her into her apartment. The day I moved her in a video, my social media people that I had barely, you know, had saved the money to. I'd bought too many. I'd get my hair done and stuff instead of investing myself. I had, like, two headshots in 25 years or 20 years. And I had hired these Boys to do my social media. They put out a video about me taking Chuck Morgan to go see Def Leppard and Journey and how everybody looked sick and had plantar fasciitis. And that video was going viral. It was turning. I could see thousands of, like, every time I opened up my phone and we were moving that baby in, she was happy. She wanted to go to school for that. She had been in traditional college and said. Came to us and said, that's what I want to do. Can y' all please take that money and let me do this? We felt good. She was, you know, gotten through cancer, was in that apartment. And then it was almost. To me, it was like God said, okay, buckle up, girl. You got that baby tended to. Everybody's okay, let's roll. That's what it feels like. I feel like I got my children raised. And every day on that set when I was. Did that, I had that little bitty part in that movie with Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell, and Reese Witherspoon got me that part, that doll. And she said to me every day, lynn, you got to raise your own children. And she said, not everybody does in this business. And so I feel like that was that blessing. You know, I got to have a normal. I am. And people go, how do you stay grounded? Grounded. I'm in a Mitsubishi rental car. I'm still doing all the laundry, you.

Willie Geist (28:04)

Know, sharing a bed.

Leanne Morgan (28:05)

I love a grocery store. Tess and I share a bed on the road. Because Chuck doesn't want us to spend money on two hotel rooms on this.

Willie Geist (28:14)

Next tour for next year. Can we get two beds or two rooms or something or.

Leanne Morgan (28:18)

No. We try to get two queens when we can. They're not always available. But maybe if I go to big arenas. Big, big arenas. Like Nate Borghesi.

Willie Geist (28:26)

Yes.

Leanne Morgan (28:27)

I think we can get two big ones.

Willie Geist (28:29)

Like a connecting room, Right?

Leanne Morgan (28:30)

A connecting room would be fun.

Willie Geist (28:31)

Get a nice connecting room.

Leanne Morgan (28:32)

Yeah.

Willie Geist (28:33)

Everyone gets a little privacy in the bathroom and all that.

Leanne Morgan (28:36)

Yeah.

Willie Geist (28:36)

Yeah. You deserve it.

Leanne Morgan (28:38)

Thank you. And when I was at the Wynn. Las Vegas. Cause Chuck Morgan likes to go to the Wynn and play golf. He played golf with Usher.

Willie Geist (28:44)

He didn't.

Leanne Morgan (28:45)

I know. He didn't even tell us. Somebody else told us. What do you mean?

Willie Geist (28:47)

But coincidentally, he set him up for a golf game.

Leanne Morgan (28:50)

And Usher. He met Usher on the golf course. And then somebody later that night said, isn't that something? Chuck played golf with Usher. He wasn't even gonna tell us. Cause Chuck doesn't talk. But when I first Went to the Wynn, and they put us in a suite that you could ride a bicycle through. I got a diet coke out of the mini bar. Mini bar. And Chuck looked like he was gonna have a heart attack. And I was like, I think it's okay, Chuck. Even if it is $6, I think it's okay. And I go, let's get a hamburger and get it brought to the room. Cause Chuck Morgan's been living with the brakes on, honey.

Willie Geist (29:26)

Right.

Leanne Morgan (29:26)

He's a saver. Which, thank the lord, I'm not. I don't do crazy mess, Willie. But I money away.

Willie Geist (29:35)

Think that'll change a little bit now with all your success? A little more license to get out there.

Leanne Morgan (29:39)

I don't think so.

Willie Geist (29:41)

Let the purse strings open.

Leanne Morgan (29:42)

No, he won't do that. No, I think because I'm a grandmama, I just like. Some things are nifty. Yeah. But I think I'm pretty. I think I'm going to stay about the same. I think, because, you know, now I'm. I mean, I do love to go to the grocery store and get. When I get off that plane commercial, I go. And Nate Morgan goes. When are you gonna get on a private plane? I don't know if that's ever.

Willie Geist (30:08)

Chuck's not gonna allow that.

Leanne Morgan (30:09)

I don't think so.

Sunday Sit Down Podcast Announcer (30:10)

No chance.

Leanne Morgan (30:11)

But I think I like, the first thing I do is like, let's go to the grocery store and then have all these babies over and what they like to eat and all that. That's what I enjoy doing.

