SmartLess - "Leanne Morgan"

Episode Date: January 26, 2026

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. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Oh, it's so cold in here. Is anyone else cold, or is it just me? I mean, like... Oh, it's... Oh, God, it's... Oh, God, it's a cold. Oh, Lord, it's like a cold... There's nothing colder than a cold open.

Snakes! This is a cold open. Ah, now I'm getting bit by a snake. Everybody run. The snakes are cold. It's a cold open. Oh, my phone is ringing. Hang on one second.

It's time for a cold open. Welcome to Smartless. Smart. Listener... Oh, we're talking about the Golden Globes. Yeah, we were talking about the Golden Globes. Yeah. And it was fun.

We had a good time, us guys. We did that fun. That was... That was super fun. We did our sweaty bit at the beginning. It was great. It was super fun. Nice to be a part of that...

What was it? I guess category. And as our friend, Jimmy Kimmel put it, nice to be a part of that category because it could end up like break dancing at the Olympics. and no one ever sees it again. Break dancing at the Olympics.

The last time you see that category, I don't know. But congrats to Miss Amy Poehler for winning. The absolute best podcast in the world. Yeah, congrats to her. Good hang did very well. It was a good hang. Her speech was a good hang. Yeah, a lot of good speeches last night.

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 eff and shit yeah we've been saying everybody win for months i won 200 bucks i bet i bet on her and won two hundred dollars i know you bet with krasinski and then i said i told amy that you bet with krasnski and i go right from moment one you know that she's got it locked up when it comes to that

like she's she's beloved she deserves it but she's beloved yeah for sure for sure But anyways. Did you guys meet anybody you were excited to meet last night? Did you have anybody come up? I had a wonderful conversation with Kevin Bacon and Sean Penn. Yeah. Those guys are great, yeah. Willie, did you get some nice compliments on your film?

I did, actually. Yeah, it was nice. There was a lot of nice people said a lot of people that I really look up to and that I'd love some of those things. Yeah. Yeah, George was very nice about it. Yeah, he was very sweet about it. He sent me a nice text as well.

Sandler and those guys super nice and had some good 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 pretending that he was running running the martini card he was running a martini card he goes I'll just be right here if you want anything I have vodka and gin vodka and gin

like into my ear and I just kept going would you fuck off that's hilarious Seanie Everything's okay Sean had to leave early Some sort of an ailment

It's funny how it timed out right to us losing our category That is emergency cropped up Crazy who could have called that It was unfortunate timing But everything was all taken care of He got home in time To end up being okay Evacuate whatever was

Yeah No thank you for your concern Thank you yeah I know everything was turned out terrific Yeah 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. Now that's a comedy.

Bring it back. Because 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 pier.

That is so funny. But anyway, we've been nominated a total of 27 times. No way. Yeah, and then last night was 28, and we never won one. Is that true? Yeah, never won.

Wait, Will and Grace was up for what last night? No. I'm just saying total, and then last night was one more that I and the three of us. Oh, that you were a part of it. Gotcha, gotcha. That's 28 and 0, 0 and 28 at the Golden Globes?

That is correct. Something like that, 26, 27. I was there, Jay 1-1. I was sitting next to Jay 1-1. I was sitting next to Jay and we had a nice deep... Oh, that's nice. For what? For what?

For Ozark? This was for arrested. Oh, that's great. Congratulations. Yeah, yeah. I made the mistake of thanking every single person I've ever met in my life. No, you know what? I remember that night.

I was really sweet and you were legitimately surprised and it was a... That was a really, really fun night. I don't have to look that up. I'd like to see that. Yeah. You get to have those fun movies. Nice things don't usually happen for me. Oh, I know.

I know. We're... Everybody's real concerned about it. You've had a rough road. I was proud of our little bit, the three of us. You know, we were cooking with gas up there. That's right. By the way, and I said to Jason, nobody in the history of an award show has done a bit with

their back towards the audience. I know. It was so good. J.B., that was so great. Try to create a private moment. It was so funny. That was fun. laughing at that. I liked Clooney's and

a bit with Don Cheeto, Cheelel. That was good. They were really good. Anyway, they were good. All right, here we go. Ready? Yeah. Yeah. 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.

Whoa. 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 meat. 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 Morgan. I knew it. I knew it. I knew it.

