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Hello everyone. Welcome to Good Hang.
I'm very, very excited about our guest
today. It is Leanne Morgan. She is a
incredible, hilarious standup who had a
huge special on Netflix and now has a
new show on there called Leanne. And
look, Leanne is someone you probably are
getting to know or just found out about.
But guess what? She's been doing comedy
for a long time and you're going to hear
all about it today. So, we're going to
talk about a lot of things. We're going
to talk about her love of Diet Coke.
We're going to talk about the fact that
she was voted best looking in high
school. We're going to talk about her
husband, Chuck Morgan, and her new show
and all the good stuff that comes along
with it. And we always like to start
these episodes by asking someone who
knows our guest what question they think
I should ask them. And so joining me is
a great hilarious actress. You've seen
her uh in a very small scene in Sex in
the City, and you've seen her in Third
Rock from the Sun, and you're going to
see her in the new show Leanne, playing
the sister of Leanne Morgan's character,
Kristen Johnston. Kristen, can you hear
me? Is the Zoom working? Hi.
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[Music]
>> I was kind of thinking today it's cra we
must have met.
>> I know. I think we did.
>> Yeah, we must have met like before the
New York smoking ban. That's where I
feel like we must have met.
I feel like I feel like we were at a a
bar somewhere talking about like,
>> you know, we could have been drunk
together. God knows. God only knows.
>> You know, I was just reminiscing with
someone the other day. I can remember
when the New York smoking ban came into
effect and we were like, "They're not
going to let us smoke in restaurants.
That'll never stick."
We were like, "No way."
>> Wait, Amy, I'm so old. I actually
remember physically smoking on an
airplane.
>> Yeah, I remember. I was I was I remember
people smoking on an airplane. I was
wasn't of the age yet to smoke, but
you're only a few years older than me.
>> Well, neither was I, but I did it
anyway.
But you know what? I have to say,
smoking aside, cuz yeah, I did smoke for
quite a few years, but growing in New
York in the '9s was really fun.
>> I know. You know, we're similar. We're
close to the same age and Leanne too.
Leanne's just a few years older. And I
want to talk to her about that cuz we
all came up in the 80s and and it was a
completely different time.
>> So different. I mean, we're I feel
really lucky and blessed to me, too. You
know, run around drinking from garden
hoses and not coming home until like
midnight at, you know, you're 6 years
old or whatever. It was fun in the 70s
and 80s.
>> Okay. So, tell me how you met Leanne,
how you got involved in the show.
>> Okay. So, you know, I did the show Mom
with Chuck Lori. Uh Chuck calls me a
year ago, year and a half ago and like
you get a call from Chuck Lori and
you're like,
"Do I call back? Do I, you know?"
Anyway, he calls and he's like, "Look,
do you know this uh standup Lean
Morgan?" And I didn't because I'm not a
stand-upy person. And he goes, "Just
watch her." And so I watched I don't
even know why. And I watched like the
first 10 minutes. I called him back. I
was like, "Oh my god." And he said,
"We're doing a show. We want you to play
her sister. Susan McMartin's do." And I
was like, I'm done. I didn't even let
him finish the sentence. And then we met
a couple months later and felt deeply
deeply in love.
>> I feel I'm really excited. I've never
met her. I'm really excited to meet her
cuz I feel the same way. I feel like
we're going to be friends.
>> Well, the two of you I mean, she told me
like a month ago she was coming on this
and I was like my girl crush, but also I
was like the two of you, it's going to
be insane. Maybe I I don't even know. I
don't even know. You're going to have to
It's going to win Emmys. I'm just
saying. or whatever the first podcast to
win Emmys and a Webbby,
>> but it's never gonna
>> maybe an Oscar.
>> Wait. Um, you you play in in Leanne the
show that's coming out. You play the
younger sister, the divorced kind of
like the hot mess.
>> The hot mess. Perfect.
>> She's just a mess. She's a mess. Yeah.
No, it was really, really fun because
also she is, you know, when you meet
her, I mean, she's just everything you
want her to be, you know, she's super
authentic and kind and hilarious
obviously. Um, and so it was really fun
to play off of that and just be dark and
horrible,
just a wreck. So, it was fun.
>> And I mean, also just love I mean, I
want to talk to Leanne about it, but you
know, I'm sure you're the same way. Most
of the women I know in my 50s are
in many ways at the best place in their
life so far.
>> For sure. But yeah, I just love it, man.
You know, your friends, their kids are
off to school or out of the house, so
like it's just a reconnection of like
the women in your life and you're kind
of don't care about men anymore. Sorry.
Um
it's just I don't know. I find it really
fun.
>> Well, you know what it's so great about
being Gen X um a generation that
everyone forgets and who cares? We don't
care. Whatever. are never good. We don't
care. We don't care.
>> I actually prefer it.
>> Yeah. Leave us alone. We brace
ourselves. But
>> what is great about being Gen X is the
women that are now Gen X are approaching
menopause with all due respect to the
boomer women ahead of us. They didn't
they didn't have the same kind of
language, resources, attitude.
>> They didn't talk my mom like didn't talk
about menopause. No. I mean, until I
brought it up with her. So, it's like
something you had to ignore. Well, it
was like a it was like a a joke. It was
like
>> Yeah. Don't talk about it. Yeah.
>> Yeah. It was like it it fell into those
categories of like being frigid or being
>> Uhhuh.
>> like a
>> or just or just getting your period.
Yeah. Yeah. You just don't talk about
it.
>> Remember that word. She's a real
>> I know. I mean, right. Nobody talked
about their period. No way. I know. No
way. Or you talk about it quietly in the
bathroom with the other girls. Do you
have a tamp on? But like it wasn't like,
you know, they now like the Gen Z, they
don't care. They talk about all of it.
It's awesome.
>> Jenzie, I mean, I I don't know about
you, but I love Gen Z.
>> I do too. I love them. I actually choose
to hang out with them. Like, my friend's
kids are so incredible.
>> I know. They're so um my my joke about
Jenzi is I they're they're so um uh
open. They teach me so much and they
always dress like they have the flu.
>> That's so true. Yeah.
>> And so what there's a lot that she tells
us in the work that she does, but what
do you think uh what question do you
think I should ask her today that might
be a good one to to throw her away?
>> Oh, I think you should ask her. Well, I
would love to know this. when like when
did was Hollywood different than she
expected it to be and when did she kind
of realize that and the other thing I
would love to know is who is her
favorite co-star
for listeners Kristen's very leaning in
and she has her hands crossed in prayer
and she's looking real cute and last
question for you is do you find it hard
to be around Lyanna and not talk in her
accent? Um, well, I had to talk in her
accent as the character.
>> That's right. You
>> Well, not it's a little less. I mean,
hers is very special, so I didn't want
to imitate her, but I probably talk a
little bit like her daughter, Tess. Um,
I actually find it imposs Yeah. But yes,
the answer to that is yes. I find it
really fun to slide into that. But
weirdly, when she's not around, I turn
into like, you know, who was that
terrible southern? I don't know, like a
cartoon southern. I can't do it. But if
she's there, I'm fine. I do it.
>> I know. And you know what I love that
Leanne says is when she says Nashville.
I like the the VO instead of
>> and Cracker Barrel.
>> Cracker Barrel.
>> Let's go to Cracker Barrel.
>> Crack.
>> Like, are we going to Cracker Barrel? I
don't know what you're saying. And it's
Cracker Barrel. But yeah,
>> I I love an accent.
>> I do, too. I love an accent cuz we don't
really have one. I used to have a
Milwaukee one. Did you have a Boston?
>> I had a big time Boston and a really bad
Boston. Boston accents.
>> Did you have to get like voice classes
to get over it?
>> No. You know, I went to college and I
realized very quickly like, oh
>> yeah,
>> I have to try to figure this out.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Um and um it comes out when I'm angry
or, you know, yelling or something like
that can come out, but for the most
part,
>> the Boston's out.
>> She's out.
>> Stay away from Amy. The Boston's loose.
I love you so much, Amy.
>> Kristen, thank you so much for this
time.
>> You're my favorite.
>> Okay, bye.
>> So good to see you. Say hi to Leanne.
>> I will. Thanks so much.
>> Bye.
