Natasha Leggero

Natasha Leggero (/ləˈʒɛəroʊ/) (born March 26, 1974) is an American stand-up comedian, actress, and writer. She rose to fame after appearing as the host of the MTV reality television series The 70s House in 2005, and as a regular roundtable panelist on Chelsea Handler's late-night talk show Chelsea Lately from 2008 to 2014.^{[citation needed]}

Natasha Leggero
Natasha Leggero at ComicCon in 2015
Born	(1974-03-26) March 26, 1974 (age 51) Rockford, Illinois, U.S
Medium	Stand-up television film
Alma mater	Hunter College (BA) Stella Adler Studio of Acting
Years active	2000–present
Genres	Observational comedy blue comedy insult comedy satire
Subject(s)	Social class celebrity culture
Spouse	Moshe Kasher ​ (m. 2015)​
Children	1
Website	natashaleggero.com

Leggero created the Comedy Central period sitcom Another Period (2015–2018) with Riki Lindhome, which she starred in as Lillian Abigail Bellacourt, a daughter of the fictional Bellacourt family. As a voice actress, Leggero has starred in several adult animated sitcoms, voicing the roles of Callie Maggotbone in Ugly Americans (2010–2012), Ethel in Brickleberry (2013–2015) and Shannon in Hoops (2020). She also starred in the short-lived NBC sitcom Free Agents (2011) as Emma Parker, in the Showtime comedy series Dice (2016–2017) as Carmen, and in the CBS sitcom Broke (2020) as Elizabeth. In 2022, Leggero released her first book, The World Deserves My Children.^[1]

Her observational comedy has been noted by critics for its use of satire, as commentary on such themes as celebrity culture and social class.^{[citation needed]}

Early life and education

Leggero was born on March 26, 1974^[a] in Rockford, Illinois^[5] and is of Italian^[6] and Swedish^[7] descent. She grew up Roman Catholic^[8] but converted to Judaism as an adult.^[9] She has two brothers, two years and five years younger than her. One of her brothers performs rap in Los Angeles and another is in construction in Rockford.

Commenting on her childhood, Leggero said, "I would say [we were] lower-middle-class, but I feel like my mom would start crying if she heard that. But my dad was a used car dealer and my mother worked in a locksmith shop as the bookkeeper, and then they got divorced, and I do remember, like, nuns bringing us food—like big canned goods... we didn't really go on vacation–ever... I had so many jobs growing up: I mowed lawns; I worked at a grocery store; I had two newspaper routes; I worked at a catering place... I definitely hustled."^[2] Her mother wanted to put her in a swimming class but it was full. Instead Leggero went to an acting class which was taught by the brother of the artistic director of New American Theatre on Main Street in Rockford.

Leggero began performing at age 10 in plays at the New American Theatre. She attended Rockford East High School^[10] and worked at a grocery store as a teenager.^[11] After graduating from high school, she attended Illinois State University on a scholarship where she studied for two years and spent a semester studying abroad in England.^[11] She had three jobs while overseas including a job at a pub. While at Illinois State, Leggero auditioned for the Stella Adler Conservatory in Chicago and was accepted into the theater program.^[11] She planned to go to Juilliard School. She then went to New York City to attend the conservatory, studying for two years and living in a rent controlled apartment. She worked at the Whiskey Bar.^[11] In 1996, she moved to Sydney, Australia with her then-boyfriend who nicknamed her "Weiner" and lived there for eight months before returning to New York^[12] to attend Hunter College. Her mother bought her two $800 plane tickets to New York City. Leggero lived for a while with Danisha, her Dominican waitress friend, her friend's family, and Danisha's grandmother in Queens, New York before finding a windowless apartment of her own in Harlem, New York.

Leggero graduated in 2000 from Hunter College with a B.A. in theater criticism. She said that she paid for her own tuition and it took nine years for her to finish college. She moved to Los Angeles shortly before the September 11 attacks; she still had her apartment but did not return.^[11] For her first two years in Los Angeles Leggero did not perform.

Career

Leggero worked as a waitress for four years and she performed at the Belly Room at The Comedy Store. She stopped performing at The Comedy Store for three years and did open mic shows at other comedy clubs. She particularly appreciated headlining on the road including at Comedy Works in Denver. On December 21, 2004 she appeared on The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn.