I knew it. I knew it. I knew it. I know it was Leanne Morgan. I've never seen Will so happy. I've never seen Leanne's. I've been love with all of y'all. And I'm in a sinful way.

Yeah. Oh. Thank y'all for having me. This is a dream come true. Oh, it's so nice to have you here. For us too. For us too. Oh, my God.

I'm so happy. I love your story. I love that you are having this moment. It's so dessert. You're so funny and cool and original. Oh, I'm so psyched that you're here. Thank you, Will. Thank you.

Now I've got a beagle yelling at me. Hold on, boys. A beagle? A beagle? A beagle? A little beagle. I like beagles. I'm up on my top floor.

Yeah. 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 y'all. We love you. By the way, Leanne, when you said you had a beagle talking to you, Sean was thinking to himself at the same time,

he was like, I feel like there's a bagel talking to me from the kitchen, too. So you're Knoxville. Eat me. That's amazing. I mean, it is really cool. like Will said, to hear your story, and we'll get into this 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. Thank you. It's really, really cool. I've seen you, first of all, congrats on your, I know your show has been this super big hit. So congrats on that. Thank you. And then now you, you, did you just have a special, a Netflix special?

Yeah, it was in the top 10. Yeah, it's like, exactly. Like, you're just having all this stuff. And then I've seen you on a couple of interviews, and you've got a great, I watched a little bit of your you're on with Conan and it was so funny

God we like that Conan we love Conan any of the best I know he was wonderful 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 it's amazing yep it's all repetitive

but it works it is and to think about how little intellect he has and yet he's able to kind of make it work work yeah it makes the hair dance a little bit and he distracts you His hair. I know. I know. Blew me away.

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 is going on? Oh, my Lord. I don't know, boys. I guess, okay. I guess, you know, I've been doing stand-up for 20 years when this hit.

I was in my early 50s. It's so good. 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 McIntyre's ex-husband, Norville. And he said... No, we know Norville well. Norville?

Yeah. That has Blake Shelton and all these people, Kelly Clarkson, and he said, it's just a phenomenon, Leon. 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'd call, you Hollywood boys would call it, but 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. They love your sitcom. By the way, these guys are, I'm from Toronto, I'm just a kid. I'm just an Oshack's kid from Toronto, it should be noted.

I'm just a Canadian kid. Yeah, we'll fill in all the Hollywood stuff for you guys. Sean, we got you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But, you know, it is interesting that I think our buddy Judd Apatow explained why comedy movies are not doing as good of business nowadays is because social media, there's these great little bite-sized moments of comedy that people, 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... And it's immediate, right? Yeah, but it is helping some parts of the business and maybe hurting others, or I don't know, but it is... I think it hurts.

I do. I love a comedy. I love a movie. I was in a... I've only done one movie, and I played Reese With With With With Wetherstone's Big Sister, Gwendoff. With Will Ferrell. With Will Ferrell. Yeah, that's great.

He was darling, and we had a ball. But I miss movies like that. I love all of Judd Apatose movies. I mean, I just, yeah, and I do. I think there's these little snippets, and then people just get satisfied with that. Yeah. And let me tell you all that my sitcom made it to number two on Netflix

because the hunting wives came out the same time. All those girls that were shooting boars in their panties. Did y'all ever watch that show? No, what happened? No, what is it? It's hunting wives. They'll shoot a wild boar in panties. They were shooting boars in their panties, James.

Jason's like, what channel? And then would do sexual stuff with each other, and I could not beat that. You know, a multi-line could not be that. How do you spell hunting? Sorry. I may internet's slow here, but... 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? I mean, 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, you know, out of the middle. Were they both in the top ten? Yes. Yeah, that's so amazing. That's so good. Deservidly so. It's funny as hell. Yeah.

Thank you. Thank you. But so then you think. I 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 stand-up gigs get larger? And Netflix took notice of that. And then they said, okay, now you get a special?

Is that the way that yes? That's exactly what happened. And then that special brings even more people. And then there's another special. That's the way it comes. Yeah. Jason works in business affairs, so he's trying to figure out of the commerce here. At what point was the big negotiation?

Was it before the first special or after? How far apart were you guys on your first offer? I think what turned it around, I was at, I could not get arrested. I always say that. I could not sell tickets in Clums. I was in my early 50s. I already felt like it was over. And then Clums 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 Leopard and Journal. and how everybody looked sick and had planter fasciitis. And that went viral, and then I think people saw that, and they were like, what else does she have? Everybody looks at it. And had platterfaciitis.