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>> Oh my gosh, Leanne is here. I'm so
excited to talk to you.
I wish that we could be together every
day and do like Jazzer size
>> with me and you and Tina.
>> My
>> and we could all do Jazz or Size. invite
Tina and we would love jazz or exercise
something slow like that. We do before
our before our shows we do just simple
stretches. Do you stretch?
>> I try to but not as much as I should.
>> Do you do any kind of like
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. You know when
>> I know
>> Yeah. You don't even have to say it.
>> I try to lift every once in a while
because of menopause bone density.
What has happened that we are at the
point in our lives where we are like
they're like okay you have to be hot
then you have to have kids and now you
have to lift heavy weights and
>> lift heavy weights and wear a weighted
vest while you walk and eat protein.
Everybody is eating too much protein.
>> You are big time Leanne.
>> You are big time. What an incredible
couple of years you've had. I mean, and
and we all know it takes whatever many
years for an overnight success. Like,
there's no overnight success. You've
been working really hard for a long
time.
>> For 25 years. 25 years doing standup.
>> Incredible. I want to get into it
because for people who are joining us
and listening, Leanne Morgan is with us.
>> You are popping in that pink.
>> Thanks. I wor for you. But wait, is this
Leanne's wearing a denim shirt that has
a tie included?
Yeah, I didn't know what to do because
so cute
>> because I was I mean this is a big deal
for me. I said this is my Super Bowl
and I just and I put on big bridges and
but I do have a panty line but I I was
going to wear a full thing of Spanx and
I thought I want to be able to enjoy
this being with you and be in the
moment.
>> I can't do Spanx anymore. For who? Who
are they for?
>> I don't know. But hateful. Hateful.
>> Okay. And me being on a television show
now. Yeah,
>> I saw my butt on TV. So, I do they put
me in a bunch of Spanx during my TV
show.
>> Yeah, it is. I mean, I guess it's great
to
slimming waist to girdles, all that
Like, I can't believe we're back
there again, but but there's no worse
feeling than having to take it off and
the struggle and the way you hurt
yourself. Like, you pull a muscle taking
it off.
>> I know. I know. And also, I think
there's no sadder thing than when you
have to take off your own jewelry and
there's nobody there to help you take it
off.
>> Nobody to help you. I'm going to have to
start wearing those magnet ones like my
little aunt Llaya did. She would hand me
a Tums and then put her little magnet.
Hang on. She always had dirty Tums in
the bottom of her purse.
>> Oo, I love it. Loose Tums.
Wait, talking about jewelry, let's start
at the beginning. So Lean Morgan in in
Tennessee
>> in the foothills of the Appalachia
Mountains.
>> Tell me.
>> I have to say that.
>> Okay. I wanted to think about teenage
Leanne for a second.
>> Cuz were you like a funny high schooler?
Were you Did you get like class clown or
something?
>> Um
>> were did you get superlative? I did get
a superlative and it was Miss Joe Joe
Burns High School and um best looking
cuz I still had my bloom Amy and I was
you know but I only graduated 42 people
in in a town of 500 where we grew dark
fire tobacco. I'm not kidding.
>> You got but still that you can still
take that you got best looking.
>> I did.
>> That's a big deal. But they didn't even
have a funniest now that I think about
it in surp and that would have been my
favorite. I know that would have been my
my children got it at their school
funniest because they're funny. But yes,
I I was like my teachers would say,
"Lyn, can you be the MC? Can you do the
announcements? Can you do the" They
because I was a ham, but also they
thought I would get up in front of
people and they knew I could do it. So I
did do all that for my little high
school.
>> Okay. And then did you feel like at any
point during that time that you did you
know anyone that was a performer anyone
that was an actor? Any
>> No. No. But I grew up from the time I
was nine or 10 thinking I'm going to be
in show business. I'm going to go to
Hollywood. I did. And my little mama
Lucille let me stay home from
kindergarten. I almost failed
kindergarten because she let me stay
home and watch Match Game and Hollywood
Squares. I love Paul Lynn. love and um
Gene Rayurn had the skinny microphone
and everybody was dirty. It was so
>> it was filthy filthy. But I love that I
grew up watching, you know, Lucille Ball
and Carol Bernette and all that. And my
mama would say, "You're going to
Hollywood." Yes, you can go because
you've got blonde hair on your body and
you'll photograph well. And I thought,
"Oh, I can make it." And then I went
through high school and we had this
little, this is crazy, but we had a a
wonderful um our choir teacher, band
teacher, Mr. Bunch, who was precious and
loved me and knew I couldn't sing and
all that, but would include me and all
that. And I would just mow words in
front of the choir cuz he thought I
could dazzle. And then we had this
speech and drama class. Yeah. Where they
let us do improv and I loved it.
>> And then I was in one play in high
school. They did a lot of musicals and I
had talented people in this little town
of and 42 people in my class. I had a
boy that graduated from Giuliard and
became an actor.
>> Wow.
>> And then there were four boys that had a
little country music band called the Red
River Boys and they were talented. And
so we had fun like in improv and all
that.
>> What What What was your high school
play? Do you remember it?
>> It was um Little Abner.
>> Oh yeah.
>> And I didn't have a I didn't have a
line, Amy. I was the sex symbol.
>> You were re I mean you were cruising on
that best looking girl.
>> I was I was stupifying Jones. My hair
would not fit in this studio.
>> Oh, none of us.
>> And I had on panty hoes underneath a
bathing suit and I did not have I just
had to gyate. But I'm not kidding you. I
thought, okay, this is the beginning of
my Hollywood career. I really did. I
thought, okay, I've got something. What
is it like being considered really
attractive in high school? Cuz you don't
want to peek too early. Like
>> And I think I did peek too early.
>> Um it's it's not easy to be considered
good-looking in high school. Beth, it's
a lot of pressure. I imagine. I can only
imagine.
>> It was a lot of pressure. And me and my
sister Beth, who was three and a half
years older than me, we were tall and
blonde.
>> And we would lay out behind our little
house in yard chairs with snakes and
sunbathe. And the farming people would
haul corns at us and you know, and we
wouldn't,
you know, we knew we were kind of a big
deal in that town. Yeah. A lot of people
honked.
>> I mean, being tall and blonde in the
80s. jackpot. A lot of people a lot of
people honked.
>> A lot of people honked tennis.
>> But me thinking, my sister wasn't
thinking anything. I was thinking
Hollywood. I mean, this is my base, my
ground work to be in Hollywood. That's
what I thought. I really did.
>> It's funny you say that because there
was a certain like burden when you were
like considered good-looking in high
school, which was like this is my
burden. I'm going to need I'm going to
let people look at me and honk.
while they were picking up meat at my
mom and daddy's meat processing plant.
So, we did everybody's meat. So, people
would drive up in trucks. It was behind
our house and look down at us laying in
a yarn chair with copper hands around us
cuz there was no swimming pool.
>> Sure.
>> We had to drive into town to get to a
swimming pool. That's how rural.
>> And baby oil. I'm sure
>> baby oil and sun damage and
>> Yeah. so much. How what are you doing
with We'll get We'll get to your career,
but what are you doing with your sun
damage right now? Because it's coming to
roost for me.
>> It's coming to roost like a lot. You
know, my I had just had a doctor say no
more sun.
>> He did. Or she did. She did. A woman
dermatologist is the best because Okay,
Amy, I don't mean to be Debbie Downer,
but I had a melanoma when I was 21 from
laying out with all those copperheads.
>> That's what I want to know. And then and
and so I had you always get a female
dermat. I love men
>> always. No, I don't like ma male
doctors,
>> but female they'll they'll measure your
toenails and like what all they are
thorough. So yeah. So um I didn't have
as much sun damage as a lot of people my
age because I got that at 21 and they
scared the living daylights out of me.
And
>> because your skin is amazing.
>> Thank you, Amy. Well, I've eaten too
much. I mean, I've eaten a lot of white
flour and sugar and like processed food,
which is not good.
>> We're never going to get that back.
Like, we didn't know. We didn't know.
>> That coke and a goldfish in a car with a
bunch of kids was my favorite thing.
>> I mean, any kind of food that you can
get at a pharmacy like that
that lasts forever. We ate all it. I
mean, don't you remember that there was
this feeling in the 80s like, "No, don't
eat regular food. Eat the new fake fancy
food.
