The premise for Leanne, the new Netflix sitcom from comedian Leanne Morgan, out July 31, goes something like this: “Leanne’s life takes an unexpected turn when her husband of 33 years leaves her for another woman. Starting over when you’re a grandmother and in menopause isn’t exactly what she had in mind, but with the help of her sister, she will navigate this new chapter with grace, dignity, and jello salad.”
Sounds juicy, right? Don’t read too much into it, though. Even though the show is named after her, and she’s playing a woman named Leanne (who is not a comedian), the real Leanne Morgan is happily married to her husband of over 30 years, Chuck Morgan. And it was another Chuck—specifically, legendary comedy producer Chuck Lorre, creator of Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, Mom, The Kominsky Method, etc.—who is the reason why Morgan has her own TV show now. Lorre saw Morgan’s stand-up special on Netflix a few years ago and immediately wanted to work with her.
And that’s how we have Leanne, a show made for Morgan, with similarities to Morgan, that isn’t based on her life.
Morgan is aware that she’ll be spending the next however many months explaining to people that she’s not divorced, nor is she getting divorced, and that Chuck Morgan hasn’t been replaced by Chuck Lorre. (Although if you ask Morgan, she’ll say her husband is so enamored with Lorre’s shows that he’d probably be okay it.)
“When the show was first announced, people would go, ‘I knew he couldn’t handle her success. Chuck can’t handle her making money,’” she tells me over Zoom from her home base in Knoxville, Tennessee. “And even though my Chuck Morgan doesn’t have a personal Facebook page, he does for his business, so he sees what’s out there. He’ll say, ‘Leanne, people think we’re getting a divorce. You need to get on there and tell them otherwise.’ Even a little old man that lives in our town, 90-something years old, called my daddy and said, ‘I’m so sorry that Leanne and Chuck are getting a divorce.’ And I go, ‘Daddy, Beverly Hillbillies wasn’t true either. It’s not true.’”
If anything, this is indicative of how much life is about to change for Morgan. The hilarious comedian has crafted a large following thanks to her stand-up (she’s currently on a nationwide tour titled Just Getting Started); her Netflix comedy special, I’m Every Woman; and her New York Times best-selling book, What in the World?! But there’s nothing like a Netflix series to catapult someone to a new level of fame. And so, let the rumor mill flow. (Another one we’ll dispel now: She’s got three children in real life, but only two on the show.)
“People are going to say what they’re going to say,” she says. But even so, “I’ll probably start reiterating on stage that I’m still married to Chuck Morgan.”
If anything, Morgan jokes that she plans to be more intimate with her husband now, especially if Leanne gets renewed for a second season. “I didn’t know how to kiss Tim Daly,” Morgan says of her love interest on the show. “I kissed his bottom teeth by accident! And it was because I don’t make out enough with Chuck Morgan. We’ve been married for a hundred years. So I need to make out with Chuck Morgan more.”
It was actually the other Chuck—Lorre, that is—who came up with the idea of making Morgan’s character in Leanne a divorcée. “At first I was like, ‘I’m not divorced,’ but I don’t want it to be based on my real life. So I’m glad he did that,” Morgan says. “I also think that even if women are not going through a divorce, it’s important to know it’s never too late for anything. This character pulls her bootstraps up and moves on and her life isn’t over and she’s desirable.”
That’s a lesson Morgan herself is learning. At 59, she’s never been more comfortable in who she is on stage and off, but performing scripted television with an ensemble in front of a live studio audience is a lot different than doing a solo stand-up act.
“There was a lot of tears at first,” Morgan says. “I was very overwhelmed, and I thought, Can I do this? I had to be my inner cheerleader and go, Yeah, you can do it—Netflix believes in you, Chuck Lorre believes in you. But it was a big learning curve. It’s different than stand-up. For the first three weeks I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, pack up your stuff. Maybe I’ve made a mistake. I don’t even know what I’m doing.’”