That is a rough crowd. Because of the way he walks, is that what it is? Oh, the little boys in journey, you know. Yeah. Well, they've heard that little guy, that little young guy, and he can still flip and squat and stuff, but those old boys. And then Depp Lampert came out.

And I thought, he had a little bump underneath his little chest. What, Jason? Is it Benson Boone? Is that the flipping squatter? Oh, no, he's a skipper in squatter. But no, the little, they've hired Journey, you know, because 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 they've hired some little man that can 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 Jeff Leopard came out

and had like a little bump under... And I thought, he's got a hernia. What's Jeff Leopard, man? He's wearing yoga pants still? 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... He could see 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 all right heard all this mess. I got to come up with something new. And I thought, oh, I'll tell them about me and Chuck Morgan going to see Deflebert and Journey. And then that's what did it.

And then I got the big panty tour, boys. So then I found myself talking about my panties a lot. So I named it the big panty tour. And that, but that was all like coming out of COVID. So everything was booming and I was selling tickets. And then your daughter, You used to run your Facebook account during COVID because you didn't know how to unite, like a tech person,

and that's when you discovered, like, oh. Yeah, oh, my kids were doing it until I hired these darling young guys who they had during COVID, they helped me. Yeah, yeah. And I was on my back porch, you know, eating chicken and dressing. Well, I don't even want to say that in front of y'all

because 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 a real deal. And that changed my life. That changed my life.

Yeah. And then Chuck Lurie came to my house in Knoxville, Tennessee. ask me if I would do a television show with him. 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 went? 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 going to be the next Roseanne. And then the writer strike hit. That first writer strike hit,

and it was over in a day. In 07. So that was a while ago. 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 we're ever going to go anywhere.

But I didn't know. I'm not a Hollywood. You know, I don't know all that. But it's not the way it was supposed. 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 on the porch. Yeah, was it a white wine or was it a red wine? It was a red, Jason, in the middle of perimenopause that made that worse. You talking about wallering in the bed at night sweats. and y'all are asking each other, how did you sleep?

No, I know. Before I came on here. Not well. I know it. I know. And then, speaking about food, you celebrated your 60th birthday by going and eating two cakes with a fork at the grocery store. Is that right? Oh, my God.

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 wheel, because I did Amy Polar, 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 in bathing suit boys. Wow. Yeah. Why did we get two? Because you have two favorites? Well, my kids, I've trained them.

we overeat. But they were like, we know she likes chocolate, and the grandbabies like chocolate. 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. Right, right, right. Yeah. And we will be right back. And now back to the show. 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.

Yeah. I love it. Now, what's the deal with Chuck Morgan? He's a character, right? He's been a problem for some time. He's been a problem for some time. I met him at the University of Tennessee, honey. 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 a wrecked, dropped down. It's all voluntary when you get to college. You do whatever the hell you want, you know? 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. Not a lot of pushback from the broken folks.

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 going to be in show business, I'm going to 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 Groundleys 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 country kid. And all through your 40s and 50s and all that, you still held on to that kind of thing that I'm still, it doesn't matter how long it takes I'm still going to do it. When I started, I called myself a true stand-up 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 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 brother. We know Dr. Jimmy Miller. He's got a PhD in showbiz. That's what I always say. We love Dr. Miller.

The third brother 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 deal. Hey, Tom, Jimmy Miller. here. I got a hot CD for you. Tom's like, oh, great, sounds great. Thanks, Jimmy.

Two great guys. I was 32 when I started doing clubs and I considered myself a real. But I had been doing like little gigs in Marstown, 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 clubs and, you know, being more like the real thing at 32 years old. Who was your hero coming up? Like, who are you looking at going, I'd love for my career to go that direction?

Was it somebody on a sitcom or was it a stand-up? I loved all sitcoms, but I loved stand-up. I loved Johnny Carson and watching the stand-ups. So I would watch, you know, Jay Leno, David Letterman. Remember David Brenner? Yeah. Yes. And Richard Lewis.

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 watching WKRP in Cincinnati. Yeah, sure. 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 going to do and how you can make a living at it. Yeah, yeah. Well, Guy, I'm going to go around the horn. What was everybody's favorite multi-capital? CAM sitcom of all time. All in the family.