And I remember my mama saying, Lucille
said that her mama said, "Don't
breastfeed. That's for tacky people.
Here's this formula." And my mama would
sneak and try to breastfeed behind
nanny's back. Because it wasn't cool.
>> Exactly the same with my mom. People
were like, "You, if you love your child,
give them this formula that has all the
stuff in it." And it was like, "Well, I
don't want to give my child the horrible
natural
>> super fines."
Yeah. And it was like eat a Don't eat a
steak. Eat a stum. Remember stums.
Remember stums?
>> Yes.
>> I love to st them.
>> Love to stake them.
>> Okay. But getting back to jewelry. I'm
sorry. We could talk about this forever.
Being a salesperson is a very specific
skill. Were you good at it?
>> Yes. And I think I could sell. If I
believe in something, I can sell it.
I'll just say
>> I'm gonna I'm wearing
>> I'm not good at math. There's a lot of
things.
>> I'm wearing a bracelet right now. I'm
taking it off. I want Can you tell? Can
you try to sell this to me? That why I
should have it. It's a just a gold
bracelet.
>> Oh my gosh, Amy.
Everybody needs a touch of gold.
Brightens you up. Gives you a pop. This
is what is in right now with this link.
Everybody's wearing it. That's a
wonderful clasp.
>> I don't think you can get it on by
yourself, but
you I mean, you've got to have that. And
I would suggest even stacking a few
more.
>> Well, I do love that everyone's wearing
it. It does look nice. A a touch of
gold.
>> A touch of gold and a gold earring.
Always keep them in your purse.
>> You are good because you're now selling
me earrings
>> cuz you don't want to go without an
earring. And that and a gold just always
gives you a little something. Okay. But
let me tell you, when I was selling that
jewelry, I was supposed to be talking
about jewelry and I didn't.
>> You didn't. What were you talking about?
>> Hemorrhoids, breastfeeding, wanting to
kill Chuck Morgan, my husband, because
he didn't hear a baby cry in the night.
And but they had given us a speech and
and I would take this big jewelry case
and put it out and then somebody would
have like a coconut cake um brownies a
dip and I was supposed to give this
presentation and and I just that's where
I think I started standup.
>> Mhm.
>> I mean I I had not I didn't know what my
Hollywood was going to be standup and
but Chuck Morgan and I before we married
went to and let me go back to say I did
peak in high school. I went to college
and I was like a wreck.
>> That's what happens with best looking.
Best looking sometimes goes downhill in
college.
>> I went downhill
and was doing horrible things. Even
though my girls go, "Mom, it's not that
bad what you were doing." But to me it
was bad. Like I wasn't going to class
and I would try to flirt with boys like,
"Can I have your notes?" And they look
pissed. But I I was smoking cigarette
and I was going to clubs and I was
>> You can say smoking cigarettes. I was
smoking cigarettes and I loved them.
I'll just say it. It was wrong.
>> It was wrong and they're not good.
>> They're not good
>> and they're terrible for you and they
shorten your life. And boy,
>> they shorten your life.
>> Boy, were they fun.
>> They were fun.
>> Good with a Diet Coke cup of coffee. Had
a ball.
>> Somebody said that a Diet Somebody uh
called a Diet Coke a refrigerator
cigarette.
I don't know who said that. Who?
>> And now you're kind of ashamed to tell
people order a Diet Coke. You're like,
"Can I have a Diet Coke?"
I know. Tell me the first time you and
Chuck Morgan met. Give us the meat cute.
>> Okay. We were both waiting tables. I I
was waiting tables at this place and he
was a new person. He'd gone back to NBA
school and was going to wait tables
there and they took this training group
through and he's very tall, 6'4, was
very thin. I always say he looked like a
praying manis. He was too thin. And he
and he walked through and I said, "Oh,
you're tall as a tree." And he went,
"Sorry." And I thought, "Another
butthole's come to work at Grady's."
And then we would have these meetings. I
mean, that was it. And then we would
have these we just stand on the wall
waiting to be seated or table to be
seated and he would just stand next to
me. He was very quiet. And I didn't know
he was falling in love with me. And then
we would have a meeting with the
manager, you know, like what the shift
meeting. And I got a big baked potato
with sour cream and butter on it. And he
said, "You shouldn't be eating all that
fat."
>> Cuz he was on a he had been getting
really lean. Praying man is lean.
>> And put cottage cheese on his baked
potato.
>> He's flirting with you. He's he's
negging you is what the kids
>> I guess. But I thought, but ho. Yeah.
>> Then I would say to a girlfriend, you
know, waiting tables, I like your
Doneyian Burke purse.
He would bring me a Doney and Burke
purse the next day with a big ribbon.
but hadn't spoken to me.
>> So weird.
>> And then he was like when he was trying
to date and then buying my cigarettes
like, "Yeah, I'll get you a pack of
cigarettes." And then but then we, you
know, thought this is it and then he was
like, "You smell bad." And then started
nagging me over it
>> and then got that monkey off my back
though. Yeah. Then thank goodness he
nagged me until I quit and because I
probably would still be sitting here
smoking if it wasn't for Chuck Morgan.
But
>> he he was really head over heels right
away.
>> He was.
>> Yeah,
>> he was. And um and I think it's because
um he's a math person and I'm an artist.
>> And your advice to stay married this
long, what's your advice? Like how do
you
>> um a lot of praying
>> in a bathtub?
>> Mhm.
>> Um
we do go to bed mad. You know, you hear
people say
>> that's good to hear. And then you just,
you know, go, "Well, that's not that
important. I'll push that down."
>> Yeah.
>> And then, but um yeah, just tolerating.
>> So, the secret is to just stick in there
no matter what.
>> Stick in there and and know that that
yes, he is a math person and that he is
going to not be specific to your
relationship.
>> Yeah. that you find the fun where you
can
>> but not with your partner.
>> Right.
>> Yeah.
>> I have old I've had old women go rely on
your friends, girl, because they want to
talk. You know, men You're right. Men
sit there and get less and less where
they don't want to talk.
>> Yeah. They get quieter and quieter.
>> They get quieter and quieter and they
just zone out. And so you do I talk to
my girlfriends. He goes, "You're always
on the phone." Yeah. I need somebody to
talk to, Chuck. Um but okay. So college
and then I married Chuck Morgan. But we
went out to LA and I got to go to the
comedy store and I saw people do stand
up and I thought I can do that. I know I
can do that.
>> Do you remember who you saw?
>> Um I saw Dom Morera.
>> Oh yeah.
>> Um Paul Mooney and he did like two hours
and we sat there and watched him and he
told us all that Elizabeth Taylor had
died and it was a lie but it was funny.
He goes, "Elizabeth Taylor has passed."
And everybody, he goes, "I'm just
kidding." But but I saw all these
wonderful people and I thought, "I can
do that. I can do that. Now I know what
that is."
>> But anyh who, so then I married Junk
Morgan, moved me to the Appalachia
Mountains and I sold that jewelry. But I
was in a little I was in a living room
with darling women who were also had
hemorrhoids
>> and all that and I was killing. Amy,
>> how did you go from, man, I want to be
doing standup to going to the club to do
it? Like, that's a big Rubicon. A lot of
people don't cross. You know, they say,
"I want to be a performer." They say, "I
want to I'm funny. My, you know, my my
the people that know me think I'm really
funny. I'm the funniest person at work."
Whatever people say, but they don't go
and do it.
>> Yeah. Okay. Okay. Well, I tell you, when
I was doing the jewelry, the company
noticed that I was booking so far in
advance that they asked me to start
speaking at their big things. And that
and then I knew I could do it, right?
>> But I also said two women,
>> book a party with me now or see me in
Las Vegas later, which I is very
arrogant,
>> but I saw it, Amy. I thought, I'm going
to do this. So then Chuck Morgan sells
his business, goes to work for a big
corporation that sends us to San
Antonio, Texas. I started doing open mic
>> at S in San Antonio and then I drove
back and forth with three babies by
then. Three little babies. They were
three, five, and seven by the time I got
to Texas. And I would go to Austin,
Texas, where it was one of the best
comedy clubs. Dennis Miller's brother,
Rich Miller, owned that club.