Leggero shot an unaired pilot called The Strip for NBC with Tom Lennon and Ben Garant. Along with Andy Kindler and Greg Giraldo, she was a judge on the 2010 season of NBC's Last Comic Standing, which was hosted by Craig Robinson.^[13] She played the role of Emma in NBC's 2011 sitcom Free Agents. From 2010 to January 2012, she co-hosted The Lavender Hour podcast with comedian Duncan Trussell. From 2010 to 2012, she voiced Callie Maggotbone on the animated series Ugly Americans.^[14] In 2012, she also appeared in six episodes of NBC's Are You There, Chelsea? as Nikki, who was Rick's (the bar manager's) ex-girlfriend. Leggero was featured in every first-season episode, starting with the second episode "Sloane's Ex".^[15] She played the sex-obsessed Haley in the web series Burning Love, a spoof of the TV series The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. In 2013, Leggero appeared in an episode of the Drunk History television series on Comedy Central.

On September 2, 2013, Leggero participated in the Comedy Central Roast of James Franco as one of the roasters. The next day, Brickleberry premiered its second season. She voiced the park ranger Ethel in place of Kaitlin Olson, who only featured in the first season. Tubbin' with Tash debuted on October 2, 2013, on Leggero's YouTube channel. The premise of the show is Leggero interviewing guests while in a hot tub.^[16] In August 2015, she debuted her Comedy Central standup special, Live at Bimbo's (originally entitled Diamond P__), which was filmed in San Francisco.^[17] In 2015, Leggero and Riki Lindhome created the Comedy Central series Another Period, which they also starred in together. The series premiered June 23, 2015, and was renewed for a second season, which premiered on June 15, 2016. On May 23, 2016, it was renewed for a third season,^[18] which aired in 2018.^[19] In 2016 and 2017, Leggero and husband Moshe Kasher embarked on The Honeymoon Tour, in which they performed stand-up shows and provided humorous relationship advice throughout the United States.^[20]

Leggero cohosts Rat in the Kitchen on TBS, which premiered on March 31, 2022.^[21][22] Her first book The World Deserves My Children, a collection of essays on motherhood in a post-apocalyptic world, was published by Gallery Books on November 15, 2022.^[23]

Comedic style

Leggero's comedy has been characterized as observational, with frequent commentary on celebrity culture and class.^[24] Her approach to standup has been noted for its heavy use of persona, which largely relies on costumes and "an air of mock-refinement and elitism."^[2] Journalist John Wenzel wrote that Leggero's use of persona allows her to "indict the most bloated, superficial aspects of our culture."^[25] Maggie Lange of GQ noted:

All performers have a character to some extent, but Leggero is one of the few with a costume. She’s like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, but like a seasoned comedian in socialite’s clothing. She’s always been this way. Who is the most formally dressed being at every Roast? Natasha Leggero. Who is perhaps the only person to have ever worn long white gloves to the Laugh Factory? Natasha Leggero. It’s always like she’s going to another party. While other comedians are trying to out-casual each other, she’s sitting with impeccable posture, dripping diamonds, dripping disdain.^[26]

On January 20, 2024, Leggero surprised an audience at The Improv in Los Angeles, when she flashed the crowd to impersonate comedian Bert Kreischer after his act.^[27][28][29]

Personal life

For a time Leggero dated Ari Shaffir.

Between 2011 and 2012, Leggero dated comedian Duncan Trussell, with whom she co-hosted the podcast, The Lavender Hour.^[30]

In 2015 Leggero and Moshe Kasher bought a home in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles.^[31] She married Kasher the same year.^[32][33] During an October 3, 2017 interview with Stephen Colbert, Leggero announced that she and Kasher were expecting their first child.^[34] On February 24, 2018, on Instagram, Leggero announced the birth of their daughter^[35] via c-section.^[36]

Works

Stand-up comedy

Year	Title	Notes
2011	Comedy Central Presents	Half-hour special
2011	Coke Money	Comedy Central album
2015	Live at Bimbo's	Comedy Central special
2018	The Honeymoon Stand Up Special	Netflix special with Moshe Kasher

