Jason Sudeikis Gives Urgent Plea During Ted Lasso White House Visit: ‘Listen Sincerely’ When Talking About Mental Health

Jason Sudeikis gave an urgent plea during a press briefing at the White House on Monday, where he along with the cast of his Apple TV+ show Ted Lasso, were invited for a conversation with the president and first lady about mental health.

During his speech to the press, Sudeikis, who plays the titular AFC Richmond coach Ted Lasso on the popular comedy series, stressed the importance of asking those around us about their mental health and listening sincerely to what they say.

Sudeikis and the Ted Lasso cast’s conversation with the Bidens will be posted on the White House’s social media channels, Apple TV+ told CNN. A White House official also told CNN that the meeting will focus on “the importance of addressing your mental health to promote overall wellbeing.”

Here’s what Jason Sudeikis said about mental health

“No matter who you are, no matter where you live, no matter who you voted for, we all probably – I assume — we all know someone who has, or have been that someone ourselves, actually, that’s struggled, that’s felt isolated, that’s felt anxious, that has felt alone,” the Ted Lasso star said Monday.

“It’s actually one of the many things that, believe it or not, that we all have in common as human beings, right? And so that means that it’s something that we can all — and should — talk about with one another when we’re feeling that way or when we recognize that someone’s feeling that way,” he added.

“So please, we encourage everyone — and a big theme of the show is, like, to check in with your neighbor, your coworker, your friends, your family, and ask how they’re doing and listen sincerely, you know?”

Then he acknowledged the irony of looking out at a room of reporters and asking them to listen.

“I mean, you all ask questions for a living, but you also listen for a living, so you know, who am I preaching to? The choir, that is,” he joked.

Also Read: Ted Lasso: Zach Braff Tells Us the Directing Advice He Got From Alexander Payne (Video)

Sudeikis encouraged people to speak to a professional, like a therapist or a psychiatrist, about their mental health — or just a loved one. He also gave props to President Biden for working on making mental health more widely available “to as many Americans as possible.”

“I know in this town, a lot of folks don’t always agree right? And don’t always feel heard seen listened to,” Sudeikis added. “But I truly believe that we should all do our best to help take care of each other.”

Ted Lasso tells the story of American college football coach Ted Lasso who goes to London to dive into the other kind of football — English football, that is, or what we American call soccer. Lasso begins managing the English Premier League football team AFC Richmond. There, his wildly optimistic nature proves to be more successful than expected.

Other cast members in attendance at the White House with Sudeikis included Hannah Waddingham, Jeremy Swift, Phil Dunster, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, Toheeb Jimoh, Cristo Fernandez, Kola Bokinni, Billy Harris, and James Lance.

Watch Sudeikis’ speech below.

Main Image: Jason Sudeikis in Ted Lasso. Photo Credit: Apple TV+