Jason Sudeikis deserves all the accolades this year—not just for his work on Ted Lasso but also for its timing. In a deeply lonely time, the gang from AFC Richmond showed up to remind us what was waiting on the other side of the pandemic: the joy of connecting with people again.
Jason is kind and charming, a good listener and a great hang. He’s the kind of friend who puts together the perfect cocktail of the right people, place and activity. And he has done exactly that with this show. The cast shines, the writing crackles, and it pairs the rhythm of a classic sitcom with the heart of a sports movie. It’s hard to make something this good look so easy.
Much has been written about the optimism of Ted Lasso, but here’s what impressed me most: there’s a karaoke scene, and Jason doesn’t sing. I mean, my man loves karaoke. Yet he let someone else take the mic.
That’s not to say we’re never going to see Jason do karaoke as Ted. Only that if he does, it will be like everything else we’ve come to expect from him—perfectly timed.
Meyers is the host of Late Night With Seth Meyers