All in the family, you're number one? Yeah. Cheers for me too. Cheers for me too. Taxi was up there pretty good too. Yeah, I should say Will and Grace, but I... Oh, Will and Grace! Wait, which one was that?

No, no, I mean, because I was on it, so it would be something else, so it would be... No, it would be weird if you said if you... Yeah, that'd be gross. That's right. That's right. Let's just say, but yeah, cheers for me. Okay, sorry. Okay, sorry. Wait, what was your...

Wait, wait, Leah, what was your favorite favorite of all of all the multi-camp it comes of all time. If you had to pick one, gun to head. I don't know why there'd be a gun to your head, but there is a gun to your head. I love Lucy. Oh gosh. Okay, y'all, let me think.

I, does that, I really enjoyed WKRP in Cincinnati. There you go. I just loved it. I loved Lonnie Anderson. Les Nessman. I loved all those guys on radio. Gordon Jump.

When I think about it, or like Three's Company. I'm 60 years old. Oh, I love Three's Company. Yeah, it's company. Has a swinging door been more well used than in three's company. Oh, to the kitchen, that's what you, oh.

Right. LaGron and Shirley. Yeah, that was great. Yeah, that was swung pretty good too. Sure. So, wait, when you first started out, you were doing like Kiwanis Club stuff, right? Yeah. Community Center stuff.

And did you know by those early shows? And then you were doing, I said in the intro, you were doing. Jewelry. Oh, like, oh, jewelry, right. Jewelry parties. Is that like Tupperware parties and stuff? Yes, I was selling, because Chuck Morgan, y'all, is tied with money. and people don't believe me when I say that.

I remember that. We were just in New York celebrating my five-year-old grandbabies fifth birthday, and 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. It's where Will is right now. Yeah, exactly.

But, you know, I kind of, I'm a big deal, but he likes to keep us, you know, with the break zone. But so 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 want 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 because I was isolated up in the Appalachia Mountain. She said, you can meet people. you can eat a D, eat some D, eat a brownie, sell some jewelry, get a, and so. By the way, I'm in. I just had a vision of you just now presenting a necklace with a little bit of dip underneath your fingernails. But, you know,

Jason's thinking about other people touching the other vegetables and the dip or the chips, all the other fingers that get in there, right, Jay? A little bit. Oh, a double dipper. But, you know what, I look back. It was really fun, and I sold jewelry to everybody in the Appalachian Mountains because I was funny, and people thought they would book me about a year in advance because they would have a good time.

I wouldn'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 to book a party with me. And I said, I mean, it's see me in, get me now with a party,

or see me in Las Vegas later. You're right. 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 going to be on, you know, I'll be in Las Vegas. I'm going to be doing, which was crazy, but I thought that. I felt that every time. And then the company noticed, yes.

You have to see it. You have to see it to believe it. You really, really do. If you don't believe it, you know, no one else is going to. Yeah. It's so true. Yeah. And I always believed that I got real worried,

and right before I blew up, I told Chuck Morgan, I go, I don't think anything's going to happen. I feel desperate. I think I'm going to 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 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 because 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. And the first video they put out

went viral and changed everything. Let's kind of shout out to those boys. What are their names? 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 bunch of brothers and sisters, and they got my voice.

They understood my brand from the word go. That's great. What does Chuck Morgan think about the money you spent with Jared and the boys? He fought me on it. Yeah, of course he did. Classic Chuck Morgan. And I read that Chuck Morgan didn't realize how big your fame was until a gig at the University of Tennessee or something like that.

You're walking out? Yeah, maybe when we went to see Lana Rinchie and Earth went in 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 for you know it, I mean, we're all kissing and hugging, and I don't see the show. But anyway, people were yelling at me through that, at the big arena, and I think he was dumbfounded. Yeah, well, let's say more about that.

What happens, old big British is Chuck Morgan with his Berkshire halfway gig, and he's seeing Leanne. And you're jackassing it back to Austin and it's not for shits and giggles. You're really doing something and all of a sudden Chuck Morgan's in for a bit of a reality check. Security's getting between you and Chuck Morgan walking back out to the car

and he's not comfortable with that, is he? Well, 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 Meaney. Yeah, of course he does. That doesn't suck, doesn't?