Talk shows

Year	Title	Notes
2013	Tubbin' with Tash	7-episode web series[37]
2019–present	The Endless Honeymoon Podcast	podcast with Moshe Kasher[38]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2007	The Exorcist Chronicles	Leah
2009	He's Just Not That Into You	Amber Gnech
2013	Tome of the Unknown	Beatrice	Short film; pilot for the miniseries Over the Garden Wall
	Dealin' with Idiots	Tipsy Jessica
2014	Neighbors	Street prostitute
	Let's Be Cops	Annie
2015	The Breakup Girl	Kim
	A Better You	Tamara
2016	The Do-Over	Nikki
2018	Duck Duck Goose	Jin Jing	Voice[39]
2020	Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics	Young Carrie Fisher
2023	First Time Female Director	Themberly Paris
	Old Dads	Kelly
TBA	F*ck Valentine's Day	TBA	Filming

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2004	The Joe Schmo Show	Rita "The Drunk"	2 episodes
2005	MTV's The 70s House	Dawn	Host; 10 episodes
2005–08	Reno 911!	Various	3 episodes
2005	Comedy Central Roast of Pamela Anderson	Herself (red carpet interviewer)	Uncredited; Television special
	Premium Blend	Herself	Episode: "Johnny Lampert, Roy Wood Jr., Natasha Leggero and Stephen Rannazzisi"
2006	It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia	Stripper #1	Episode: "Charlie Gets Crippled"
2007	'Til Death	Mindy	Episode: "Performance Anxiety"
	Red Eye w/Greg Gutfeld	Herself	Guest panelist; episode dated December 8, 2007
2008–14	Chelsea Lately	Herself	Guest panelist; various episodes
2008	Samantha Who?	Female Customer	Episode: "The Gallery Show"
	SuperNews!	Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin	Voice, 2 episodes
	The Sarah Silverman Program	Dr. Leggero	Episode: "Vow Wow"
	Worst Week	Liz	Episode: "The Gift"
2009	Aqua Teen Hunger Force	Computer Technician	Voice, episode: "Fry Legs"
2009–10	The Smoking Gun Presents: World's Dumbest...	Herself	Commentator; 28 episodes
2010	'Til Death	Sandy	Episode: "Snore Loser"
2010–12	Ugly Americans	Callie Maggotbone	Voice, main cast (31 episodes)
2010	Last Comic Standing	Herself	Judge (season 7); 10 episodes
2010–11	Nick Swardson's Pretend Time	Various	5 episodes
2011	Comedy Central Presents	Herself	Episode: "Natasha Leggero"
	After Lately	Herself	2 episodes
	Free Agents	Emma Parker	Main cast; 8 episodes
2012	Are You There, Chelsea?	Nikki Natoli	6 episodes
	The Life & Times of Tim	Female Rodney	Voice, 2 episodes
	China, IL	Jen	Voice, episode: "Frankensteve"
	Regular Show	LaDonna / Girl in Line	Voice, episode: "Access Denied"[39]
2012–13	The Burn with Jeff Ross	Herself	2 episodes
2012	NTSF:SD:SUV::	Mona Lisa	Episode: "Time Angels"
2013–15	Brickleberry	Ethel	Voice, main cast (season 2–3)[39]
2013	Whitney	Danielle	Episode: "Lost in Transition"
	The Jeselnik Offensive	Panelist	1 episode
	Community	Mysti	Episode: "Heroic Origins"
	Ghost Ghirls	Sissy	Episode: "Hooker With A Heart of Ghoul"
	Arrested Development	Jackie	Episode: "Borderline Personalities"
	Drunk History	Herself	Narrator; episode: "San Francisco"
	High School USA!	Rachel Lewis	Voice, episode: "Adoption"
	Comedy Central Roast of James Franco	Herself (roaster)	Television special
	The League	Stand-up teacher	Episode: "The Bringer Show"
2013–17	@midnight	Herself	7 episodes
2013	Comedy Bang! Bang!	Judy Elevenuda	Episode: "Andy Dick Wears a Black Suit Jacket & Skinny Tie"
