Transcript: Leanne Morgan on Good Hang with Amy Poehler

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.

really good. Hey