Suck, does it old Chuckie Bump? Chuckie Bump. He has been a wonderful provider, so I think it was, you know, it was a little. We love Chuck Morgan. No, we love Cubs. It was hard for him for me to make, honey, to have this power. You know what I'm saying, boys?

Yeah, yeah. But, 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 that go, oh, look at those celebrities, they're over and that special thing. And now you're like, oh, I kind of get it a little. little bit. Because, right, a little bit?

Can you speak to that? Yeah. Because y'all, I mean, I have wonderful fans. And when I tell you, I go out in those theaters or arenas, and they stand up and blow me kisses for I've ever said a word. They're precious. 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 crazy. 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 want 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. Do you run stuff material by him at all? Like, you're like, are you, is this funny? Is this not, or does he not? No, I don't because he, 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's given, he gives me a lot of good material, y'all, because he's peculiar. What about your kids? Do your kids think you're funny? It's peculiar. They do. They do, Jason, but 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 diva. Yeah. Oh, do they? Yeah. Uh-huh. Well, they're all grown. 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?

Right. Yeah, yeah. Mom's hammering it. And then when you were, you got, wait, how many kids do you have? Three. A boy and two girls. Right. And you said babies come first.

comedy came third. So what, did you, was that implied that you're second or like, what second? 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? Okay. So it's mom, it's mom, wife career. Yes. But now, but now, the kids are, 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 he's good.

And so now do we get to move a career up to number one now? Yeah, it's number one now, Jason. There we go. And I feel bad because I am the mama, and they do still need me some. But yes, this is taking over everybody. You don't know what that. I live out in L.A. part of the year to shoot, and so I can't be there for, 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 taking over everything. So wait, so this is the sitcom you're shooting out here, right? Uh-huh. 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 Lorry world. Oh, Mama. Are you doing just four-day weeks over there?

No, we do. Well, we do a table read on Monday, and then, um, rehearsal Tuesday, Wednesday, and then pre-shoot Thursday, and then live audience Friday. Right. Have them slide that table read over to Friday right before you start shooting, and you can free up that Monday.

You can spend more time in chat, Nuka. Yeah. Tell Chuck there's a new plan. Yeah, yeah. God. Oh, boy. Jay, you're going to run into Chuck Lurray like today, and he's going to be out of the driving range.

I mean, isn't that kind of so great that you're so used to a live studio, audience since you toured all. I mean, like, it's probably, yeah, it probably relaxes you, no? It does. And I, I'm telling y'all, this scared me to death. I always wanted this, you know, and then you're like, oh, my gosh, why did I wish for this?

Because at first, it was so stressful. And Kristen Johnston plays my sister, who is a pro. She's great. She's such a pro. And she has to sit and 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, because of Chuck Lurie, that's the way he wants it. It used to be three. This is very, look, how great. Now, are you able to cross paths with the great director,

Jimmy Burroughs at all? I have not met him yet, no. And I've heard of them say something about him. He's the greatest to me. I did have Andy Ackerman for an episode. Very good. Very good. 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. Are you shooting over at Warner Brothers or are you over there at Netflix lot? Warner Brothers. On the Friends lot. I mean, on the Friends soundstage. And do you rely on a lot of your own family stories to write stories for the show? No, not really.

I mean, they listen to every podcast. read my book, watched all my stand-up. So it's based on my stand-up. But, I mean, they'll get ideas for me, but not, I mean, I've got a really, I got Nick Backeye. Because when I was reading it, when I was reading about your stuff, all your family stories are so fucking funny. Can you say the one about the ski trip and one of your kids getting hurt?

Oh, when I fell off the ski left, are you talking about when I fell off at 49 years old? No, one of your kids, well, no, yeah, that, but one of your kids scared up, you know, shared a personal observation about themselves. 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. Right.

Is your youngest kid? The baby, uh-huh. And she's been a bugger. I'll just tell y'all. I'm in love with her. And she's funny. She's so funny. and she has been like Chuck Morgan.

She's a lot like her daddy. Very strong wheeled. 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. Yeah, she's hot. And, you know, skin. is hard. I've never enjoyed it. Chuck Morgan loves it. It's like I compared it to working in a coal mine. When I go skiing because I got to get everybody dressed,

I got to make lunches for everybody because chicken tenders cost $45 up on that scheme out and Chuck Morgan don't go for that. But anyway, I said, why are you taking your clothes off? And she said, my butt hole edges. You can't get to it through all those layers. I get into it through all those. She took all their clothes up. And let me tell you all, I had been doing that on tour.