Willie Geist (30:19)

So you're just pushing your cart through the Kroger?

Leanne Morgan (30:21)

I'm just pushing it through. I am buying grass fed.

Willie Geist (30:24)

Oh, you are.

Leanne Morgan (30:25)

And I do like organic meat. I want to know where my meat's coming from.

Willie Geist (30:31)

That's your splurge.

Leanne Morgan (30:33)

That's a splurge. You know, because I. You know, my people are meat people. You knew that.

Sunday Sit Down Podcast Announcer (30:38)

Yes.

Leanne Morgan (30:39)

We had a meat processing plant. So it was kind of organic back then. I mean, that's why I think they stayed covered up. We were ahead of it, but. Yeah, that kind of stuff is what I like to splurge on that. Playgrounds for little babies that don't splinter. That kind of stuff.

Willie Geist (30:55)

You're taking care of your people.

Leanne Morgan (30:57)

Yeah. Yeah. But I do love a Costco. I still love a good Costco trip.

Willie Geist (31:03)

Will you go in there with things in mind or just go out and just. Whatever I'm hunting.

Leanne Morgan (31:06)

No, it's full abandon. That's full abandon. That would be my splurge. That's what I need to tell people. That's what I. Yeah, I kind of go nuts in a Costco.

Sunday Sit Down Podcast Announcer (31:14)

Yeah.

Willie Geist (31:15)

I don't really need a list or anything. I'll just go in there and get that big cart going. If you were somebody else, a second cart and just pulling things off the shelf.

Leanne Morgan (31:23)

Right? Yeah. Baby pajamas, printers. Lord, a nifty kind of food you hadn't seen before. Teriyaki chicken over a sticky rice. I bought so much sticky rice, it would cover this table. I love stuff like that, you know, I like things in bulk.

Willie Geist (31:44)

Yeah.

Leanne Morgan (31:45)

It makes me feel safe, you know, you got enough paper towels, right? Yeah, that kind of stuff. I go nuts over that.

Willie Geist (31:52)

Chuckle go the samples. You'll do the samples.

Leanne Morgan (31:54)

I love the samples. Yeah. I. Even when we were shooting in la, because we didn't know anybody, this baby and I would go to Costco in Burbank on Saturday night and eat a piece of pizza and a hot dog from the samples. From that, we do the samples. Then you go to the restaurant part and get an actual hot dog and a piece of pizza. That's what we would do on Saturday night. Yeah. Nobody knew. I mean, maybe one little woman might know who I was, but I had a ball. Yeah, I love that. I hope I get to continue to do stuff like that.

Willie Geist (32:26)

Yeah, it might be getting harder these days. People know you a little bit. They go, what you doing in here?

Leanne Morgan (32:32)

I can maybe put on a wig.

Willie Geist (32:34)

Sure. Like a real movie star.

Leanne Morgan (32:35)

Like a real movie star.

Willie Geist (32:37)

Put a base ut hat on or something like that, right?

Leanne Morgan (32:40)

Uh huh. Uh huh.

Sunday Sit Down Podcast Announcer (32:41)

Stick around for more of my conversation with Leanne Morgan, right after a quick break.

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Leanne Morgan (33:02)

Woo hoo.

Etsy Advertiser (33:04)

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Sunday Sit Down Podcast Announcer (34:10)

Welcome back now to the rest of my conversation with Leanne Morgan.

Willie Geist (34:14)

You mentioned the movie with Reese and Will. I was telling you earlier that for people who didn't know you yet, that little scene. How long was that? 30 seconds about the bird bath. And even if you didn't see the movie, it was everywhere on Instagram. I can't tell you how many people that. Who is that hilarious woman? And they went looking for more and then they kind of, you know, they became fans off that. And that's a real story. You said yes.

Leanne Morgan (34:42)

Chuck Morgan knows I love a bird. I love bird feeders, hummingbirds. He will plant flowers for me. He's like Martha Stewart in that way. And he knows what'll bring hummingbirds. But I. And I also had in the backyard in East Tennessee, Cardinals. And I love all that. So he made me, you know, he puts up bird feeders for me and I said, I really would like a bird bath. He got a ceramic bird bath, put metal around it. I would have preferred something more organic, like wood, you know, a frame. But anyway, Chuck put metal around it, the same color as the bird bath, but it. And dirt piled up and the children. That was for Mother's Day. And we all looked out on that porch and I said, don't tell him, but it looks like a grave. It looked like somebody was buried out there. It did. But sweet Nick Stoller let me riff. And there were stories before that that I told about all kinds. I mean, and I didn't know. You know, it's kind of worrisome because you think, what is going to come out of this thing? Because I was trying to, you know, be as funny as I could, which was hard for me because I'm used to in stand up, getting a reaction, and they all have to be quiet. And I'd think, is that not funny? So I gave it everything I had. And my little mama Lucille has always said, well, weak as water. She was weak as water. You couldn't make a fist. That. So, yeah, all that just came out of my head. And I had a wig topper on. I want you to know, Willie, because I think you're cute in your pants. I want you to know that that was a little topper they put on my head.