>> And I got up at Chickstick they called
it, when they let women up on Wednesday
night for 10 minutes.
>> They were like, "Come on, girls. All of
you get together and you equal one other
guy.
We'll get 20 of you together and you can
all talk about that stuff you talk
about.
>> Uhhuh. And all the boys were doing
Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonations
and I'll just tell you I stood out. But
I did have on a little um I'd look back
on it and Comedy Central did not want
me. Nobody, you know, I was not I didn't
have any edge to me. I had an
unfortunate bob. I had capries on that
had burns on them.
And I was talking about who doo doo on a
te-ball field which is still some of my
best material.
>> Totally.
>> Um
>> you would have been my favorite for
sure.
>> Thank you.
But that I was doing that with little
children honey and did that in Texas for
about three years and then you know got
on a little tour with two other female
comedians. We slept around and you know
people probably begged to u our agent
begged people to take us
>> but anyway it gave me the seasoning.
Yeah. But I always the whole time it was
I wanted to be on Saturday Night Love
and I just look back on it and I've said
to people that I've gotten to meet from
Saturday Night Love Fred Armison who is
from heaven
>> totally the best
>> from heaven and you know I did a movie
with Will Frell and he said to tell you
hello and I told him when my show was
coming out and my new Netflix special
and he said oh that's great I'm too busy
I won't be watching
[Laughter]
But I mean is I what you're saying is my
favorite thing too. Like teasing is a
really fun love language. Like when
people tease each other like it to me it
means they have respect for each other.
Like and you tease Chuck your husband a
lot. Like I would I wouldn't say
necessarily tease him but he's a big
part of your material.
>> He is. He's been a lot. Amy,
>> Chuck,
>> Chuck Morgan and I are exact opposite
and I find that funny.
>> It is so funny. I love how you describe
him and your relationship and how he how
he how like his system and your system
work together. What is Chuck's system?
What is your system?
>> Oh,
I don't know if it works that well
together. We've made it. We had a bunch
of kids together and he takes care of
the checkbook because I can't deal with
that. But Chuck Morg is very
introverted. I'm extroverted. I've had
to talk for him for years. But he's
social. He wants to be with people. But
he's a fly on the wall. He likes things
organized. Um, you know.
Um, I remember saying to him like, "I
know I've got something, Chuck. I can
make it in Hollywood. Let's sell
everything and I'll cook off a hot
plate." and he went, "Are you crazy? We
need health insurance." And I guess it's
a good thing he, you know, kept me down.
Um,
cuz I did get to raise these little
children. And then this happens to me in
my late 50s and I I don't think I'll get
hooked on dope. I mean, I'm not kidding.
If this had happened to me at 20, I
would be on dope, I think. Yeah.
>> But this is so much pressure. How have
you done it?
>> Well, I Well, I It's really interesting
you say that. Like I feel like the idea
of coming into this kind of lifestyle in
your 50s, you do have a lot of tools.
Like you actually have a hopefully like
a family that you can depend on because
I know you depend on them and you have a
solid marriage and like it is hard. It's
like a weird uh But wait, I want to go
back because Chuck, you say, "Chuck, I
want to do this." He says, "Let's get
real."
>> Yes. And he always supported me and he
would take care of these babies. Yes.
And honey, I would pass them off in a
minivan to him and go get on stage. He
always supported me in all of it. He
just said
>> he's not a dreamer.
>> I'm a dreamer.
>> And he said they need health insurance.
He was right.
>> He has always had a big job executive at
a company. Made a wonderful living for
us.
>> I didn't have to take horrible gigs
where I had to drive 300 miles for $50
and sleep in my car. Right.
>> So, it was because of Chuck Morgan that
really it all worked out the best way it
could. It really did. But yes, Chuck
Morgan, I'm I've been traveling with
him. I'm going Tampa today to be with
him and I will have to hold his mixed
nuts.
He will say, "Hold this.
Do you have any toothpaste?" Like I He
I'm constantly having to tend to him
like I would a child. Well, I feel like
for a lot of women I know our age and
older. The other thing is when you have
a partner, a straight because look,
we're talking about straight men, which
unfortunately is what we're attracted
to,
>> which I've always said, my next
husband's going to be a gay man,
and we're going to look for fabric
together,
and he'll leave me alone, and I'll leave
him alone. I mean, would that not be the
>> I've got so many gay friends, men that
I'm in love with.
>> Yeah.
>> That that one says to me all the time,
"Would it kill you to put some height in
your hair, Leanne?"
>> And he's always getting behind me and
giving me a back comb.
>> But I love that. But and Chuck Morgan
loves the gay men. They'll tend to Chuck
and go, "Here, Chuck. Here's a cocktail
and some nice chicken salad on a nice
cracker." And Chuck, you know,
>> beans. But you know, men that are
married live longer and women who are
married live shorter
>> because we have to tend to them.
>> I know it's it's really like women who
are not married, who are single and not
married live longest.
>> Take that in.
>> Take that in. And that I know that's a
statistic that I was very well aware of.
And also that what I love when you talk
about your husband in your work and is
you talk about the way in which like he
um he's like reluctantly along for the
ride that is you you know which is so
fun and funny cuz he loves the ride. He
loves the ride.
>> Yeah.
>> And
>> he does.
>> He does.
>> And he'll say I've got fans.
I just shot my la my ne my second
Netflix and he came out on stage
afterwards and was doing this.
But Chuck Morgan says to me all the
time, I'm going to I'll retire from my
job. He's still working for that big
company and I'll just come with you. And
I'm like, no,
>> no. Cuz Amy, I can't be putting on Spanx
while he's eating nuts and grabbing my
breast and I've got to get in my comedy
mind. Like I have to take a comedy nap.
Even if I don't go to sleep, I've got to
shut my eyes. Get right.
>> No, you don't. You need to be a part.
Chuck can't come along.
>> I can't. He can't.
>> He can't come along
>> because he he needs me to tend to him.
And I've got somebody's got to tend to
me. I'm getting to be
>> my baby child.
>> She's my professional makeup artist and
I say caregiver and she said I didn't
sign up for that.
>> But she is still strong and still has
grip in her hands. You know, I don't
have any grip when I went through
menopause.
>> Uh I would wake up and try to unscrew
something and it was like a like you're
just like, "Well, I guess I'm just never
going to get in there.
>> You're never going to eat a pickle
again."
>> Eat a pickle again.
>> Never going to eat.
>> No. Unless you just smash it on the
ground.
>> I know. I ordered all those things from
Amazon that grips.
>> Oh, yeah.
>> That you haven't had one of those grip
things and then just hit it with a
butter knife before you open it. But she
tends to me.
>> And what is it like being is it nice to
be hanging out with your
>> It is. But let me It is. She has been
But she, you know, gets hormonal and can
be smart elic. But, you know, that's
okay. That's nature. But she's about to
move to New York with my middle child.
my other daughter,
>> Maggie.
>> Oh, wow. Leanne, that's a big deal. Cuz
how old are they now?
>> 27 and 29.
>> And they're going to miss these
grandbabies. I've got two grandbabies
that live in Knoxville. Um they're like
20 minutes from me.
>> Yeah. Two grandsons, right?
>> Two grandsons. A redhead and a
white-headed one.
>> And then you talk so much about your son
and your act and it's so funny because
of your How how are how is it feeling
now that your son is a dad? Oh, it's
precious. I knew he'd be a be a sweet
daddy, but he's an old soul. You know, I
talk about him all the time, like played
the banjo in middle school after
football practice,
had a garden, still has a garden. These
babies eat out of that garden. And um
he's from I think he took after my
people, farming people. He likes to grow
things. And
>> what do you like to do?
>> Loves history.
>> Um he grows everything, gardens. And my
little mama always had a garden and put
up and canned.
>> Mhm. And we killed our own beef.
>> Do you do that still? Do you still make
>> No.
>> No.
>> Now I'm, you know, kind of busy.
>> Lucille. Now mama doesn't can anymore,
but we'll go to her house and we'll all
can just like, you know, like down the
line people bring bushel of corn. When I
say rural, I mean I'm from farming rural
people.
>> So when you say we all can, is it kind
of like assembly line? We're all canning
that day. We're sealing it.
