In an entertainment industry obsessed with youth and overnight success, Leanne Morgan’s path to fame is a refreshing change. She’s taken the opposing route in life to the one many advise, opting to focus on growing her family, while performing stand-up in the evenings at any comedy club that she could find. Now, at the age of 60, she boasts multiple Netflix specials and a sold-out national tour.
But taking the unconventional route proved to be difficult. Leanne told The Today Show that she felt like she was “never one of the cool kids,” and “wasn’t hip, or edgy.” It is no surprise that the stand-up comedy industry was difficult to break into for a southern mother, whose jokes weren’t about dating apps or pop culture. But she ended up carving her own path and found her niche, with the same women who would have adored her at the jewelry parties.
© Getty ImagesLeanne Morgan onstage during The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards 2025
Leanne’s start in comedy
Leanne got her start at comedy in an eccentric way. When her children were young, she sold jewelry at home parties, the same way many busy mothers sell Tupperware.
Instead of focusing on the items she was selling, she stated to TODAY that she “…was talking about having hemorrhoids, breastfeeding, Chuck Morgan not hearing the baby cry in the night … all that kinda stuff”.
© InstagramLeanne Morgan’s with her husband Chuck Morgan
“That was my first material. People would say, ‘You need to be a stand-up.'” That’s when she decided to pursue comedy on the side,” she said.
Her big break
Leanne was 54 when she hired experts to help her with her social media, a move that launched her career overnight. Suddenly comedy clubs all over the U.S. started calling, selling out show after show and performing at her own sold-out tour.
She then caught the eye of Netflix in 2023, who released her standup special Leanne Morgan: I’m Every Woman. But it’s 2025 that has really been Leanne’s year: her Netflix sitcom, self-titled Leanne, was released, which was a hit and has been renewed for a second season.
Her second Netflix standup special, Leanne Morgan: Unspeakable Things, was also released and has reinforced Leanne’s reputation as comedy’s hottest star. She also caught the eye of Reese Witherspoon, who cast her in the 2025 film You’re Cordially Invited.
Leanne joked: “I thought I’d be younger when this happened,” although she added: “It was wonderful timing. I got to raise these children… I have led a full life as a mama, a grandmama, my parents are still with me.”
She further shared: “I’ve got this full life I can talk about, and that’s what people are relating to.” It’s probably safe to say that Leanne has only just started and will see much more success in the years to come.
