By Peter Lindblad
Leanne Morgan is putting on her “Big Panty Tour” and coming to Wisconsin to riff on menopause and motherhood, among other things.
Slated to perform at The Capitol Theater in Madison on Sept. 15, Morgan got her start hosting jewelry parties in her Bean Station, Tennessee home – before the family moved to San Antonio, Texas – and joking around about breastfeeding and hemorrhoids with other moms in attendance. They laughed and laughed, and it was all fun and games until one of them had a little accident.
When somebody peed the couch, Morgan (https://www.leannemorgan.com/) took it as a sign that she had the comedic chops to make it in stand-up comedy. With her Southern drawl and conversational style, Morgan’s undeniably charming relatability and hilarious quips about marriage, family and getting older have made her an overnight sensation. That is if you overlook the fact that she’s been doing this for more than 22 years.
You might know her from her special “So Yummy,” which has more than 50 million views on YouTube. Or you might have seen her on ABC’s “The View,” or Nick at Nite’s “Funniest Mom.” Maybe you follow her on social media. She has 1.5 million of them after all. Morgan is featured in the latest edition of Out & About Wisconsin. You can read more about her here: http://www.mirabelsmagazinecentral.com/DigitalEdition/index.html?id=a6412a77-ee86-4ae6-a176-06b6f1fd18dc&pn=1c&pv=d
There are plenty of great stand-up shows coming to Wisconsin in September. Here are some suggestions:
Time Community Theater – Oshkosh
Joe Kilgallon (Sept. 9) – Gird your loins. The unfiltered Joe Kilgallon (http://www.joekilgallon.com/) is about to go on a rant. Make that multiple rants – all of them hysterical. Honest to a fault, Kilgallon is from Chicago, and he’s opened for Roy Wood Jr., Hannibal Buress, and Steve Byrne, having also appeared on NBC Sports and TBS. The show is a Fox Valley Comedy production, with Amy Sumpter and Rich D’Amore opening. https://timecommunitytheater.wellattended.com/events/comedy-time-with-joe-kilgallon-at-the-time
Milwaukee Improv – Milwaukee
Erik Griffin (Sept. 15-17) – Do yourself a favor and check out Griffin’s debut comedy album, “Technical Foul: Volume One.” Or, better yet, go and find his hour-long specials “The Ugly Truth” and “Amerikan Warrior,” available for streaming on Amazon and Showtime, respectively. Griffin (http://www.erikgriffin.com/) finds humor in everyday stupidity, and when he gets on a roll, it’s a long, scathing train of nonstop laughs. He does it all – stand-up, podcasting, acting, and writing. Fans of Comedy Central’s “Workaholics” will remember Griffin as Montez Walker. Others might have seen him in Showtime’s “I’m Dying Up Here.” Whatever the case, Griffin is a “can’t miss” comic with a mustache that just won’t quit.
Skyline Comedy Club – Appleton
Michael Winslow (Sept. 22-24) – An imaginative one-man sound effects department, Winslow’s memorable turns in classic movie comedies like “Police Academy” and “Spaceballs” made him a household name. His incredible ability to imitate sounds is just part of Winslow’s appeal, though. Winslow (https://www.michaelwinslowmedia.com/) is also a talented voice actor, whose work can be heard on Geico commercials and shows like “Family Guy” and “Robot Chicken.” There’s more to Winslow than hysterical vocalizing. Check out his “Noize Podcast” to hear his humorous outlook on life.
Comedy on State – Madison
Matteo Lane (Sept. 16-17) – A true renaissance man, the openly gay, witty, and outrageously funny Lane (https://www.matteolanecomedy.com/) speaks five languages and once sang opera and was an oil painter while living in Italy. Lane has appeared on shows like “Will & Grace,” HBO’s “Crashing,” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” and “Late Night with Seth Meyers.” Look up Netflix’s “The Comedy Lineup” to see Lane’s stand-up special. With Emma Willman, Lane hosts the podcast “Inside the Closet.” In development is an animated series he’s working on with Out & About Wisconsin favorite Bob the Drag Queen (https://outandaboutwisconsin.com/bob-the-drag-queen-not-one-to-tone-it-down/) and others. Get a taste of Lane’s style here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0mHuO7MDcJ4
Big Jay Oakerson (Sept. 29-Oct. 1) – Edgy and irreverent, the fearless Oakerson (http://www.bigjaycomedy.com/live) is a heavy metal comic who pulls no punches and seems oblivious to cancel culture. Political correctness be damned, Oakerson has been a favorite at comedy and music festivals such as Just for Laughs, the New York Comedy Festival and South By Southwest. He co-hosts “The Bonfire” with Dan Soder on Faction Talk 103 SiriusXM, along with “The Legion of Skanks” and “The SDR Show” podcasts on Gas Digital Network. And Oakerson has appeared on Comedy Central’s “Inside Amy Schumer,” with an hour special “Live at Webster Hall” to his credit, plus a half-hour special on Netflix that somehow made the hit series “The Degenerates’ even more degenerate. Get a load of Oakerson here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FU4TvtHG1qU&t=290s