>> We're canning that day. Sealing it up.
Chopping everything. She makes a
vegetable soup. a homemade vegetable
soup with tomato juice that you would
slap somebody over.
>> Unbelievable.
>> Do you like to cook or you
>> I do like to cook. I do. And I fed all
these children. Well, you know, I was
doing comedy on the weekends, but I was
tending to them and cooking and Yeah.
I've always loved that
>> and you know, being a mama.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. I know. It's such this lovely way
in which you talk about your family like
you're really you're all very close and
it I bet this happens a lot is people
feel like they know you
>> like right away. So when you're doing
your shows, what do people come up and
say to you? Like how do you how are your
fans interact with you?
>> Oh my gosh, Amy, they like I get I go on
stage and they throw their purse in the
air. I ain't even said anything. I think
>> and it and at first it messed with my
head when I got my first big big panty
tour is what I called it cuz I love a
big panty
>> and they would like just at me and I
think it's because they felt ignored and
I was like the only person speaking to
them and it made me feel I should have
gone into therapy because I thought I
need to go home with every one of them
and clean their house and vacuum out
their car cuz they were so precious to
me. But this is what they say to me.
They go, "Oh my gosh, that is my baby
child. That is I'm married to Chuck
Morgan. This is Chuck. This is my middle
child. Yes, they all say that to me.
>> Yes. I have to say, Leanne, in in all
seriousness, like when I I came across
most I knew of you, but came across most
of your work during the pandemic on Tik
Tok.
>> You did?
>> Yes. And I thought, "Oh, my phone is
really getting to know me. Like, my
phone now really knows what I like.
Like, this is exactly what I want." And
that is the feeling that people get when
they watch you perform is they feel
seen. They really do. They feel seen.
They feel like there's some version of
them that doesn't get
spoken of or spoken to. And and you
talked about it a little bit and I
really agree with you like there's this
whole group of people that are looking
to be entertained and to spend money and
to come to your show. And I think not
just women, men and women, but they're
often ignored.
>> Uh-huh. I know that's what it was. I do.
And I And I feel like on Netflix, my
special,
>> which was a huge hit, by the way.
>> Thank you. Thank you. And who who knew
that was going to be that? Do we
>> should we brag about how many people was
it? What was it?
>> Millions.
>> Millions.
>> Millions and millions. Huge hit.
>> And I was not expecting that. I really
wasn't. I couldn't believe that Netflix
was going to give me. I have one other
special that somebody put on Hulu. I
don't even know who. And I have a very
unfortunate hair color in it. And I
won't I don't want I'm not even going to
say what it's called
>> because it is so awful.
>> What is the color? It's Is it a blonde
that went on?
>> It is a blonde that had no dimension.
>> We've all That was the color of that
yellow mustard. I want to take I got to
go get my roots done and I want to take
your blonde in for a a a demo because
I'm really liking your blonde. And for
those of you out there, it's not easy
being blonde.
>> It's a lot of work.
>> A lot of work.
>> It's constantly in the chair.
>> It's constantly. And now that I'm older,
>> white comes out all or gray comes out
all the time. And I don't know what I'm
putting on my head. But it's Tennessee.
Tennessee girls know how to do blonde. I
swear, Amy. everywhere I go. And when I
was in LA doing that TV series, they
were like, "Who is doing your color?" It
is a darling little girl in Tennessee
who knows how to do blonde.
>> Some one day I tried to calculate how
many hours I've been in the hair chair
getting my hair dyed blonde and it was
many days in a row. Like it was like
couple weeks.
>> Somebody told me what I spent in a year.
>> Let's
>> We couldn't tell Chuck Morgan cuz I have
two girls and I was getting their hair
highlighted. Honey, cuz I'm from the
south. I mean, I'm not an animal.
>> I was getting their stuff there. We were
getting spray tans, whatnot.
>> Sure. Of course.
>> Uh-huh. But when I did the movie with
Little Reese Witherspoon and Will Frell,
she looked at me and said, "You need
dimension in your hair." I still had
that terrible hair color and I and I
thought it was pretty and it was like
the color of mustard, no dimension. And
she just looked up at me, you know,
she's about right here, beautiful.
>> She went, "You need some dimension in
your hair." So,
>> and you said hi. Nice to meet you.
>> Nice to meet you, little Reese
Witherspoon.
>> How was it doing that film with with
Will and Re?
>> Well, I thought I was going to get the
shingles cuz it was my first movie and I
had the shingles. I have had the
shingles shot, which I thought was going
to kill me in a hotel room in Nashville,
Tennessee before I got on an airplane.
That's a booger. That
>> one is a big one.
>> But everybody needs it because I've had
shingles twice, honey.
>> Oh.
>> Oh god. Shingles is the worst.
>> The worst. And we are the chickenpox
generation. Like we all had chickenpox.
>> Have you ever had it?
>> No. Because I was so afraid of getting
the shingles that I got the shingles
vaccine. And it's for life. It's a
shingles vac.
>> Oh, we don't have to get it again. N.
>> Oh, hallelujah, honey.
>> It's a big one. I think that's why it's
a big one.
>> It's a book, too. You got the two one?
>> Yeah. You have to go a second time. And
that is hard to remember to remember to
get the second one. Have you had your
colonoscopy?
>> Oh, yeah. I get those all the time.
>> Oh, yeah. They're
>> because I've always had IBS, my darling.
So, I started getting those
>> and then how great are the drugs right
before you go out. Wonderful. Right
before you go out, you're like, just
wait one more second.
>> Can I lay here?
>> Just talk a little bit more about Yeah.
It's the best feeling in the world. Um,
but and and we're old enough now to get
the pneumonia shot. Are you going to get
that?
>> Um, I guess so. When do Okay, I'll be
50. Well, I'll be 60 in October.
>> Incredible. You look incredible.
>> 60 is the new 30. Yeah.
>> What are you going to do for your 60th
birthday?
>> I think I'm going to go on a vacation
with these grandb babies and my
children.
>> You know, I'm not at the point where I
can hire Earth, Wind, and Fire yet, but
I think I'm going to go I think I'm
going to go on vacation with all these
babies.
>> That's nice. That must be really I mean
I I a lot of friends in my uh my life
are turning 60 and it feels like it's
kind of it feels
>> it's an interesting birthday. Like it
feels like
>> I know cuz I thought 50 I you took to
the bed over that. That was wonderful.
>> That was wonderful.
>> Well, then maybe we must if we if we're
to learn anything from her 50s, which to
me is teaching me that the best is yet
to come, then we should continue that
lesson in her 60s, right?
>> Yes.
>> I know.
>> But like little Maria Shrivever, you see
her on and she's thriving. Got on cute
chains.
>> We just need So we need to stack our
chains. We need to stack our bracelets.
That's what we need. More jewelry.
>> We need more jewelry. We don't even care
about jewelry.
>> Well, you wear a lot of big earrings. Do
you like big earrings?
>> Um, I was during the
>> I was during the big panty tour before I
had a stylist.
>> Okay.
>> Now, these women tell me,
>> "No,
>> pull it back."
>> Yeah, I made some missteps.
>> I was dressing myself.
>> Of course,
>> honey. I always had on a girl, but I was
making I was doing some missteps. And I
was also inflamed after COVID. And when
my tour went like gang busters because
everybody wanted to go somewhere.
>> Yeah. Exactly.
>> There are pictures of me and I'm sweaty
looking. I had drank wine and eating
chicken pot pie during co
>> Right.
>> And my breast were like two feed sacks.
I'm trying to do better. I really And
people said to me, you've got to train
like you're in the Olympics to tour. And
I'm, you know, I'm I'm got like 70 days
between now and November. So I had
>> Are you going on tour in November?
>> I I'm touring now and I'll tour until
November.
>> Okay. What? Talk to me about your tour
cuz Tina and I have been on a tour and I
saw that.
>> Similarly, like you're on the Big Panty
tour. We're doing a restless leg tour. I
feel like we're covering a lot of the
same women
>> and
>> I know. I wish I could be with y'all.
