Leanne Morgan vs. Leanne Morgan

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Leanne Morgan’s comedy feels like hearing stories from another world, but in a comforting, familiar way. Her first Netflix special, I’m Every Woman, presented a life rooted in simple, practical things – things like Jell-O salad, church on Sundays, and everyday clothes. While many Netflix specials focus on a limited range of experiences, often centered around middle-aged men, Morgan offers a different perspective. Being a grandparent is as common as anything, and arguably more so than being afraid of transgender people, yet it’s rarely showcased in stand-up comedy. Morgan’s recent success is due to both her talent and the fact that she’s a 60-year-old woman from rural America, allowing her to share experiences that many people recognize but rarely see represented on stage. Seen in that light, the title of her special feels like a bold statement.

Leanne Morgan’s second comedy special, Unspeakable Things, reflects how her comedic voice has evolved since her first special two and a half years ago. A lot has changed – she’s become a well-known performer, appearing on Amy Poehler’s podcast, in a movie alongside Reese Witherspoon, and starring in the sitcom Leanne. While she still shares relatable stories about everyday life, her world now consists of hotels and movie sets instead of Target and fishing trips. Unspeakable Things feels like a work in progress because her rise to fame has been so fast – it offers a glimpse of who she’s becoming as a famous comedian, but isn’t a fully developed picture.

Morgan’s strength as a comedian lies in her ability to create strong, memorable images with her words. Her special, Unspeakable Things, begins with a look back at recent years, starting with the uncomfortable experience of watching her first comedy special. She explains it was a turning point, but she’s only been able to watch it once because it’s upsetting to see her past self. She jokes about how much her breasts have changed, describing them as large and not conventionally attractive. This sets the tone for the special: despite now moving in celebrity circles – hanging out with people like Will Ferrell and working on a movie – she remains grounded and self-aware. She contrasts herself with the often unrealistic standards of Hollywood, pointing out she’s still subject to the everyday realities of body image and societal expectations. She humorously highlights the physical differences between herself and her co-star, Reese Witherspoon, and admits she indulged in the plentiful food on set, even needing her sandals altered to accommodate her expanding waistline.

It was so captivating when Morgan finally started sharing her real experience – the shock of being a normal person dropped into this crazy Hollywood world. She told this story about going with the hair and makeup team to this old hotel, and then she just casually dropped that it was actually the Clermont Lounge. “That,” she said, lowering her voice, “is a strip club.” Her face was priceless – she went totally cartoonish with shock! She even said, with this little pause, “Oh, I’m sorry, I have the Holy Spirit.” The audience cheered, but it wasn’t anger on her face, it was just… bewilderment. You could see her thinking, ‘Why am I here?’ ‘What is this place?’ She even asked her daughter, genuinely concerned, ‘Do you think if I go to this thing, I’m going to feel the presence of Satan?’ And her daughter just deadpanned, ‘Yeah, girl. I do.’ It was such a raw, funny, and strangely poignant moment.

Morgan has a knack for taking a story in unexpected directions. She shifts away from a traditional religious message and focuses on more everyday concerns. By the end of her time at the Clermont Lounge, she’s less worried about evil or exploitation and more fixated on a dancer who reminds her of Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus, performing in a red, white, and blue outfit. As she puts it, the place was a bit rundown, and as a mother, she couldn’t help but think about how much she wanted to thoroughly wash that dancer’s lingerie. This illustrates Morgan’s comedic style perfectly. She’s comfortable with humor that’s a little risqué, and she isn’t afraid to address the things people usually avoid talking about – like sex, bodies, and yes, even underwear (she particularly appreciates a nice pair of panties!). She enjoys exploring the parts of life that are typically hidden beneath a veneer of politeness. However, even while being open and honest, she emphasizes the importance of basic decency and remembering what truly matters – like family, hard work, and her faith.

The documentary would be more impactful if it fully explored the central idea, or at least delved deeper into Morgan’s mixed feelings about Hollywood. She skillfully handles a complex topic – despite now being a part of the film industry like Reese Witherspoon, she genuinely feels like an outsider, and doesn’t come across as preachy about her faith or personal habits. She’s aware she doesn’t quite fit in, whether she’s in a strip club or imagining cleaning undergarments, and she seems to relish the contrast with her former life, even while feeling a bit disconnected.

After the first twenty minutes, the show shifts to flashbacks of Morgan’s earlier life. These stories about family life – like bundling kids into winter clothes and her husband always being late – are sweet, but feel different knowing what we now know about her current world of Hollywood and the Clermont Lounge. They show a life she no longer has. As the episode continues with these memories, it becomes clear that jokes about spoiling her grandkids don’t have the same impact as seeing her struggle with who she is now, or her wistful memories of a more mischievous past. Morgan hasn’t quite figured out how to balance these two sides of herself. Will she fully embrace the chaos of her new life, or will she remain detached from it?

Leanne Morgan often closes her shows with a funny story about her husband, Chuck Morgan, and how consistently late he was to church. She remembers the chaos of getting their kids ready without any help, and recalls Chuck finally emerging from the bedroom, clearly not fully awake. But beneath the humor, the story reveals a pattern in their relationship where Leanne often had to compromise and yield to her husband’s and children’s needs, simply saying “Okay” and accepting things as they were. She looks back on this time with affection, remembering a period when her own desires took a backseat.

This is a bit of a contrast to the themes she explores earlier in her shows, where she discusses her growing influence and power. The story highlights a choice she often faced: getting everyone to church on time, or quickly connecting with her husband before leaving, and she always chose the latter. She jokes about only taking one leg out of her pantyhose, perfectly capturing her comedic style – a mix of playful sexuality and wholesome family life, hidden in plain sight on the way to Sunday service. It’s a classic Leanne Morgan bit – finding humor in unexpected contradictions.

Morgan’s performance evokes a warm, familiar feeling, and she delivers her jokes with her signature wit and charm. However, the material feels a bit predictable and lacks a strong impact. She touches on past financial struggles and newfound freedom, but doesn’t quite land a satisfying conclusion. She’s moved beyond needing to bring her own lunch, which raises the question of whether she’s fully embraced the perks of her current situation and left behind her more frugal days – like making Jell-O salad.

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2025-11-04 17:55