Willie Geist (36:19)

Oh, okay. Okay. That's important.

Leanne Morgan (36:22)

Yeah. Because I want to be pretty.

Willie Geist (36:24)

You are. You are, most certainly.

Leanne Morgan (36:26)

Yeah. Thank you. Well, you know, I'm 60 now, which could be pretty.

Willie Geist (36:30)

Of course.

Leanne Morgan (36:31)

I think it's because I've always loved Hollywood, and I thought I would be younger and thinner when this happened. But that's okay. That's okay. God had a plan.

Willie Geist (36:39)

That's right. You're doing great.

Leanne Morgan (36:40)

And now I don't have that pressure. Even though when I saw myself on that sitcom for the first time, I thought, where is my chin? Oh, I thought I had a chin. Didn't show up. Also, you know, you start thinking about all kinds of stuff. And Kristen Johnson said to me, lynn, think of Lucille Walt. Think of Carol Burnett. It's about being funny. It's not being about pretty. And that helped me. Cause I do. I'd rather be funny, and I'd rather have expression.

Willie Geist (37:06)

Well, you've got them both. Funny and pretty. You've got them both.

Leanne Morgan (37:09)

You've got them both. My willy. My willy. You don't.

Willie Geist (37:13)

Before I let you go, I want to talk about. There's. So we know you were a young girl who thought she was gonna be a star, had performance in her somewhere. But then there's a long way between there. You go to Tennessee, you marry Chuck, and then you're back home, and you start selling jewelry. And even though you didn't realize it, kind of the seeds were being planted for your comedy career, weren't they, in those living rooms?

Leanne Morgan (37:38)

Yes. Okay. He moved me. We were 27 and 26 years old. He bought a business and had never walked into a mobile home. Played golf with a little man named Fran. Bought this business from him. He was retiring. Moved me to Bean Station, Tennessee, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. And I didn't know a soul. And Chuck doesn't talk. I had gotten pregnant with my first baby, Charlie, who's now 32. And I wanted to stay home. And nurse shouldn't be holding my breasts while I say that. I can't help it, Okay? I wanted to stay home with him. And so one of my friends in Nashville said, I'm selling this jewelry like women sell Tupperware and Mary Kay, you can make a little money. Stay home with Charlie, meet people. Because you're out doing these parties for women. Right. And I don't even care about jewelry. I don't even. And they would. This company was Precious. And they would tell us. They would say, wear all your jewelry to the grocery store so somebody will ask you about having a party and we all look like Mr. T. It was terrible. It made no sense. But anyway, I gave a party. That's how you start out. You buy the kit. I bought this big kit full of jewelry, and I schlepped that thing around. I did it for two or three. Well, yeah, until I got pregnant with my third baby and I thought, I'm too tired. I can't be doing all this. But I would get in people's living rooms, and I was supposed to be, you know, put all this jewelry out. Somebody would make a coconut cake, a dip. We'd eat, we'd laugh. And I would do a presentation. I was supposed to be talking about the jewelry and how you can put a clip earring on a pump to change the look of your shoe, that kind of thing. And I was saying, talking about hemorrhoids, having hemorrhoids, breastfeeding, Chuck Morgan, not hearing the baby crying the night and, you know, plotting his death, all that kind of stuff. And that was my first material. But I look back on it, and I had these little women, you know, and girls my age, and they were all going through the same thing I was going through, listening to me. And I built that first 45 minutes and doing those jewelry parties. And the company saw that I was booking like a year in advance.

Willie Geist (39:50)

Wow.