>> I know. And being on tour is strenuous
even though you think people are like
but what what's your routine? What do
you do? Don't do you know do you
>> Well, I quit. I really really tried not
to. I was drinking alcohol during the
big panty. Now this tour this the just
getting started tour. And I tell people
I named it that because I just feel like
I'm getting started
>> in my 50s and and women throw their
purse there. But I'm really am trying to
eat better and I and I and when I put
that darn luggage down, I should go in
that gym.
>> Amen. And I don't want to.
>> I mean, there's no Is there anything
sadder than repacking
the exercise that you brought that you
didn't use and pretending like, "Oh, I
didn't know I had them in here. That's
so weird."
>> I do that every knew I brought my
sneakers, I would have went to the gym.
But just like, who are we kidding?
>> I do the same thing. And then I started
packing like my own bands.
>> Oh, never took them out.
>> Never take
You can put them on a hotel door.
>> Hotel door. Do that.
>> Not once.
>> Um, but I try to I do have to have a
comedy nap. Even if I don't lay down and
sleep, I just have to stare into space
to get my mind right in a hotel room.
Then we go and do soundcheck. I hate
>> cheese. And I shouldn't. I always have a
little bit of cheese. A gluten-free
cracker.
>> Mhm. Who am I kidding?
A little ranch damp, some carrots.
>> And then do you like Do you ever have
You probably don't have any like
hecklers that you have to deal with.
>> No. Every once in a while there'll be
some little drunk woman that yells out
C-section or you know wanting to be
heard.
>> That's exactly what we didn't have the
whole tour. Knock on wood. We had the
nicest crowd and then one time there was
a lady who was a little drunk. Like it
was like a 600 p.m. show by the way.
Could we try to do like four or six
shows? I do fours.
>> I love a four.
>> I do a seven. If I add, it's a four, not
a 10.
>> Never. No way. Where are we? And a woman
one time was like just chatting and then
said like, "Amy, Amy." And I was like,
"Yeah." And she was like, "Hi."
She said, "Hi." It was so nice.
Yeah. I get nice people. They don't mean
anything ugly. They just yell out stuff.
Yeah, girl. Yeah, girl. You know, and
you hear like I can't think. What was I
saying? And I just say now what was I
saying? And then you know a woman will
yell out bingle, you know, and I can
keep going. That's what's sweet about
people my age watching me cuz they're
like they can't think of their name
either. So we're all in this together.
>> Everyone's like, "Where do we park?
>> Where do we park?" And eating popcorn
bloated.
>> I can't eat popcorn.
>> I love it. Does it bloat you?
>> It gives me heartburn and I get I
>> I'm nervous about choking. Oh, I just
now I choke all the time.
>> I'm nervous about choking. I get very
nervous. I feel like in general I've
turned into a toddler where I look at
food and I'm like, "That's going to not
go. That's not going to get down there."
>> Hot dog. Grape
>> grape tomatoes. Grape tomatoes. No way.
No way.
>> Do you? Because I do I get to where I
cough and and I'll cough in a
restaurant, get choked, and my kids will
go,
>> "You want to hear another depressing
statistic? More women die from choking
than men because they walk away from the
table cuz they don't want to bother
anybody.
I'm so sorry.
>> So, nobody can even
>> It's the most It's like they're like,
"Don't worry, I got this. I'll I'll I'll
give myself the himlick." And they die.
>> What kind of sleeper are you? Are you
good? Like, how are you how's your
sleep?
>> I'm prioritizing my sleep.
>> Same. in this show business world
>> because I had to learn lines for that
sitcom and I realized then I thought I I
got to be sharp. I got to know what in
the world I'm saying. So I do like to
take a little melatonin some kind of
blend with a you know um GABA elanine.
>> Wait, what?
>> Gaba what?
>> GABA and elthenine. Okay.
>> If you take one of those and you can get
them over the counter, but just if you
if you have a combination of thing like
chamomile or it's got it's got to have
more than melatonin in it.
>> Okay.
>> And sometimes I take non-melatonin. I'm
always buying sleep things because I
don't want to get hooked on pills.
>> Yeah. You can't take a sleeping pill. I
mean, and you know, it's so funny. You
talk to boomers and they're like, I
don't take sleeping pills. I just take
two Tylenol PAs every night. And you're
like, ma'am,
that's
>> I know. And then people say, I take
benadryil. I think does that cause
Alzheimer's?
>> You're not supposed to take I know
>> that anything that knocks you out.
You're not supposed I do look at screens
at night and I shouldn't.
>> Same. I love my phone. My phone is my
best friend.
>> I love to scroll and look and see
>> and then but I really try I like I have
a sleep mask on. I have my Invisalign
tray in.
>> I have to keep it on.
>> I like 65 to 67° at night.
>> I love a cold room.
>> A cold room.
>> Yeah. What does Chuck think of that?
He's freezing. It's freezing in here.
And he doesn't like to spend the money
because Chuck Morgan is very tight
money person. He He's a numbers person.
>> Okay. So, he does the numbers.
>> He does the numbers.
>> When this comes out, your show will be
coming out in a couple of days.
Congratulations.
>> You my darling.
>> Chuck Lori is the producer. Um, you are
uh it's on Netflix. It's a multicam.
>> Multicam
>> loosely based on your life.
>> It's based on my comedy, but not my life
>> because we thought that would be weird.
But let me tell you that the premise is
my husband walks off and leaves me after
30ome years of marriage. And now I'm
sitting here. What in the world am I
going to do? And I cannot tell you how
many fans said Chuck Morgan doesn't
deserve you. I knew this would happen.
He sucks. He's kept you down long
enough. He's jealous. And I was like,
whoa, no, that's not what's happening.
My own little daddy got a call from one
of his friends who was in his 90s and
said, "I'm so sorry that they're
getting" And I said, "Daddy, yeah." And
I go, "Daddy, Beverly Hillbilly isn't
true either. This is not true." But um
but it is based on my comedy and my
sensibility. Mhm.
>> So when Chuck Lorie came to me and sat
on my back porch and held my grandbaby
and said, "Will you do this with me?" I
was like, "What?" And then Netflix, I
mean, has been so good to me and has
given me these Netflix standup specials,
Amy.
>> And that's the stamp.
>> But they better, Leanne. You're crushing
it. They better give you those specials.
They're lucky to have you.
>> Oh, you angel. Thank you.
>> It's true. Like you're you earned it.
You're selling out everywhere. You're
huge.
>> Oh, my darling.
>> They pay you a gazillion dollars for
them. They're so Whoever like I mean
they're they're super popular. You're so
you're such a fresh voice. And so in
this show, you have great cast members
that you're working
>> Kristen Johnston.
>> Okay. So Kristen was the person that we
talked to today. We always like to talk
well behind people's backs before we
interview them. So we talked to Kristen
today.
>> And we got a question from Kristen to
ask you. She's so great. Oh my gosh,
honey. A pro and was so good to me and I
learned a lot from her. I went in that
thing terrified. I didn't know how all
that worked.
>> Yeah,
>> honey. The first three weeks, first
three episodes, I I said to my baby
Tess, who was living with me, I can't do
this. What is this? And she was like,
"You're going to give me the shingles."
I was hysterical. But I, you know, it
was just terrifying.
>> You're like learning everything new.
>> Camera blocking. What? What is that? A
script. All of that. crafty,
>> right? All these terms. But don't you
feel, I know this, don't you feel like
life is just a series of
terms to keep you out of the room and
then once you learn the terms, you're in
the room. Like it's like now you know
the terms and
>> I guess so
>> because you are the prize. You have all
of the goods. Like like the kitchen
changes, but you have the food.
>> Well,
>> I mean you you're nothing without the
food. So you have all the food. You're
just talking about getting to know
another kitchen, but you you know what,
a week of learning the terms and now you
got it.
>> Oh, Amy, did you pay attention to
school?
>> You are so smart.
>> Well, I didn't get best looking. And
let's just put it that way. I didn't get
best looking. Okay. Um, so Kristen's um
question was, "What did you think of
LA?" Like, you're talking about
Hollywood and it being a a a idea in
your mind since you were young. You knew
you wanted to get there and you get
there. Was it what you thought it would
be?
>> At first, I'll be honest, when I got
there, I was kind of scared. I I'm not
used to that traffic.
>> Mhm.
>> We were in a in Knoxville, Tennessee.
