‘Ted Lasso’ goes to Washington: What the cast had to say at the White House

As a way to promote mental wellbeing, President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden hosted the cast of the Apple TV+ sitcom “Ted Lasso.” Lasso, played by Jason Sudeikis, is seen as the quintessential nice guy who brings happiness and positivity into the lives of the soccer players that he coaches.

The cast was invited to meet with the Bidens to discuss the importance of mental health, per The Associated Press. The Bidens reportedly invited the cast to the White House because they had seen some of the show and thought that it had a “message of positivity, hope, kindness and empathy.”

In the series, Lasso is brought over to England to coach a soccer team after his stint as an American football coach. He peppers the team with inspirational quotes and has a genuine kindness about him, along with some suburban dad energy. As part of his signature kindness, he’s known for bringing the team biscuits in addition to making feel-good jokes.

Some have called Lasso “America’s therapist,” describing how he has a countercultural kindness about him that makes him a different kind of hero than has been seen in the past. Others have found the show “annoying,” while also maintaining that Lasso’s folksy, genuinely kind persona is refreshing or even sometimes likable.

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In any case, this sitcom has inspired positivity. When a Baylor University fan watched a Brigham Young University game, the fan said that BYU was “a fanbase of Ted Lassos” — a pretty high compliment. One reviewer of the show from The Guardian said that in a “crumbling world,” the show “Ted Lasso” was a bright spot.

That’s probably why the cast of this feel-good sitcom made their way to the White House on Monday to discuss mental health.

What happened during ‘Ted Lasso’ White House briefing?

There were some funny moments during the White House press briefing, like when Sudeikis was in character as Lasso and answered a question about the 2026 World Cup location from Trent Crimm (who is a character in the show played by James Lance). Meme makers like Ted Lasso Memes were quick to respond to this.

Other moments were more somber. Sudeikis spoke about the importance of checking in on the people around you.

He said one of the things that we all have in common is that we have all, at one point or another, felt alone, isolated or anxious. He acknowledged there are a lot of disagreements that happen in Washington, D.C., and said that it’s important for people to not be afraid to ask for help from one another and that “we should all do our best to help take care of each other.”

“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 … that’s struggled, that’s felt isolated, that’s felt anxious, that’s felt alone,” Sudeikis said, per The Hill.

How to watch ‘Ted Lasso’

The show “Ted Lasso” is available on Apple TV+. Season 3 premiered on March 15 and a new episode releases every Wednesday until the finale on May 31.