Leanne Morgan is an author, actor, and stand-up comedian from rural Tennessee. What in the World!? is a memoir that traces her life from early childhood to finally “making it” in comedy later in life.

From an early age, Morgan was eager to “dazzle,” and her family’s store was her first “personal stage” where her mother would sit her on the counter to tell customers stories while she checked out their groceries. Morgan performed every chance she got and didn’t let little things like not having access to dance lessons stop her from stomping around the living room and putting on shows for unsuspecting salesmen and delivery people. Morgan’s early confidence was “spoken into [her]” by her mother and other relatives, who constantly told her she was “special” and “so funny” (5). However, her childhood confidence began to dissolve when she entered young adulthood and faced the reality that being pretty and charming wasn’t enough to succeed. The pillars of her identity were being “cute and fun;” her small-town high school lacked academic rigor, and Morgan had further neglected her studies in favor of fixing her hair and putting on “her face.” Morgan went through a period of feeling “directionless,” dropping out of college to marry a “crazy boy.”

By 23, she was divorced, rooming with two college boys, and waiting tables. However, Morgan was resilient and determined to get her life back on track. Thanks to the support of her family, she was able to reenroll in the University of Tennessee and finish her degree. During her final years of college, she met Chuck Morgan, whom she married shortly after graduation. Morgan moved to Bean Station, Tennessee, with Chuck and initially felt isolated in the small town. Morgan is a self-described “extrovert” who “need[s] to chat” (73), but in Bean Station, she was alone most of the day, and the more introverted Chuck didn’t feel like chatting when he got home from work. Soon, Morgan gave birth to her first baby, which kept her occupied, but she still felt as if something was missing from her life. She began hosting jewelry parties, giving her a bit of extra spending money and an opportunity to be around people and perform. Making people laugh filled her with joy, making her “feel like [she] was contributing to the greater good” (123). 

Over the years, Morgan prioritized her family life, something that she never regretted, but comedy kept working its way back into her life. Through all the joys and challenges she faced, Morgan relied on humor and her faith to get her through. She always trusted in God, illustrating The Role of Faith in Everyday Struggles, and when she faced disappointments, like when her first chance at a sitcom was canceled, she knew that God would open another door. 

Her eventual success came later in life, once she was truly ready, after her children had grown and successfully launched into the world. In the fall of 2019, once all her adult children had finally moved out, Morgan invested in a marketing firm that managed to expand her social media following by hundreds of thousands. Overnight, Morgan’s decades of hard work paid off. She was offered a 50-city tour that sold out so quickly that it was increased to 100 dates. Her videos began amassing millions of views online, and in 2023, her Netflix special, Leanne Morgan: I’m Every Woman, premiered. In 2024, she published What in the World?! and it quickly became an acclaimed New York Times bestseller. Morgan also became the star and co-creator of the sitcom Leanne, which premiered on Netflix in 2025 and has been renewed for a second season.