Leanne Morgan (39:51)

And because people thought I was fun, and they asked me to start speaking at their big things. And people would say, you need to be a stand up. There was a Christian comedian, because it was a Christian company out of Dallas. There was a Christian comedian. That was their entertainment that year at Opryland Hotel in Nashville. And he came up to me afterwards and said, you could do stand up. You've got it. You could do stand up. And I had been feeling that and Chuck it before we married. He brought me out to LA and took me to the Comedy Store, and my heart was beating out of my body, and I thought, I could do this. I know I could do it. But I was in the middle of nowhere, you know, and didn't have a comedy club or anything. But when that man said that to me, it was Dennis Swanberg. And he's written me letters, you know, he's heard me say that and how much that means to him. But he did. He encouraged me. And I thought, if he thinks I can do it, then I can do it. And then Chuck sold that business and went to work for this Big company he still works for and moved us to San Antonio. And I had Cap City Comedy Club in Austin, Texas, which was one of the best clubs. Rich Miller owned it. His brother was Dennis Miller on snl. Jimmy Miller was their brother, had Will Ferrell and all these people. He sent my CD to Jimmy. That's how I got my first television deal with Warner Brothers and abc. So, I mean, it all just worked out the way it could. And that with three little children.

Willie Geist (41:15)

Amazing that you could pull that off and given your kids all the attention they deserved and needed and still going to do this. I think most people would say, how on earth can you do that? But you were that committed to it and you believed in it that much that you just kept going.

Leanne Morgan (41:29)

I kept going and then I just. Opportunities came to me that were unusual and they weren't the traditional route. But Chuck could tend to the babies on the weekends or at night. And wherever I went, I never had to hire anybody. And it all just worked out. Isn't that crazy?

Willie Geist (41:47)

Was there ever a time along the way? Because like we said, the climb has been long. Where you said, gave it my best shot. These sitcoms don't seem to be working out. All the things you just told me a little while ago. Did you ever think that was fun? I'm gonna put that away.

Leanne Morgan (42:03)

I went out to dinner with Chuck Morgan and I cried and said, I don't think anything's gonna happen. I was in my early 50s and I. Right before all this blew up, I said, I just don't think it's gonna happen. And I wanna open a hardware store because my family had the grocery store and the meat processing plant. And I do feel like I could put out a cheese wheel, sell canning goods and dance them. And Chuck Morgan loves a hardware store. So I said, let's do that. And he went, you lost your mind? Okay. I had gotten a little bit of money off a little special that went online that we thought nobody would ever see. 50 million people watched it. That gave me a little bit of money. Not a lot, but enough that I said, okay, I'm going to do one last ditch effort. And if this does not happen, then I'll know that's God's way. And I'll be glad to bow out and I'll go to work at Target or somewhere. I've always thought Target put up the bedding and the. Would be fun, you know, and coordinate all that or pop the popcorn, if they even do that anymore. I don't even know if they have that I'm good. That would be fun. I like working in food, but I got these social media guys who were young who knew how to do all that voodoo. I didn't. I was putting up pictures of my dachshund, and I said, I'm gonna give y' all three months. That's all I can afford. And they're the ones that put that. Def Leppard and Journey Out. They're both very funny and creative. And they put that out and it went like gangbusters. People saw that and can relate to that. Who hadn't been to a concert where everybody's aging, doesn't feel good, and you want to sit down and eat popcorn, you know, and not smoke dope like people are doing in the United States of America? We've talked about that. I feel like I'm 100. But anyway, I did that. People started looking at what else I had, and clubs started calling all over the United States saying, we need to get Leanne Morgan here. Sweet women were calling those comedy clubs and saying, do you ever have Leanne Morgan now? Six months before that, I was booked in improvs in Orlando, West Palm Beach, Tampa. Couldn't sell a ticket. And they were like, she's sweet. She doesn't get drunk, fight in the parking lot, but we're not having her back. She cannot sell tickets. And I would be so hurt. And then I just. That's when I got so where I thought, this isn't going to work. And then honey starts selling out all over the United States, all over the. Everywhere. Everybody was like, I didn't even have an agent. Agents wouldn't take me.

Shopify Advertiser (44:44)

Wow.

Leanne Morgan (44:44)

Yeah. I mean, it was crazy. Somebody had to beg somebody to be my agent. And then I got my first tour, the big panty tour.

Willie Geist (44:54)

There's gotta be a lesson in that for your fans. And I think there is. People who watch you and say, oh, maybe I oughta go chase the thing I've always wanted to do. Right, you do. It's not too late in some ways, right?

Leanne Morgan (45:06)

Yeah.

Willie Geist (45:07)

Is there a lesson in all this?

