‘Ted Lasso’ Went to the White House and Trent Crimm Crashed the Press Briefing
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Season 3 of “Ted Lasso” kicked off with a phone call from Ted to his therapist. So, in some ways, it makes sense that a few days after that episode made its way to Apple TV+, the show continued a conversation in one of the biggest rooms in the world.
Sunday afternoon, official channels for President Biden announced that the White House would be hosting members of the “Ted Lasso” cast as part of its ongoing focus on national mental health efforts. Given the show’s history with the topic through not only Ted, but multiple other characters, the group visit seemed like an ideal fit for an awareness campaign.
More from IndieWire
The Perfect 'Ted Lasso' Beyoncé Needle Drop Came from a Very Literal Place
'Ted Lasso': Nick Mohammed Understands If You'll Never Forgive Nate
Cameras are not planned to be in the room for the group’s visit, but Jason Sudeikis gave an impromptu message to reporters at the daily White House press briefing, standing alongside Brett Goldstein, Hannah Waddingham, and other cast members.
“No matter who you are, no matter where you live, no matter who you voted for, we all know someone who has or has been that someone ourselves, that’s struggled, that’s felt isolated, that’s felt anxious, that has felt alone. And it’s actually one of the many things that believe it or not, that we all have in common as human beings,” Sudeikis said. “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.”
The White House’s stated plans for the closed door summit were to bolster the administration’s efforts to not only raise awareness about a variety of mental health issues, but boost the number and availability of mental health professionals nationwide.
“In this town, a lot of folks don’t always agree and don’t always feel heard, seen, or listened to. But I truly believe that we should all do our best to help take care of each other,” Sudeikis said.
James Lance, who plays former Independent journalist Trent Crimm on the series, stood in with the rest of the White House press corps for the briefing. Announcing himself as “Trent Crimm, Fake Journalist,” Lance asked Sudeikis about the recent announcement that his hometown of Kansas City would be one of the World Cup hosting sites in 2026.
It’s been a big last few days for the “Ted Lasso” Season 3 Tour. Their more official, government-adjacent business comes after a spending time courtside at Madison Square Garden, where members of the cast got an up-close look at the New York Knicks and Sudeikis drained an NBA three-point shot. (Look at how happy Toheeb Jimoh is!)
With Season 3 continuing to drop new episodes every Wednesday through the end of May and the show’s impending Emmys appearances, get ready for at least a few more months of Ted and the crew popping up in unlikely places.
Best of IndieWire
Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