She does, of course. Just like her alter ego, Morgan pulled her bootstraps up and got to work. In our wide-ranging interview, she opens up about the long road to success, overcoming disappointment (“I did not cope very effectively”), and finding acceptance and humor when it comes to menopause and her ever-changing body (“I don’t know whose stomach this is, but that’s okay”).
World, meet Leanne.
Glamour: Having your own sitcom has been a lifelong dream of yours. Tell me about that becoming a reality, and why it was so important to you.
Leanne Morgan: I’ve been doing stand-up for over 25 years. And for a lot of people, the pinnacle is to get your own sitcom. You think about Roseanne, Ray Romano. I always had that dream from the time I was little because I loved watching TV. My mama would let me skip school so I could watch Hollywood Squares. Then she’d let me watch Saturday Night Live, and my dad would get mad. I loved all television, and I wanted to be a comedic actress.
I’d actually done television deals before; one was with Matt Williams, who created Roseanne and Home Improvement. But it didn’t make it, and I was devastated. But when Chuck Lorre came and said, “I want to do a show with you…,” I was like, What?! I still don’t believe it. I still think, I’ve got a television show? It’s crazy.
So did your manager or agent call you and say, “Chuck Lorre wants to meet with you and develop a show?”
My manager, Judi Marmel, is in Los Angeles. and said, “Chuck Lorre wants to come to your house. He doesn’t want you to come to LA.” He said, “I don’t want her to come out here and think we’re not going to do right by her. I want to go to her house, I want to be in her town. I want to get to know her family, and I want to woo her.” She told me that, and I was like, “What?”
And so, honey, we planned a big lunch. I was vacuuming, dusting, spraying. Chuck Lorre came and sat on my back porch and held my new grandbaby at the time. My husband couldn’t catch his breath because he’s such a Big Bang Theory fan. You have to understand, Chuck Morgan doesn’t talk. He’s introverted, but you could see his teeth. He didn’t know what to think.
He said to me, “Leanne, I watched your Netflix special. You have mastered stand-up, and I would like to work with you. I need you because I am from Long Island, New York, and I need you to tell me what this world is like. I want to build this around you.”
And you lost your mind.
I’m telling you, when I say Big Bang is on our TV all day long, every day. Now, of course, my Chuck works a job, but when he gets home, that’s the first thing he puts on. And then I watched Young Sheldon. And then Mom, which my sister watched, and she grieved when it was over.
Now you’re working with Kristen Johnston as your sister, who was in Mom.
We had instant chemistry, and she’s like family to me now. She coached me and encouraged me and lifted me up every day. She would say, “Leanne, you’re a natural.” I needed to hear that, honey. It was intimidating [starring in your own sitcom]. It was a lot to learn. She was so helpful to me and wanted to see me win.
You’re so comfortable on stage, but acting on a show is a different beast. How did you prepare for that?
Let me tell you, Jessica, there was a lot of tears at first. I was very overwhelmed. I thought, Can I do this? I had to be my inner cheerleader and go, Yeah, you can do it—Netflix believes in you, Chuck Lorre believes in you. But it was a big learning curve. It’s different than stand-up. This camera blocking and how things move so quickly—it was very intimidating. But when I would get in front of that studio audience on Friday night, that would give me energy.
For the first three weeks I was like, “Pack up your stuff. Maybe I’ve made a mistake. I don’t even know what I’m doing.” And my daughter was like, “Mom!” She had to almost slap me, like in a movie. And then, I just had to listen to Kristen. Thank goodness I had so much help. Everybody was so precious. Pixie, my hairdresser, who has been on every show Chuck’s ever done, was like, “You got it, Leanne. You got this.” Everybody just cheered me on, and I just had to go, “Okay, I’ve made a commitment. This is what I’ve always wanted. God has me here for a reason. He’s got me this far. Let’s do it.” I don’t know when it clicked, and I hope that it clicked, but I hope people will stick with it through [the show] so they can see I finally figured out what was happening.
You more than figured it out. And the fact that you can be so vulnerable on screen shows so much strength.