I've been trying to work out that band 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 four or five years old? You did not tell them. They think I'm grown. And then I took my clothes off and my bum holes in.

Right. So then I had to put in there. I thought, oh, my God. So then I started saying, okay, she was a four. or five years old and her butt hole was edging. But yeah, I've had more people go, oh my gosh, that snow skin. Yeah.

Because, you know, it's so hard with little children. Oh, yeah. Did you, and now, is it true, you bring your whole family to somebody, like your Netflix special, you brought your whole family for the first time? Yes. And what are they, and what, 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. And they'd never seen you do anything like that. No. Yeah. 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 who said, that's so sweet you brought your family out, and we want to see your family because you tell all these stories. And I don't know, it just seemed natural to me to bring them out. It really wasn't that calculated.

I just thought, oh, look at my family. Yeah, we went on tour. I brought my sister out, and the audience was, like, thought it was like, you know, Elvis squawk on stage. we'll be right back. And back to the show. But doesn't it get a little tricky with the stories? 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 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? Yeah, yeah. 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'all, 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. Oh, that's great. 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 breast looked terrible. They had sucked up into my body.

They were like a little wadded piece of tissue with a, like, 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 breast done. And I said, one of the first times I was ever on stage, I said, I want to get my breast 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've always provided me. 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.

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 bumped them out. That's so good. What a dude. That's such a dude thing. Do you guys currently have a mobile home that you guys like to travel around in? No, these are the kind, Jason.

not even those. This is the kind that you, a double wide, have you ever heard of that, my darling? This can be like a legit home. Yeah, whether you put it on a foundation. This is one of the largest home builders in the United States. Wow. And he has worked for them for over 30 years.

And it is a Warren Buffett company. Yeah, yeah. They've sent us to Cancun. Oh, wow. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, boys. Yeah.

Jason, yeah. Jason, Jason's been on a couple motorhome. Who'd you go with, J.B.? I forget. With the Laf Garrett. We went on a nice ski tour. Oh, my Lord. Yeah, there was snow of a different kind.

I've got some video of that trip I've got to find. Which I do think an RV would be fun. You had your mountain bikes with you too, didn't you? Yeah, up on the roof there. So we could travel from the mobile home lot where we'd plug in, dump the trash. and then bike into town. Oh, God. Oh, yeah.

It's a good time. So, wait, Leanne, you were going to be, is it true you were going to be a therapist at one point? Did you study? I did study. I wanted to be a child and family therapist if I didn't make it in Hollywood. Wow.

And I love all that. I still loved that. I loved my degree and I loved all that. And, you know, I looked back on it and I think during COVID, when I was wringing my hands and drinking wine and eating a chicken cassero, I should have gotten a master's on.

line. Did you get a degree in psychology? I got it in crisis intervention counseling. Wow. Wow. Wow. That's kind of cool. After I went back, y'all, after I went back and got through all that bad time,

then I buckled down and studied. But yeah. 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 sort of severe, serious, talk show host behind the scenes. And, you know, comics, particularly stand-up comics, always have this exciting, darker, quiet side. Do you, I start thinking about, like, this degree you've got and therapy,

you know, do you ever fantasize about playing a role where it's dark and it's quiet and there's sort of this flip side to the character? Do you have, like, acting aspirations like that? I do, Jason. And y'all would know better than I do if I could even do it. I bet you'd be great. But I would love to do drama and I would love to do a darker character. You'd be great.

You can't do what you do without that side being under at all. We get it. We know what you're doing. You should get after that. Thank you, my darling. I would love to. I don't know if anybody would take me seriously. Sure, they would be exciting as hell.

Jason, the big-time director. Jason, what are we talking about here? Big time, big-time. You are. You are. You are. Big, big, big, big, big, big. You are.

Yes. 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 them what's behind the curtain, Leanne. I would love that. I love that. Leanne, you said, there's so many little tiny things. Like, you love doing laundry, which is like, what?

He loves doing laundry. It's therapeutic. And then, and gas station, your favorite gas station snack on tour, because I have. You love grabbing stuff at gas stations, like when you're on tour. What's your classic snack? Well, honey, we have to. I don't want a boiled egg, but I have to try to because I don't want my butt to look big on TV. That was a shock, boys.

