Leanne Morgan, 58, never imagined she might one day be a nationally-recognized stand-up comedian with a hit Netflix special.
Born and raised in rural Tennessee, then married at 23, she spent most of her adult life devoted to raising her three children.
In her 20s and 30s, she sold costume jewelry at women’s homes and Tupperware parties to make extra money. “But instead of talking about the jewelry, I spent more time talking about the funny challenges of being a new mom,” Morgan told the Wall Street Journal.
She loved the idea of a career in entertainment and comedy but shelved any aspirations she had at the time in order to prioritize being a mother, according to Forbes.
When her family relocated to San Antonio, Texas, she decided to give stand-up a try at open-mic nights at local comedy clubs. Then in 2018, Morgan hired a social media team to promote clips of her act online. They went viral, which changed the course of her life.
Now, Morgan is riding the success of her debut Netflix special, “Leanne Morgan: I’m Every Woman,” which became one of the highest-watched specials on the platform in 2023.
That led her on a cross-country stand-up tour — where she sold out arenas like the Chicago Theatre and the Knoxville Civic Coliseum in Tennessee — and notched a role alongside actors Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon in the forthcoming Amazon wedding comedy, “You’re Cordially Invited.”
The comedian’s meteoric and unconventional rise well into her fifth decade landed her a spot on the Forbes and Know Your Value “50 Over 50” U.S. list this year, which celebrates women who have shattered age and gender norms.
“I think I said, ‘What in the world?’” Morgan recently told “Morning Joe” reporter Daniela Pierre-Bravo at a luncheon honoring those women in New York City. “I’ve met all these women here who are in finance, and you can tell they paid attention in school, and see I didn’t, I was the class clown.”
But Morgan’s authentic and relatable sense of humor — poking fun at marriage, motherhood, menopause, even dating apps — has led to her runaway success.
“I did not realize what was going to happen to me at this point in my life and it’s a blessing,” she told Pierre-Bravo. “I think it was the best timing.”
For Morgan — who also plans to release a book next year — she hopes her roundabout path resonates with others. “Keep dreaming, keep going — it’s the best time,” she said. “It’s when you’re the wisest, it’s when you know your craft, you know your business — it could not be a better time.”
In fact, the theme of her stand-up tour centers on busting the biggest myth about career longevity after 50. “I think people think it’s over — and it’s not over!” Morgan explained. “I feel good, I’ve got grand-babies — I want to go and do, I want to see, I want to learn, it’s just beginning.”
“My 100-city tour — the tour I’m on right now — it’s called the ‘Just Getting Started’ tour because I feel like I’m just getting started at 58 years old,” she said.