Thank you, honey. I’m in menopause, or on the other side of it. And let me tell you, I feel nothing. But you probably don’t want to put that in Glamour.
It’s a gift to get older, so let’s talk about the ways in which we can talk about living it well.
I feel like I’m smarter, wiser. I’ve got more sense than I’ve ever had. I see now why this was God’s timing for this to come together at the same time and me to start selling out all over the United States. I’m in a lane by myself in comedy and stand-up. I love talking about menopause and perimenopause. I used to have a podcast called Sweaty and Pissed: Menopause and More.
The episode where Leanne is literally having a hot flash in the middle of a date is so real. I watched it with my mom, who is still in menopause. She struggles with seeing her body change even though she’s eating and working out the same. So it’s comforting to see other women share their experiences on screen.
I know. And I don’t want to scare you, but my stomach…I don’t know whose stomach this is, but it’s okay.
[Laughs.] On a different note, a lot of people are already comparing your show to Reba, with a mix of Mom. What do you think of that comparison?
I can see why people would think that about Reba, because her character was left by a man and then she’s taking care of her family. I do see that comparison, and then Mom, with women of a certain age pulling together and helping each other get through. To me, I think it’s going to be different because I’m taking care of elderly parents in this also. Everybody I know has got that going on, and I don’t think shows represent that enough. I think this is going to be sweet for people to see, making sure that they’re okay and getting a walk-in tub and that dad’s grumpy and there’s always one parent who’s easy to deal with and one who is not. But I do love Reba, and it is so beloved.
A theme in both shows is relearning some of the lessons we were taught earlier in our lives. What lessons are you unlearning now?
I don’t know if this is from being from the South, because we’re very polite people and don’t want to ruffle feathers. I was raised in my generation to depend on a man, and that a man knows better. I’ve got a precious daddy, and I always did what he said to do. And then I married, and I’ve got a precious husband who is brilliant and is taking wonderful care of us. But in my young mind, I thought, Oh, I can’t do all that. I need to be taken care of.
I’m finally realizing that I’m pretty smart. I always thought I had gifts, but I realize now I can make decisions. I am worthy. I don’t have to depend on anybody. I’m thankful. I love men. I’m thankful for the men in my life. I’ve got a son who is precious, but I am having to unlearn that I don’t have to have permission to make a decision. I can do that on my own. This is part of that show. I think women of my generation, it’s harder for us. Young girls don’t probably feel that way, and good for them. But I’m having to learn that. When I talk to my financial people, I know what’s going on. I know what’s best for my family. I can do it just like a man could.
Earlier you mentioned having several potential deals for your own show that ended up not coming to fruition. How did you handle the disappointment of that?
Well, honey, I didn’t cope very well at the time. The first one was my biggest kit and caboodle, and that was with precious Matt Williams and Nick at Nite. Nick at Nite wanted him to do a Roseanne type…but because he had worked on all those shows, they wanted something like that on Nick at Nite. Nick at Nite wanted it to be like a kids’ TV show, like on Disney, but Matt said, “I don’t do that, and I want you to trust me.” And I did.
Then we went to TV Land, and they didn’t want it. I’m telling you, it was a blow because that was the first rodeo I’d ever been through. I was here living in Knoxville, Tennessee, and I was on top of the world. I was in a tour with two other women called the Southern Fried Chicks. They chose to do something for CMT, but ABC didn’t want me to do it because I had this deal. So I got out. I didn’t tour anymore with them, which was fine, but then that didn’t work and I couldn’t get booked anywhere. All of a sudden, nobody cared. It was a hard time. Chuck Morgan brought me home a beagle who ended up being the best dog I’ve ever had and was from heaven. He’s no longer with us, but I thought, Here I’ve got a beagle pinned on everything I own. I probably took to the bed. I’m not kidding, Jessica. When I get down, I take to the bed and binge-watch Scandal or something.
That’s understandable.
