Sam Morrison’s hit show Sugar Daddy is probably the best time you could have with someone else’s grief—in fact, the comedian invites you to laugh along with him!
As the story goes, a few years back, the LA-based writer and performer packed his bags for Provincetown, planning on a summer vacation to soak up the sun… and the older men. But when he got there and met the “sexy silver zaddy of his dreams,” his whole life was about to change in ways he never expected.
The two fell in love, a true “romance for the ages” that extended far beyond P-town. But, within the first year of the pandemic, Morrison’s partner sadly passed from COVID.
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Though incredibly tragic, Morrison realized that, in order to process his grief and pay proper tribute to the beautiful life and legacy of his late boyfriend, he’d have to turn to the one thing he knew best: comedy.
And thus, Sugar Daddy was born. The hilarious and heart-warming one-man show first made waves at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2022, before an acclaimed and triple-extended Off-Broadway run at NYC’s Soho Playhouse. Now, it’s set to have its West Coast debut in LA at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts from September 20 – October 13, before making a highly anticipated Broadway debut in 2025. Recently, icons Alan Cumming and Billy Porter both came on board as producers of the show, only upping its daddy bonafides.
As Morrison (who’s comedy’s been featured everywhere from Late Night With Seth Meyers to The Drew Barrymore Show) gets ready to raise the curtain on Sugar Daddy in LA, we were lucky enough to snag a few minute of his time and put him in the hot seat for our rapid-fire Q&A series, Dishin’ It. In our conversation, the performer gets honest about sharing his intimate story with thousands of others, reveals his secret to finding love in P-town, and shares why he’s a big proponent of shopping at thrift store.
Is there a piece of media—whether a movie, TV series, book, album, theater, video game, etc…—that has played an important role in your understanding of queerness and the queer community? Why does it stand out to you?
Has to be The Birdcage. I saw it very young and it was, I think, my earliest memory seeing gay people on screen. I’m not saying that movie turned me gay but if something could turn you gay it’d be a decade running around screaming, “Oh, I pierced the toast!”
Your acclaimed show Sugar Daddy recounts the tragic story of how you met the silver fox love of your life and then lost them to COVID, “coping through comedy.” Can you tell us a bit about how the show has helped you process what you’ve been through, and what it’s been like to share that with hundreds of audiences?
Grief is extremely isolating and lonely. Our culture doesn’t naturally joke about it, but it’s sort of a natural topic to me. Grief is full of discomfort, ironies, surprises, and strong emotions, which is all where comedy thrives. And when you’re talking about it on stage with a room full of people and feel understood… When the performances are hitting on all cylinders it can feel really cathartic and special. Especially when we came from a place of discomfort and are now all laughing together.
I do feel like grief is so uncomfortable but also ever present that, when you acknowledge it and open the space for people to talk about it, the floodgates open. I also get to share Jonathan with others. Any opportunity to share Jonathan with people in a real way, live, in person, is precious to me.
In general, the support has been overwhelming. I didn’t even know if people would laugh at something like this, let alone connect with it, so it’s a really cool experience that I’m very grateful to get to be a part of.
Do you remember when you realized you were first into older men? Was it a specific person? What unlocked that within you?
There were certainly a few crushes haha just none in my friend group—teachers, rabbis, friends’ dads, Nathan Lane in The Birdcage, all the normal stuff. I actually don’t believe anything was unlocked within me ’cause pretty much since as young as I could remember I have only ever found myself attracted to fat old men (tbh probably fatter and older than you’re imagining).
Some can struggle with that but I’ve tried my best to drop the guilt and justifications to those who question it. I love talking about it in the show because people always come up to me after and whisper, “Me too.” Makes me feel like screaming about it on stage is worthwhile. The journey to get where I am today took a lot of self realization and exploration. Coming out was a subtle, long process for me and became much easier as I found my people—as shown in Sugar Daddy—in Provincetown!
You took Sugar Daddy to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, then a run Off-Broadway in NYC which was extended multiple times over, and to LA before its official Broadway debut. Do you think there’s a difference between New York and LA audiences? Do you anticipate recalibrating parts of the show?
I haven’t done the show here yet so I’m really curious as well haha. I had an audience in Edinburgh that truly did not speak English so everything is up from there!
I think most comedians would agree there are huge differences in how the audiences across the US and world perceive comedy in general, but I’ve been pretty surprised by how big the cultural difference around just bringing up death. It’s been pretty eye-opening to see how taboo the topic is in different regions. I’ve had a good amount of Irish people telling me nobody would bat an eye at these jokes in Ireland.
Since you met your partner in Provincetown—any advice for guys who go there looking for love?
Go to Spiritus Pizza at 1AM. If you know you know.
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You have a fun new YouTube series where you go thrifting with your comedian friends. What do you love most about thrifting? Bonus: What’s the single best item you’ve ever found & bought while thrifting?
OMG I love thrifting so much. I have always loved fashion, but have never been that knowledgeable about brands and trends. So for me thrifting can remove all that and just become about finding whatever looks cute on you, specifically from whatever stuff is in this store currently. And it’s a great social thing! Thrifting with a friend is my favorite way to catch up.
Shameless plug I’ve been working really hard on them and the algorithm is a fickle girl, please go subscribe and like <3
You also have a regular comedy show with your ex-roomie, comedian Dylan Adler. What is the best and worst thing about having a platonic gay roommate?
The worst thing about having a platonic gay roommate is listening to him hum musicals that were popular when he was in high school all day and night every day.
The best part is getting honest feedback on your nudes.
Who is a queer or trans artist/performer/creator that you think is doing really cool work right now? Why are they someone we should all be paying attention to?
Ethel Cain is mother.
Sam Morrison’s Sugar Daddy will play the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, CA from September 20 – October 13, 2024, prior to coming to Broadway in 2025. Find tickets and more information about the show’s Wallis run here.