And it was and I knew that weather was
going to be beautiful and I always loved
that and I loved the house that I rented
and it was very Hollywood Hills kind of
looking
>> and I was tickled over that. But the
fires came, we got evacuated.
>> Yeah.
>> And we got robbed. Our rental house got
robbed by these acrobatic people. They
found them on film and they climbed they
shimmyed and climbed up each other's
shoulders and the people who we rented
from said, "We don't want you to see the
video. It'll freak you out." But they
were like acrobat people. And the good
news is we didn't I was working Palm
Springs had a show that night. So they
cased us out is what the criminals call
it. must have seen an Amazon package of
a supplement
and then said, "Let's get her." But it
was me and my baby. And we didn't have
anything valuable out there. She had a
bunch of Amazon earrings, right?
>> They wanted dope earrings is what they
told us in guns. Well, we don't have
guns. And then they took all they looked
at her medicine and it was like yeast
infection, thyroid. She goes, "I bet
they looked in here and thought, who are
these pitiful sick people? me all my
supplements. They didn't get anything
and so it really didn't freak me out.
>> Yeah, of course.
>> But what by the time we were leaving, we
were out there seven months. I grieved
when I left. I really
>> thought it was sweet and there and I
realized this cuz you when you're in the
middle of the United States are like
California, you know,
>> everybody was precious. It is a
workingass town. People were precious to
me. And then all these men on the set
because I like to flirt and I love old
men
and they were like looking up real
estate in Tennessee. Like some of them,
you know, were in their 50s and never
married. I go, "Oh, if you moved to
Tennessee, everybody would want to breed
with you." And so they're all going,
"Where's Morristown, Tennessee land?
Here's a house for 400,000 that's, you
know, got three bedrooms." And so, and I
did like for all the men to eat crafty.
Southern women like to see men eat and
so they would say, "No, you go first."
I'm go, "No, you go first. Let me watch
you eat."
So I fell in love with everybody on that
set.
>> You're right. I mean, it is I mean
Hollywood in quotes is a working is a
working class na city. Like the people
on set are all hardworking.
>> Hardwork darling.
>> Yeah, that's right. That's right. I had
a bowl and I fell in love with everybody
and I loved everybody at the grocery
store and I and everybody was sweet and
they go, "Where are you from? Where's
that accent from?" And let me say to
your audience that is huge and you
getting this big old podcast doing. This
is my accent. This is how I really talk.
You know, people think I it's not. But
I'm from farming people. But anyway,
California people thought I was fun.
>> Yeah, I bet. And people start talking in
your accent back to you a lot. I mean
it's it's been a real struggle for me
not to because I'm I'm that way anyway.
I picked it up a little bit like um I
interviewed Idris Elba recently. I know.
And it was hard for me to not try to
start talking in a British accent like
but you must get that too. You
>> I do. I get people do and I Yeah, I do.
And and people are fascinated by the
South. I think
>> I think so too. What do they get if if
if you had um preconceptions about
California that were wrong? What do
people get wrong about Tennessee?
>> Um Ryan Styles plays my husband and he
thought that we all pack guns.
I said, "I've never shot a gun in my
life." He goes, "You surely." I'm like,
"We're not going around packing guns or
holding guns." My people say packing.
He I think he thought we all
>> have the like the Old West.
>> And And then people all and I do love
country music. I'm fine, but I'm more of
an R&B g R&B. But I mean, I think people
think we're all, you know, barefoot.
>> And I did go to college and I finished.
I will never let you know my GPA, but I
think they, you know, have miscon
>> But we have, you know, nice universities
and we get our hair done.
>> You have the best blondes and the best.
>> We have the best blondes for sure. But
it I I and and I am sad that you got
broken into though because that's that
is too bad because people do think LA is
dangerous and it proved to be.
>> But the the captain of the police
department lived across the street.
Darling got to know him. He was like,
"Take my cell phone number. Here's some
spray. If you're out walking, that's
good for animals and people." I was
like, "What?"
[Laughter]
So, you know, he taught me how to live
out there.
>> Okay. So before we wrap it up, I want to
ask a couple rapid fire thoughts. Okay.
>> And see what you think. What's your
favorite holiday?
>> Thanksgiving.
>> Me too. I love Thanksgiving.
>> I love Thanksgiving. I love the colors
and I love to have I love to go to TJ
Maxx and buy little turkeys and pilgrims
to set on a table
>> because you talk a lot about Christmas
and the prep that is involved in
Christmas and the nightmare that is
Christmas.
>> Oh, the nightmare that is Christmas.
It's show and it falls on mama's.
>> Yeah.
>> And then you take to the bed.
>> Yeah.
>> And feel sick. Get a sick headache. My
mom would say, "I've got a sick
headache. I got to lay down." Because
you have to wrap all that. Do all that.
>> I love what you said when Chuck asks you
on December 24th, "Is there anything I
can do?
>> How can I help on December 24th?"
>> And then usually I have to do sexual
favors to get any help.
while you're doing all that and cooking
and doing and then you got to do it
and then get all that ready.
>> Speaking of Tylenol PM, I'm having a
flashback that I was hosting
Thanksgiving. I thought I had taken two
Tylenol. I took two Tylenol PM
>> and I was like, "Oh no, I'm going down.
I just had to take like a 4-hour nap in
the middle of
>> Thanksgiving."
>> Yeah, it wasn't so bad.
Um, math. How do you feel about math? I
don't like it, Amy.
>> Yeah. You don't have to do it anymore.
>> I don't have to do it anymore.
>> No.
>> And I'm so thankful and there are people
who can do math for us
>> and I'm thankful. But I say in my act in
that first special, Chuck Morgan is a
math like genius. And then he bred with
me. We have three children. Can't do
math. They took after me. But they're
fun, you know.
>> Yeah,
>> they're fun. They can play the banjo, do
makeup. Fun.
>> Um, what about Have you ever seen a
ghost? Do you believe in ghosts? I do
believe that there are demons. Amy,
let me tell you,
I was in a comedy club, Birmingham,
Alabama, Stardome. They have a bunch of
theaters in there. I was doing the main
stage. There was a girl that goes around
comedy clubs and talks to dead people.
>> Ah, like a medium.
>> Medium. And she was cute as she could
be. She was sitting in the green room
with us. And she said, we were all
sitting there. It's kind of awkward. And
she goes, "Oh, they're in here right
now. There's dead people in here." And I
go in this green room with a bad sofa
with a half bottle of ketchup
watching um
what was that show? Heidi Cloon was on
it with that little
>> Project Runway.
>> Project Runway. I go, "All right, so if
I die, I'm gonna have to walk around
this
>> in this green room watching Project
Runway with a half bottle of ketchup."
But she said, "Yes."
>> I mean, isn't it convenient though that
whenever the medium is around, the
spirits are also they don't say, "No,
there's nothing in here." Oh, it's
great. Um, Gen X, why are we the best
generation?
>> I think because we have sins. I think
we've still got sense. Not that young
people don't have sense, but there's
some grit. I think there's grit left in
there where, you know, we had to work.
Like, I had to do terrible jobs, but I
think that makes grit. I think we're the
ones that have got grit, but still
open-minded. Can I say that?
>> I think so. I mean, no one's paying
attention to us anyway, so we can say
whatever we want. That's the thing about
Gen X. Did you cry at your son's
wedding?
>> Yes. Like, I I died over and I love my
daughter-in-law. Yeah. But I was jealous
of her. I'll just say it because he was
my baby. That's my boy. And then you
have to hand him over and it's hard. But
then you realize, oh, I'm getting now
another child
>> and she's going to have these babies for
me and I get to have his babies.
>> He's going to have these babies for me.
>> For me.
>> I like that.
>> And those are my babies.
>> Um, and why do you love the Today Show?
Oh my gosh, I love the I like to sit in
my gown and I like to drink coffee and I
like to see who the celebrities who
they're going to have on and um I just
over the years I love little Kathy Lee,
you know, drinking wine, talking?
>> Yeah, there's been so many hosts that
have come through. Did you were you
there for like did you feel really sad
when Hoda left?
>> I felt so sad when Hoda left. Is she not
a light?
>> Yeah, she seems wonderful.
>> But I got interviewed by her right
before she left. She was leaving and I
love her and little Jana.
