'Ted Lasso' visits White House, promotes mental health care

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fictional soccer coach Ted Lasso used a White House visit Monday to encourage people, even in politically divided Washington, to make it a point to check in often with friends, family, and co-workers to "ask how they're doing, and listen, sincerely,"

- Darlene Superville and Zeke Miller

Comedian Jason Sudeikis, who plays the title character — an American coaching a soccer team in London — and other cast members were meeting with President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden to talk about how mental health contributes to overall wellbeing.

Mental health and looking after one another is a theme of "Ted Lasso," Sudeikis told reporters from the lectern as he helped press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre open her daily White House briefing. The Emmy-winning, feel-good show on Apple TV+ just opened its third season.

"While it's easier said than done, we also have to know that we shouldn't be afraid to ask for help ourselves," Sudeikis said. "That does take a lot, especially when it's something that has such a negative stigma to it, such as mental health, and it doesn't need to be that way.

"And if you can ask for that help from a professional, fantastic," he continued. "If it needs to be a loved one, equally as good, in a lot of ways."