2013–14	Betas	Brenda	3 episodes
	Lucas Bros. Moving Co.	Natasha	Voice, 3 episodes
2013	Key & Peele	White Woman #2	Episode: "The Power of Wings"
	The Birthday Boys	Superintendent	Episode: "Going All the Way"
2014	Suburgatory	Nora	4 episodes
	Inside Amy Schumer	Mia	Episode: "Slut-Shaming"
	Clarence	Nature Kate / Heida	Voice, episode: "Nature Clarence"
	Garfunkel & Oates	Vivian St. Charles	3 episodes
2015	TripTank	Kim, Female Dog	Voice, 2 episodes[39]
	Marry Me	Laguna Matata	Episode: "Spoil Me"
	Mulaney	Rodeo	Episode: "Life is a Series of Different Apartments"
2015–18	Another Period	Lillian Bellacourt	Main cast, 32 episodes
2015	Modern Family	Dana	Episode: "Fight or Flight"
	The Comedy Central Roast of Justin Bieber	Herself	Television special
	Drunk History	Elizabeth Bisland	Episode: "Journalism"
2016	Superstore	Shoplifter	Episode: "Shoplifter"
2016–17	Dice	Carmen	Main cast, 13 episodes
	American Dad!	Planet Hollywood Waitress / Karen	Voice, 2 episodes
2016	BoJack Horseman	Heather	Voice, episode: "Start Spreading the News"
2017–19	Funny You Should Ask	Herself	98 episodes
2017	Justice League Action	Poison Ivy	Voice, 4 episodes[39]
2018	Teachers	Honour	Episode: "Leggo My Preggo"
	Alone Together	Nora	Episode: "Daypassers"
	A Million Little Things	Joyce	Episode: "Christmas Wishlist"
	Comedy Knockout	Herself	2 episodes
2019	The Real Bros of Simi Valley	Cheryl	Episode: "Open House"
	Star vs. the Forces of Evil	Additional voices	Episode: "Junkin' Janna/A Spell with No Name"
	Historical Roasts	Mary Todd Lincoln	Episode: "Abraham Lincoln"
	American Princess	Heidi	Episode: "Down There"
	Adam Ruins Everything	Music Video Director	Episode: "Adam Ruins Music"
	Crank Yankers	Herself	Episode: "Adam Carolla, David Koechner & Natasha Leggero"
2020	AJ and the Queen	Kath	Episode: "Little Rock"
	Paradise PD	Ethel	Voice, episode: "Paradise PD Meets Brickleberry"
	The Midnight Gospel	Peggy	Voice, episode: "Taste of the King"[39]
	Broke	Elizabeth	Main cast, 13 episodes
	Hoops	Shannon	Voice, main cast (10 episodes)
2022	Fast Foodies	Herself	Season 2, episode 3[40]
	Rat in the Kitchen[41]	Herself	Host; TV series
	Monster High: The Movie	Skullette	Voice, television film
2023	The Great American Joke Off	Herself	Recurring panelist, various episodes
	Stars on Mars	Herself	Contestant, 4 episodes
	Monster High 2	Skullette	Voice, television film
	Snake Oil	Herself	Celebrity advisor, 2 episodes
2024	Rock Paper Scissors	Controller of Cool	Voice, episode: "Pogo Sticks"

Web

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2006	Fire Guys	Black Ladder Team leader	Episode 3
2012–13	Burning Love	Haley	14 episodes
2012	Escape My Life	Skylar Browning	8 episodes
2015	Joe Rogan Experience	Herself	Podcast episode 653
	The Adam Carolla Show	Herself	Podcast May 31
	Limbo	Lucy / Lucifer	Independent short film
2016	WTF with Marc Maron	Herself	Episode 707
2022	The Bald and the Beautiful	Herself	Podcast episode 92
2023	Bertcast	Herself	Podcast episode 553

Notes

1. A June 2017 profile in Forbes noted that Leggero was 43 years old.^[2] On March 26, 2017, Leggero re-tweeted a "Happy Birthday" wish directed at her from Showtime Networks, which was posted the same day.^[3] Her birthdate of March 26 is corroborated by public records available through FamilySearch.^[4]