That was a shock. You know what I don't like. Where's my chin? I don't like boiled nuts, which you see a lot in the South. Like warm nuts? No, no, boiled. Like they're in like a bag, like a bag. a wet freaking bag

that makes the peanut shell all soft and sometimes they're a little spicy and so. And I, 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. I've never cared about a bowl 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. Wait, does that help? Do nuts help with the...

I think some, like walnuts and brain health, I think so. Omega's something. Omega's in there? But now Chuck Morgan, now Chuck Morgan can go to a gas station, make a full meal with boiled eggs, and because it's cheaper and relish and a mayo packet and make his own egg salad. But being on tour, you all know what that is.

I'm constantly trying to get, you know, trying to get in protein because I'm 60. Now everybody yells about women having all that protein, but it's hard on the road. 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. Because I, y'all, I was the stay-at-home mom, and even though I was doing stand-up, I cooked every meal. I am a country. I'm from the country. We cook. We put everything into these children. I was doing all that and doing everything, you know, because he was trapped.

That house always smells so yummy. What's your go-to meal? Fancy folks coming over and you want to really wow them with how you can make this particular. Oh, y'all, I don't feel like, I don't feel very fancy, but. No, it doesn't need to be a fancy dish. These people need not be fancy. With something you know you make well. Yeah, if you're looking to brag a little bit.

I can make a good chicken pucata. Oh. Oh, look at that with the capers? Sure. With the capers, lemon, with a thin chicken breast. Mm-hmm. I can do that with a little angel hair. There's a lot of water retention on the capers.

Is there really? Yeah. 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. He was looking a little puffy through a few months. Leanne, who's outside of your family and Chuck? Morgan, who's your best, who's your friend that makes you the laugh the hardest or who makes you just gaggle? I tell you, the Karen Mills, who is a stand-up, 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've got to be around other comedians. And Karen Mills opens for me on tour, not all the time because she's got her own thing going on. But I can't tell y'all how I'm grateful I am to have her. We laugh so hard together.

You know, I'd 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 and 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 Zanis all the time, and my concert promoters are out of Nashville. Nashville's a huge comedy scene now with Nate Burgessie, John Christ, Theo Vaughn, all these people. And I get to be with them, but all these years I was on my own. And this mom, you know, when 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

because it's hard. Stand up is hard. The hardest. You know, and you drive 300 miles and make $50 and all that kind of stuff. How do you handle when you're saying, like, sometimes, like, some of those gigs, it's just the worst, somebody shoot me. You're 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 feel like, 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, like, not fun and contentious? It's not fun. And there's times when you feel gutted, you know, coming out of doing a show for men that make carpet fiber.

But then, but I don't get contentious. 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, and 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. Yeah, good. Right, right, right. But, yeah, some of these corporate things will kill you. What about cursing?

Do you ever, do you, there's a, there's some, there are comics that curse and comics that don't, correct? Isn't there? There's like, there's a demarcation line there. Yeah. And I don't, and I love, like, I'm a huge fan of Dave Chappelle. Oh, my gosh, I love, I love all kinds of comedy, and I don't care if they cuss. I've never done it. But I think it's because I started out, you know, with little children.

and I didn't want to say anything that I didn't want them to say. It's almost funnier without it. And it just wasn't in my thing, you know, but I don't mind it when other people do it. But yeah, there is kind of a, there's a line. Yeah, it's like, I always love that about Nate, too. You mentioned Nate Bergatsi, who I love. He's such a good dude, and he's so funny and he never cusses.

It's amazing. It doesn't, huh? Yeah. We shut up. No, I don't know. I don't know. No, he doesn't. Leanne, we're going to do some rapid fire,

and then I'm going to ask you one last question. Okay, ready? Okay, my darling. Is it rapid fire? Is it a new section? We're doing a new section? Yeah. Do we need like some sting music to Tia?

I love this. Sure. You're going to be a little thing music. Rob, Rob, drop us up some. Sean's Rapid Fire section. There's only like five of them. Ready? Sweet to your bourbon.

I'd even say bourbon. Oh, I love that. Jella salad or banana pudding? Banana pudding. Country music concert or arena rock show. Or what kind of rock show? Like a big arena rock show. Arena rock show.

