This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von — Episode #627: Leanne Morgan (Dec 3, 2025)

Episode Overview

In this heartfelt and hilarious episode, Theo Von sits down with Leanne Morgan, veteran stand-up comedian and star of the hit Netflix show Leanne and special Unspeakable Things. Together, they trace Leanne's unconventional journey to success, life and family in the South, stories from the road, and what it means to keep chasing dreams later in life. They share laughs and swap stories about everything from electric fences and county fairs to the supernatural Bell Witch. The conversation is genuine, warm, and filled with sharp, quirky observations about comedy, family, ambition, and Southern roots.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Childhood, Family, and Southern Roots

• Starting Out in Comedy

  • Leanne began performing at local Rotary clubs while raising young children, only getting her break much later in life.

    “I was 32 when I think when my baby was 18 months old. The first time I ever opened. I opened at Zany's.” — Leanne ([07:23])

  • She discusses the culture shock of moving from tiny Adams, TN, to attending UT Knoxville and marrying her future husband Chuck at the university.

• Rural Upbringing & Family Stories

  • Both Leanne and Theo swap vivid stories of unusual rural childhoods: from electric fence daredevilry to living in sinking apartments and working in family-run businesses.

    “We really were so bored, little country kids, that we would go and just stand on it [the electric fence] to feel something.” — Leanne ([13:06])

Breakthrough & Late-Blooming Success

• Finding Her Audience Later in Life

  • Leanne candidly describes almost quitting comedy in her 50s, the viral clip that changed her life, and how her career took off after her Dry Bar Comedy special unexpectedly gained traction on social media.

    “My break came in my early 50s, and I was just about to quit... I did that special and some things went viral in it… I started selling out all over the United States in clubs that would not have had me.” — Leanne ([17:21], [20:32])

• Challenges of Touring as a Mom

  • The hardships of touring as a mother of three are highlighted, with Leanne sharing how she drove between gigs with her kids and took any job to stay on stage.

    “I would drive back and forth from San Antonio with little children. I had three babies. Three, five, and seven.” — Leanne ([23:00])

Life, Marriage, and Comedy Fuel

• Marriage to Chuck Morgan

  • The story of her courtship and marriage to Chuck is full of Southern flavor: from meeting while waiting tables, breaking up over cigarettes, and Chuck’s career in the mobile home business.

    “He would not take no for an answer because he's a mobile home salesman. Oh, yeah, they are. They got a lot of testosterone.” — Leanne ([84:53])

• Comedy Material from Real Life

  • Leanne credits her husband’s quirks and her family’s colorful past for much of her material:

    “He does give me a lot of material. He does.” — Leanne ([119:09])

TV Stardom & The New Southern Sitcom

• Netflix’s Leanne and Making TV History

  • Leanne reflects on the shock and joy of seeing her sitcom picked up and the challenge of acting for the first time.

    “It was like, oh, no, I've got to learn a script every week, and I'm in every scene. I'd never done that before. I was overwhelmed.” — Leanne ([51:48])

  • Her show became the first sitcom on Netflix to drop all 16 episodes at once, reaffirming the appetite for “comfort food” TV and the multi-cam format.

    “And then I got a wild hare and dropped 16 at one time. First time in their history.” — Leanne ([52:40])

• On Bringing Southern Women to TV

  • Theo praises the show for its authenticity and the importance of genuine Southern voices on modern TV.

    “...Hollywood hates us. And so. But finally they're, like, so desperate because they realize that, oh, we are human...” — Theo ([16:51])

Southern Lore, Ghost Stories, and The Bell Witch

• Bell Witch Origins
  • Leanne recounts the chilling legend of the Bell Witch from her hometown in Adams, Tennessee, blending myth and personal family history with classic deadpan humor.

    “I was raised. Yes. With a demon. They talked about it all the time.” — Leanne ([61:51]) “That is the Bell witch and the whole thing. And people come, and it's always on the front of USA Today. It's one of the oldest ghost stories, and it's part of Tennessee history...” ([66:33])

Reflections on Showbiz, Women in Comedy, & Motherhood

• Authenticity in Comedy

  • Leanne never felt held back by being a woman in comedy and credits her maternal identity and authenticity for her place in the industry.

    “I never thought of as a man woman thing. I just thought, it's not my time or I gotta get better...” — Leanne ([72:15])

  • She reflects on age, appearance, and what matters:

    “Kristen Johnson would say to me...think about Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Mary Tyler Moore, and, you know, instead of just fixating on trying to be youthful and the prettiest...” — Leanne ([74:18])

• Parenting & Career

  • Leanne values having raised her own children, something even Reese Witherspoon commended her on during a film set:

    “...she said to me every day on that scent, you got to raise your own children, Leanne. She did, and I did.” — Leanne ([75:55])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

[01:53] Leanne:
“Yeah, but you are stunning.”

[19:20] Leanne:
“I'd get in an Uber with a man on marijuana, drive for two hours and stay at a motel on the side of the road. Think I was gonna be murdered... I said, I'm going to quit and I'm opening up a hardware store, because I always thought that would be fun.”

[27:34] Leanne:
“There was a mom that lived behind us. She had a pot belly pig. It charged me all the time. It wasn't a big pig, but it was scary, you know, to have a little pig charging you while you're big pregnant.”

[61:05] Leanne:
“There was a demon, of course. The Bell witch.”

[119:19] Leanne:
“I say, it's a lot of praying in the bathtub. It's hard... you just gotta fight the big battles, not the little ones, you know, Just let things roll off your back.”

[108:00] Leanne:
“You really do. And I feel like God gave me that discernment. I know he did... You've got a sweet spirit.”

Noteworthy Segments with Timestamps

• [07:23] – Leanne describes starting comedy as a mom of three.
• [17:21] – [20:32] – She explains her late breakthrough and viral moment.
• [27:34] – Pregnancy and stories from mobile home living.
• [51:00] – [53:06] – Netflix sitcom behind-the-scenes, fears and success.
• [61:05] – [66:33] – The Bell Witch legend and growing up with supernatural lore.
• [72:15] – [74:18] – Women in comedy, authenticity, and the myth of “making it.”
• [75:55] – On raising her own kids and family balance.
• [119:19] – The secret to a long marriage: “a lot of praying in the bathtub.”

Tone & Style

The episode is a riot of quick-fire sarcasm, affectionate needling, and heartfelt truths, blending Southern warmth with razor-sharp wit. Theo and Leanne both revel in the quirks and struggles of coming up from humble beginnings, never taking themselves too seriously but never minimizing the pain or faith it takes to break through. Leanne, in particular, uses humility and humor to transform personal hardship into laughter and warmth.

Summary for New Listeners

This episode is a candid, hilarious, and deeply encouraging look at making it on your own terms — full of stories about grit and grace in the South, the grind of show business, and the joy (and material) found in family, marriage, and everyday life. Leanne Morgan’s journey is a testament to patience, authenticity, and keeping the faith — and she makes even the darkest childhood prank or strangest small-town legend feel like a shared secret worth celebrating. Highly recommended for fans of true, relatable storytelling and anyone who loves a good Southern yarn.