Ted Lasso aka Jason Sudeikis made a pit stop at the White House during Monday's briefing to promote the importance of mental health conversations.
Listen to Audacy’s I’m Listening Mental Health Mix and more on the free Audacy app
His Apple+ series cast members including Hannah Waddingham, Jeremy Swift, Phil Dunster, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, Toheeb Jimoh, Cristo Fernandez, Kola Bokinni, Billy Harris and James Lance, also joined the discussion.
Currently streaming its third season on AppleTV+, the Emmy Award-winning show, tackles mental health issues in its storyline, primarily through its title character played by Sudeikis, an good-natured coach who seeks therapy after grappling with panic attacks.
“The big theme of the show is to check in with your neighbor, your coworker, your friends, your family, and ask how they are doing, and listen, sincerely,” Sudeikis said. “You all ask questions for a living, but you all listen for a living,” he noted to the room full of reporters, “So who am I preaching to? The choir, that is."
“And while it is easier said than done,” he continued, “we also have to know that we shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help ourselves.”
“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 had been that someone ourselves actually, that’s struggled, that’s felt isolated, that’s felt anxious, that has felt alone,” Sudeikis said from the press secretary’s podium. “It’s actually one of the many things, that believe it or not, that we all have in common as human beings.”
Sudeikis relayed that President Joe Biden and his team were working on making sure Americans are informed about the options available to help with mental health, with White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre noting it was a cornerstone of Biden’s “unity agenda.”
“I know in this town, a lot of folks don’t always agree right? And don’t always feel heard seen listened to,” Sudeikis said. “But I truly believe that we should all do our best to help take care of each other.”
The televised visit preceded a closed door meeting between the cast, President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, to continue a conversation, and as a White House official said, focus on discussing “the importance of addressing your mental health to promote overall wellbeing.”
Audacy's I’m Listening initiative aims to encourage those who are dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988. Find a full list of additional resources here.