Leanne Morgan was photographed July 17 at the Bijou Theatre in Knoxville, Tennessee, which she says "kept booking me when nobody cared." Carolina Herrera dress; Manolo Blahnik shoes; Nancy Newberg jewlery. Photographed by Kara Hudgens Leanne Morgan had her sights set on Hollywood for as long as she can remember. Her family owned a small grocery store in rural Tennessee, and young Morgan was known for hamming it up in the aisles. Even her teachers recognized her gift, urging her to deliver announcements and emcee school events. But life ultimately got in the way of her comedy dreams. Three children and a working husband meant Morgan couldn't grind it out on the club circuit like many of her male counterparts. For years, she settled for a mix of corporate comedy gigs and the occasional charity benefit, which led to periodic overtures from Hollywood that never amounted to much. Related Stories TV 'Long Story Short' From 'BoJack Horseman' Creator Lands Season 2 Renewal Ahead of Series Premiere TV Netflix Reveals 10-Title Colombia Slate Featuring True Crime, Franchise Finales and Political Drama By 2019, Morgan was ready to hang it up. Before she did, however, she shelled out a few thousand dollars for a pair of social media experts to reformat her material for the digital era. It was a last-ditch effort, and it worked. Overnight, her comedy went viral. Suddenly Morgan, in her early 50s, was the draw she always imagined she'd be. A sold-out arena tour, a hit Netflix special, a best-selling book and, come July 31, an eponymous Chuck Lorre sitcom for Netflix followed. Now, as her 60th birthday looms, the self-described "Grandmama from Tennessee" Zoomed in from her Knoxville, TN home to discuss her late-in-life success and the recurring feedback that nearly derailed it. Leanne Morgan Photographed by Kara Hudgens You almost had sitcoms go before this, but they didn't have a great handle on your brand, and you didn't have the confidence to push back. When did the latter come? Oh, darling, I'm still working on it. With all those deals, I worked with precious people but I'd know in my heart, like, this is not how we are in the south. This is not how church people are. This is not how my family is. But when you want something so bad... And they'll tell you, "We love you," but then they want to change you. Hollywood people can't help it. And I don't blame 'em, they don't know my world. With this sitcom, at first, they were trying to find their footing and I was freaked out but then I thought, "I've got to give them grace. They're trying to learn me just like I am them." And I was finally able to get to a place where at the beginning of every week, I could [read through a script and] go, "We wouldn't say that," or "This isn't what would happen." So, I'm finally getting the guts, honey. Historically, how has the feedback from the stand-up world compared with that of Hollywood? Oh, I was raising these children first. I wasn't out here grinding. I was doing corporate [gigs] for men that make carpet fiber. They probably spent more on the shrimp than they did on me. Corporate gigs are notoriously tough ... Oh, they're horrible. They suck the life out of you. These men have been playing golf all day, they're tired, they've probably had alcohol, and I'm up there talking about going on Weight Watchers and how I don't like low-cut panties. Yet you kept working. What would you hear from the bookers? When I was trying to audition for Aspen or Montreal [comedy festivals] or when Comedy Central would come through, they wanted edgy and I was in a kitten heel and a pant with a bird on it, talking about how somebody doodied on a T-ball field. They'd say, "Oh, she's not edgy. She's a mom comic." But people in clubs always booked me. They'd go, "Keep going. You're unique." Now, Hollywood? Hollywood loves that mom in the kitten heel. They'd see my new 45 minutes and say, "You've written a sitcom!" Then I'd get there and they'd go, "Let's make your husband a Hispanic man." And don't get me wrong, I love Hispanic men. God forbid something happens to [husband] Chuck Morgan, I'm dating a Latino man. But they'd switch everything up - "Let's make your daughter on dope, or she wants to make it in a country music and she's on ecstasy" - and I'd be like, "Have y'all watched my act?!" So, what ultimately changed, you or the culture? COVID hit and people wanted to connect with people who were real, and there I was on the back porch talking about fixing my mama something that she could eat after her stroke. And that's me. I talk about taking care of elderly parents, launching children, menopause, and it was a niche that nobody was filling. Did anyone along the way urge you to be edgier on stage? Oh, I don't think anybody cared enough. And it's okay. I'm not bitter about it. I was meant to raise my children and I think it's the best thing that ever happened. So many more people can relate to me because I did raise these children and I have gone to Weight Wa