The Rush: Jason Sudeikis on Ted Lasso’s ending, SNL teamwork and sports culture

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Actor and sports fan Jason Sudeikis is on The Rush! The Emmy winner chats with Jared about where “Ted Lasso” ranks in his pantheon of work and how the show will end, returning to Saturday Night Live this weekend as host and his favorite sketch, predictions for the new NBA season and how exposing the harmful views of people like Jon Gruden impacts sports culture. Plus, Jason reveals his new partnership with Abbott and Real Madrid to support the health and nutrition of kids around the world. You can learn more about the partnership and global initiative here.

Video Transcript

JARED QUAY: Have you decided how "Ted Lasso" ends? We don't want spoilers, but I'm curious if you already know where he'll end up when all said and done.

JASON SUDEIKIS: I mean, yes. Yes. To-- yes. Specifically Ted, yes. You know, we're one month into our writing room for season three and so while we know, you know, the punch line it's the lead up, the journey to that destination, is where the bulk of the work really comes together and really surprises us on a day to day basis.

- That's why we play the game.

JARED QUAY: What's up, everybody. I'm here with entertainment Renaissance man and sports fan, Jason Sudeikis. How are you doing today, Jason?

JASON SUDEIKIS: I'm doing all right. It's very flattering to be referred to as Renaissance man. I'll take it.

JARED QUAY: So the NBA season starts tonight. First, who is your favorite day one team to win the [? champ? ?]

JASON SUDEIKIS: Oh golly. Well, you know, I live in Brooklyn, so I'm going to say the Nets. You know? Big fan. Big fan of their coaching staff, [? KD ?] is one of, you know, the best to ever do it.

So yeah, that's a good one-two combo. But that's, you know, that's walking distance from my home. So I'm going to go there until Kansas City, you know, gets a pro team, it's going to be wherever I live.

JARED QUAY: Last week, Jon Gruden lost his head coaching job after we saw emails he wrote exposing awful views on certain marginalized groups. Ted Lasso was the complete opposite of that. But you as a person, Jason, how would you like to see the sports culture change in the real world?

JASON SUDEIKIS: Well, I think it is changing. I think each time something like that it gets exposed, people you know, are-- you just got to keep these things from being just whispered behind closed doors or passed around in email. I think the conversation is the most important thing, you know.

Like, shining a light on it, you know, sunlight is the best disinfectant, someone said. And I think that you see people really step up and see who they are in the way they respond to these things. And I think leading by example, within their own communities, their own clubs, their own teams.

- You can say that again.

JARED QUAY: As the creator of "Ted Lasso," I know two things about you. You're into soccer and making people feel good. How is your partnership with Abbott and Real Madrid bringing those together?

JASON SUDEIKIS: That's well-- well noticed. I'm just a guy, an actor, a guy who's using this nifty platform that I've, you know, acquired through making the show to team up with them and Abbott, just to get the word out about children's malnutrition to help, you know, identify it, educate people towards it, and then, you know, hopefully and eventually, prevent it from happening.

Abbott has created this tape called the [INAUDIBLE] tape, which is basically like a tape measure that you use, that you wrap around a child's arm, and they use it as the fastest, most, you know, incredibly innovative way to measure whether a child is, you know--

JARED QUAY: Malnutritioned.

JASON SUDEIKIS: Where he needs to be or she needs to be nutrition wise. And that tape was actually designed at a hospital called Children's Mercy Hospital, which is in my hometown, Kansas City. And that's a hospital that I've worked with and alongside other Kansas Citians, my family, you know, a bunch of friends too, to help raise money for over the last decade.

- I got your back. Ain't nothing going to change that.

JARED QUAY: Now that you've been on so many different movies and TV shows, "SNL," which cast, or show, or group of friends do you have that best resembles a sports team?

JASON SUDEIKIS: I mean, look, this "Ted Lasso" experience is something else. I mean, both in the creation of it and sort of the way all the pieces came together. Trophies and awards is lovely, but then also people is just true, emotional enthusiasm for the show, on both the comedy side and also some of the themes behind it, and the way it's really, really affected people. So I'm holding that space near and dear to my heart. But I will say that I find a tremendous amount of--

I'm proud of the fact of the generation I got to come up with on "SNL." I think it's one of the absolute best groups. And I just along for the ride. Those would be the two groups that I'm most into now.

JARED QUAY: All right. Which one of those is the Chiefs? Who is the Chiefs? Who's the-- the 2019 Super Bowl champion Chiefs?

JASON SUDEIKIS: You know, what I think that might be-- that might be "Ted Lasso." That might be "Ted Lasso."

JARED QUAY: Oh, I love it.

JASON SUDEIKIS: Yeah.

JARED QUAY: I love it.

JASON SUDEIKIS: Because they won a championship and, you know, we were lucky enough to walk away with that Emmy for Best Show. I feel like our "SNL" team was like, greatest street ball team ever. Like you did not want that-- you did not want to see that group roll up at your local playground. You're like, oh hell.

[LAUGHTER]

You know?

JARED QUAY: Speaking of "SNL," you're back to hosting. You're getting back there this weekend to host. Please tell me you and Kenan are going to do "What's Up With That."

[VOCALIZING]

- What's up with that? What's up with that?

JARED QUAY: Please tell me that you'll bring it back.

JASON SUDEIKIS: I've got no-- I'm thumbs up on that. It really comes down to, you know, is Fred in town, can we get, you know, Bill Hader a.k.a. Lindsey Buckingham to fly in. That was my favorite, you know, sketch to do because we were all in it.

I hope so. What I'm mostly concerned, though, is like, you know, tearing a hamstring doing the running man or more importantly, like what my cardio situation is going to be like at this stage, because I'm not doing jack [BLEEP]. I haven't even been on the treadmill.

JARED QUAY: Well, look, Jason, I appreciate you rushing with me today, man. Congrats on the partnership with Abbott and Real Madrid.

JASON SUDEIKIS: Thank you.

JARED QUAY: And I can't wait to see you on "SNL" this weekend, man. Have a good day.

JASON SUDEIKIS: All right. Appreciate it. Thanks for having me.