Like the journey. need to death of everything. I'd probably go for a rock show. Oh, wow. Live studio audience or on location or like touring or something? Live studio audience. How about that? Early bird or night owl? Early bird. Oh, wow. Pizza or barbecue ribs? Pizza. Pancakes or bacon? Peacques. Levi's or Lycra? Levi's. Boy, I answered all of them the same. I'm just listing all the stuff that's in front of them right now, by the way. He's just looking at stuff in his room. Pizza and rims, Lycra and jeans. He's just looking at shit that's in his view.

There's an open box of pizza in the corner. Banana pudding. He's like, I'm going to get after that banana pudding. 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, I'll grant y'all, being in Hollywood with these young girls that are, and these actresses,

first of all, if I'd have moved to Hollywood at 20, I'd be on dope. 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. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And I just think it makes sense when people make it big. 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, you know, 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 deal since y'all were young, and that's wonderful. And you've given so much joy to all of us. But I do think there's something about, you know, honing a craft and... And learn, like you said, learn, like 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 just like makes so much more sense. I'm still doing the multiplication after Jason just said that. Yeah, it's also a privilege to get older, you know, like, because the only other choice is dying. I know. Right, right. It's like you want to get as old as possible because if you don't, you die. You're dead.

I know. That's your choice. Those are your choices. Bring the wrinkles on. That's why eating those two cakes and that stretched out tin kini swims skirt. meant the world to me. I thought 60 was going to be rough on me, and I thought, oh, my gosh, I'm so thankful to have my health and I'm having the time of my life.

This is crazy what's happening 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. You know, I just feel so blessed by all of it. You're doing it real well, and this has been an enormous pleasure. Thank you.

Sean, be honest. Be honest. Did it make you think about or getting a cake today? 100% I just wrote it down. You did. And I put it too next to it. Leanne, you are, you can see why you made it.

You're just an absolute unbelievable joy. Thank you. All your success is so deserved. It's so awesome to talk with you. Thanks for talking to us today. Thank you all. I'm in love with all three of y'all. Back at you.

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. Let us know when you're going to do a set out here in Los Angeles. Yeah. Okay.

I will. I'll be working on that new hour, Jason. Come on. All right, you, angel. You angel. Thank you for this today. Thank you, my love. Have a great rest of your day, Leanne.

Thank you, Leah. Bye, bye, bye, bye, bye. Bye. Sean, what a great guest. I know, she was great. You know, Scotty loves her. Lives her. And I did too, but, I mean,

He's seen every single thing she's ever done. Scotty turned you on to her? Yeah. And I was like, wow, she is really funny. She's really funny. I can hear her talking about Chuck Morgan all day. I know. He comes up a lot.

He's got to come out on stage. Wouldn't that be fun? I want to talk to that guy. Book him. All right, book him. Don't shout it. Don't shout orders. Hey, are you going to bring a cake over tonight?

Do you want me to? Yeah, or a pie. Once you go get a, I'll go get a sweet lady, Jane's, Or a cake or something. Or a Winston's pie? Will you really eat it if I get it? If you get a Winston's pie, I'm going to eat the hell out of it.

They're okay. You're not a pie guy. You're more of a cake guy? Yeah, pie. I don't understand pie. It's just fruit shoved into pastry. All right, well, then bring a cake. Yeah.

Yeah. That I understand. What are we watching? You said. Oh, right, right, right, right. Are you guys getting together tonight? Yeah. I don't watch a movie.

Yeah. Now, Will, aren't you supposed to come home? You're supposed to come home for a week and then go back to a Long Island. Yeah. Is that going to happen? I'm coming back Friday. For? A week, eight days.

Yeah. Wait, really? Is there any way that you can free up for some hangout with Danny D's on Sunday morning? No, I can't Sunday. God damn it. I know. What about Saturday morning with me? Saturday.

Oh, that's sweet. No, I can't. Because I got that thing that you can't do Saturday afternoon that you said that you can't do. I can't. That's why I'm going to cram in the ground in the morning. I can't. Because I have two. I have other shit.

I don't think you're going through your schedule right now. Are we still rolling? Yeah. Damn it. Well, hey, what about that Leanne Morgan? I know, I know. Oh, she was an absolute delight. She's a delight.

I mean, maybe late Sunday afternoon. Sorry, yes, Leanne Morgan. You know, I must say, Willie, you are, you are, you're gone for a long, long time with this junk and I'm 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 do you, when will you be done? Bye. Bye. Love you all.

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