Leanne Morgan (45:08)

I think so, because I do think this. It took me 20 years to hone this craft. It's hard, you know, not everybody can get up and do this. And I bombed many a time. It takes a long time. Like Nate, you know, how many, 20 years? So I think that I'm the best that I've been, and I think it took me that long to get there at this age, and we're all better and wiser and smarter, you know, as we do our job and our craft and what we enjoy doing. So I do think that all this stuff, like, things end at 40 or something. I don't even know what in the world to say to that. That's crazy. We're the best. I feel like I'm the best I've ever been in my job right now. And I understand why this is happening, even though, I mean, it's crazy. But I also think that it's sad when you've got a dream and, you know, life beats you down. People around you don't mean to, but they say, oh, you can't do that, or, you don't need to take that leap. Life is short. I know that now. And I've just turned 60. I think, gosh, where did this go? I tell my children every day, do what y' all want to do. That makes you happy, you know, and go for it, because you don't want to regret that, you know? And so I think if somebody wants to go back to school, go back to school. If they want to start a business, do it, you know? I just think it'd be crazy not to try it, you know? You don't want to regret that? I don't want to. I got enough regrets, honey. From the 80.

Willie Geist (46:45)

You really regret those siggies, don't you? From the 80s.

Leanne Morgan (46:49)

I do. Even though I think my lungs have regenerated themselves. I hope so. Yes.

Willie Geist (46:56)

Well, you are living proof that sticking with it is the thing to do and worth it. And just look at everything that's happening, even right now. I mean, you're gonna take a little time off, but not much. Well deserved. Enjoy the holidays.

Leanne Morgan (47:08)

Thank you.

Willie Geist (47:09)

Right, back to shoot season two of Leanne, and then you're going out on this tour, this arena tour of yours.

Leanne Morgan (47:15)

I know 200 cities.

Willie Geist (47:16)

Can you believe that?

Leanne Morgan (47:18)

Somebody said to me Yesterday, are there 200 cities?

Willie Geist (47:23)

And I have to say, I love the video you posted the other day at the end of the tour. You were in Boston, and it had been two and a half years, and I could just see it was written all over your face, what all this has meant to you.

Leanne Morgan (47:35)

Oh, when I go out on stage, they stand and blow kisses to me and give me a standing ovation before I've ever said a word. And these precious people, husbands and wives, I think about 50% men now in my audience, which is thrilling, because I love men. I've loved men since kindergarten, but they fly. They have their. Like, their 12 girls from college came together, mothers and daughters and grandmothers. Come together. Like somebody brings their little 90 year old daddy and said he loves you, Leanne. He's never been to a comedy show. It's been so sweet. It really has. And they've done this for me. These fans of mine want to see me win. And if somebody says something mean to me on social media, honey, thousands will go after them, honey. They do. They feel like we're friends. And I feel like I would be friends. I look out in that audience and I think I'd be best friends with every one of them. We'd all go to Jazzercise. We would all, you know, do a Bible study. I wouldn't do my homework, but I would cheat off of them. You know, I feel that way. It is really sweet how people have treated me and for Boston, for me to sell that many tickets when the cool kids got to go to Boston and I never got booked there, so that meant the world to me to end it there. They were precious to me.

Willie Geist (48:58)

Guess what? You're one of the cool kids. You are. We love you, Leanne. Thank you so much for doing this.

Leanne Morgan (49:04)

Thank you, my darling.

Willie Geist (49:06)

We're so happy for you.

Leanne Morgan (49:07)

Thank you, my angel.

Sunday Sit Down Podcast Announcer (49:13)

My goodness, I could talk to her all day. My big thanks. Thanks to Leanne for a great conversation. Her new special, Leanne Morgan Unspeakable Things is streaming now on Netflix. And a second season of her hit show Leanne is coming soon. My thanks to all of you for listening again this week. If you want to hear these conversations with our guests every week, be sure to click follow so you never miss an episode. And don't forget to tune in to Sunday Today every weekend on NBC to see these very interviews with your own two eyes. I'm Willie Geist. We'll see you right back here next week on the Sunday Sit down podcast.

Etsy Advertiser (49:54)

This is an Etsy holiday ad, but you won't hear any sleigh bells or classic carols. Instead, you'll hear something original, the sound of an Etsy holiday, which sounds like this.

Leanne Morgan (50:09)

Woo hoo.

Etsy Advertiser (50:11)

Now that's special. Want to hear it again? Get original and affordable gifts from small shops on Etsy. For gifts that say I get you shop Etsy.