I promise you there is something worse out there than being sad, and that’s being alone and being sad. Ain’t no one in this room alone.
That quote stemmed from season one of the Apple TV+ show “Ted Lasso,” but Jason Sudeikis, who stars as the titular character, embodies that concept both on and off the screen.
Sudeikis and fellow cast members from the show – Brendan Hunt (Coach Beard), Brett Goldstein (Roy Kent) and Hannah Waddingham (Rebecca Welton) – spoke at the White House on Monday, focusing on one key point: mental health.
On the importance of addressing mental health, Sudeikis said that regardless of anyone’s respective background, it’s a topic more universal than people think.
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“No matter where you are, no matter where you live, no matter who you voted for, we all probably, I assume, know someone who has, or been that someone ourselves actually, that’s struggled, that’s felt isolated, that’s felt anxious, that has felt alone,” Sudeikis said.
Sudeikis fostered the idea of people being more open about their feelings to one another, both by feeling comfortable to openly talk about them and by active listening.
“And it’s actually one of the many things, believe it or not, that we all have in common as human beings. And so that means it’s something we can all, and should, talk about with one another, when we’re feeling that way or when we recognize someone feeling that way. So, please, we encourage everyone, and it’s a big theme of the show, to check in with your neighbor, your coworker, your friends, your family and ask how they’re doing. And listen, sincerely.
Sports
“You all ask questions for a living but you also listen for a living,” Sudeikis said as an example to the media in attendance. “So who am I preaching to? The choir that is.”
Sudeikis then opened the floor for questions, and took one from a familiar presence: Trent Crimm.
Crimm, a fictional journalist played by actor James Lance, introduced himself as a “fake journalist” rather than from “The Independent” as he often said in the show.
Crimm asked Sudeikis how he felt about Kansas City, Ted Lasso’s hometown in the show and where Sudeikis grew up in real life, being one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada,
“I’m very excited, truth be told,” Sudeikis said, acting as Ted Lasso. “I love this town. What I am genuinely worried about is once we get all these folks from all over the world to come to Kansas City and see our city, eat our food, meet our people, you’re gonna have a lot of folks that’ll want to move away.”
Season three of “Ted Lasso” on Apple TV+ premiered on March 15 and new episodes will be released every Wednesday, with 12 in total.