I should have gotten out and exercised. I did not cope very effectively with that. I really didn’t. But then something kept telling me, I think spiritually for me, God just said, “You know what? You got to keep going.” I didn’t feel like the door had been shut, and I just had to ride it out. That was going on the same time as we lost my father-in-law in a tragic way, and then the economic downturn and I couldn’t get booked anywhere. People weren’t spending money on comedians, because I was doing a lot of private corporate things. So it was just an all-around bad time.
How did you climb out of that hole, and what did it teach you?
I’ll tell you that I learned from that because when the next one didn’t make it either, I was like, You know what? Everything’s going to be all right. I think that was God’s way of showing me how to cope. There would be other disappointments in my career too, because I got lot of no’s. I wasn’t edgy enough, I wasn’t this enough, I was a mom. They all thought, Oh, she just does mom comedy, or whatever. They would stereotype me. It helped me to realize, No, I know what I’m doing. I got to keep going. I got to persevere. I’’ll be okay.
I do think I have perseverance. I think that taught me that. I look back now, and that was not the time for me to get a television show. I had three children that were in elementary and middle school. I would’ve lived apart from my family, and I couldn’t have done that with little children. I was their mom. That was the most important job for me. Now I know when something doesn’t happen, that is God’s protection over me and that’s not what’s supposed to happen. If I know something is not meant for me, I can let it go. And this time, with Chuck Lorre, it moved so quickly and everything fell into place and went so well. It was meant to be.
Chuck came to Knoxville to meet with you because he didn’t want you to have to go out to LA for your first meeting. But when you did, what was that like?
I was also panicked, thinking, Can I do this? Am I going to be good enough? I was a little shell-shocked because LA is so big. And I did miss my grandbabies. I’ve got two boys that are two and four, and they live 15 minutes from me. So it was very hard for me to be away from my family and my husband and everybody. That was a booger. But I got to tell you, I went through the fires in January and got evacuated. I also got burglarized. I was doing a show in Palm Springs and somebody cased out my rental house and robbed it, but they didn’t get anything. All they could find was my yeast-infection medicine and my thyroid [pills]. But getting evacuated in the fires, that was freaky. But as time went on, I love that weather every day. And the trees and the succulents. I began to fall in love with it. I’m in the mountains of east Tennessee, which is beautiful, but California’s one of the prettiest states.
I realized that when we’re out here in Tennessee, we think, Oh, those Hollywood people. But it’s a working class town with precious people that are just like everybody else. You find sweet, precious people everywhere. I thought it was some of the sweetest people I’ve ever known in my life. I fell in love with people. I loved my neighbors. Everybody was darling. On Saturday nights, we’d go to the Costco in Burbank and eat a hot dog while shopping. That’s what we did on Saturday nights. And then, when I got home to Tennessee, I grieved because I loved my time in California so much. I love my Tennessee, but I’m just lucky if I get to go back and do it again, I can live in both places.
With all the travel you do, what are your best travel tips?
I have to have a sound machine and an eye mask. I do have a travel bag that hooks onto the back of my carry-on that I use as my purse. I don’t care about a nice purse anymore. I’ve got to have that thing that hooks on with that one that slides down that thing and is easy and it will wipe down. And I do love a snack. I like to keep my own snacks in my purse. I have my little comforts that I take. It’s not fancy. It’s really not. There’s a lot of magnesium rolling around in the bottom of my purse. I make sure I have all my supplements. It looks like I’m on drugs, and I know the TSA people are like, What in the world? Should she be traveling with all those prescriptions? But I do. You never know if you’re going to have diarrhea or nausea, and the show must go on. I don’t take them, but I have them. I also carry my own Stevia. Not everybody carries Stevia.
You’re a woman after my own heart.
It’s the same for everyone on our set. We talk about prostate, menopause, hormones, being able to poop, but I mean, I love all that. I’d rather talk about that than anything.
The post After 25 Years in Comedy, Leanne Morgan Is Finally Realizing Her Worth appeared first on Glamour.