>> Yummy.
>> You were so funny and great with her
recently. You guys were so great
together and she's so lovely.
>> She's so darling. She really
>> And I found myself saying at the end I
went tell your mom and daddy. I said,
"Hey." She went, "Okay." It's the
president.
>> Yeah. I played so down to earth. I I
played her on SNL.
>> You did? Wait. and I did a Bush Twin
sketch and we talked about it and she
was so fy anyone who has a sense of
humor about themselves like it's pretty
that's like anyone who can
>> and she talks about I had a ball in cuz
we talk about our college days she had a
ball
>> she had a ball in college
>> and she'll talk about it which I think
is cute agree agree
>> and um what do you think is the best
word to say in your accent like what
sounds the best
>> butthole has been a favorite.
>> I love it.
>> Mhm.
>> Butthole. Um,
>> Kristen said Cracker Barrel.
>> I love Cracker Barrel.
>> Cracker Barrel.
>> And And that's We talk about that in our
show. We've got a scene where Kristen
Johnston uh imitates me saying Cracker
Barrel.
>> I'm like, we're going to Cracker Barrel
and I love a Cracker Barrel. And you
talking about after a colonoscopy when
you are empty and weak. Go to
>> go to Cracker Barrel and get the
meatloaf with mashed potatoes and fried
okra.
>> Wee. Okay. So, you're on tour right now
and then when this comes out, your show
will be out and then So, are are people
you're going to be balancing doing the
show and touring?
>> Yes, I did. Yes. That Well, the show
will come out and let's hope people like
it.
>> They're going to love it. Leanne,
>> can I ask people to run it while they're
vacuuming in the bag?
>> Just do it over and over. Yes, please.
And also the the fact I mean look at how
different I mean the fact that you're
doing a multicam on a streaming s like
the business is so interesting. It's
like
>> and that's what they wanted. They go
lean will you please do a multicam cuz
see I'm and I've loved sitcoms all my
life but then I got into the office in
parks and recreation and I was like I
would love to do that. That's more my
style. Yeah. And they were like, "Well,
would you consider doing a multicam?"
And you know, I was and they were
darling and everybody there I went,
"Okay."
>> And has it been good to hear laughs?
>> Yes. And I realize now that Yes. Like
doing the movie if I, you know, improv.
Nick Stler would say, "Do it again, Lyn.
Like, what are your breasts going to
look like when you have a baby?" And you
know, and all that and and and then I
wouldn't get a laugh.
>> Nick Stler is a director. He's not a man
on the street who just yell that to you.
That's important to know.
>> That doll. I know. I probably
embarrassed him to death because I would
ask him questions
about my breasts cuz they look so big on
screen. Amy,
>> they look terrific.
>> Reese Witherspoon's head was the size of
my breast.
>> How tall are you?
>> 58, maybe 5'7 now from shrinking.
>> Um, because you you look like a you look
like a model,
>> Amy. You angel. I'm fat as mud.
>> No, you're not.
>> Stomach,
>> Leanne, stop.
>> I've got this stomach and these mama
breasts.
>> No, you don't. You stop that right now.
>> And my neck. When I first saw it, I
thought, whose neck is that?
>> The neck is a thing we're all
struggling. But I don't know. I don't
know what to do because
>> And I don't want to get that surgery
where they take your ears off.
>> I can't do all that.
>> You got to put them back on.
I don't want to have to go through
surgery if I don't have to now at my
age.
>> Same. And it's you're so right. Like the
thing that nobody talks about is they
have to take everything off
>> and move it around and
>> ended
like
>> like I'll get micro needling and I have
to hold my knees.
>> Yeah.
>> It hurts so bad. That's not even a
surgery.
>> I I went to get lasers and I I know that
some doctors give nitrous for lasers.
>> I've started sucking on gas. I suck on
that gas and then I go through
everything that ever happened to me in
high school, college, what I'm buying
everybody for Christmas.
I think, can they know what I'm
thinking? Well, because they would think
I'm psycho.
>> So, don't do nitrous is what we're
saying. It's not good. And don't smoke.
>> Don't smoke cigarettes. And I enjoy my
children.
>> Oh, I said I'm Okay, get ready for this
cuz you're younger than me. your your
grown kids. You talk about fun is your
grown children or your best friends so
fun and darling.
>> Oh, that's so
>> so much to look forward to.
>> Oh, I love to hear that. I mean, Leanne,
there's I feel like there's so much to
look forward to. And I feel like that is
exactly what you keep reminding us
about. Like that's what your work is
about. Like the best is yet to come.
There's so much to look forward to.
Like life is to be enjoyed. Life is
supposed to be fun. And this is like if
we're lucky enough to be doing the stuff
that we love and we're lucky to be loved
by the people that we love. Like that's
it. Like that's what life is about.
>> Yes. And trying new things. You know, a
lot of women that have seen this happen
for me in my 50s. They're like, "Oh, I
can go back to school. Oh, I can go I
can become a yoga teacher. I've always
wanted to do that or whatever." But it's
never too late.
>> It never is. It's never
>> keep dreaming. I know that's sappy, but
you know, it's good to have something to
look forward to. But yes, every stage of
children, all of that is wonderful.
>> And then at the very end, right before
you die, lift the heaviest weights
you've ever lifted.
>> And drink a bunch of protein shakes and
blow up. You know what I'm saying? Your
stomach. Only eat ice cream when you are
willing to go to bed.
>> Eat it right on the toilet.
And just just eat it right on the toilet
so you're just close by.
That's the truth, honey.
>> Um, what what do you watch, read, where
do you go to laugh?
>> Okay, I have been loving four seasons on
Netflix. I went through that.
>> Will Forte, Tina Fe.
>> Oh my gosh. So funny. Mango.
>> Carrie Kenny. Um,
>> Carrie Kenny Silver.
>> Yes. And her husband worked on my sitcom
was on my crew and she came to a couple
of episodes. I loved her from 911. Reno
911. So funny.
>> Um, but I got to tell you, Tires on
Netflix just came out.
>> Shane is so
>> and it is crazy. It is crazy. Nutso
bizarre. Dumb.
>> I love dumb
>> and I love it. That has killed me. I was
watching This isn't funny, but that
Canyon Ranch every once in a while I
like a good I like a good soap opery.
Like they're on the ranch, somebody's
taking their land, somebody's been
murdered.
Taylor Sheridan. Do you like um
>> I've watched some of Yellowstone and all
that too, but Canyon Ranch is on is it?
No. Ransom Canyon. Ransom Canyon.
>> Ransom.
>> Ransom Canyon. And what I love about it
is there's there's a couple that are
doing it
>> and she has her gown on and I think they
must be doing that for people my age to
have a love story cuz she's they're
doing it and she's got a gown on.
>> And that's Minka Kelly. Minka Kelly who
is beautiful with that Josh Josh dam
dol
>> they do it she's got a gown on
>> and I just I every once in a while need
a little love story.
>> Yeah
>> and with murder.
>> Uh all right
canyon tires perfect. Um Leanne it's so
good to have you. Thank you so much for
coming
>> Amy
>> you're so great.
Thank you Leanne. That was so fun and it
was so fun hanging out with you. You're
a good hang for sure. And we know we
talked about something very important
and in this polar plunge we need to
address it and it is
the burden of being blonde and how hard
it is to keep that up. And um we spoke a
little bit about it but I just want to
reiterate what Leanne and I made very
clear in this podcast. You need
dimensions.
You need different dimensions. and it
sounds like Tennessee is the only place
to go. So, I just want to give a shout
out to all the stylists working hard out
there in Tennessee to give um blondes
everywhere finally a leg up, you know,
because we can't have more fun if our
hair isn't right. Thanks, Leanne. Thanks
so much for listening this episode and
um talk to you soon. Bye.
You've been listening to Good Hang. The
executive producers for this show are
Bill Simmons, Jenna Weiss Berman, and
me, Amy Per. The show is produced by The
Ringer and Paperkite. For The Ringer,
production by Jack Wilson, Cat Spelain,
Kaia McMullen, and Aia Xanerys. For
Paperkite, production by Sam Green, Joel
Levelvel, and Jenna Weiss Berman.
Original music by Amy Miles.
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