According to The View’s Joy Behar, she was asked to play Dottie Lasso, the titular character’s mother, on Ted Lasso. However, again, according to her, she turned it down. Well, now the silly story is getting more complex as the co-creators and stars of one of Apple TV+’s best shows, Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt, have reacted to her claim, and politely denied them in a very Lasso way.
So, let’s break down what Joy Behar said about being asked to join the Ted Lasso cast, and how said cast reacted.
Joy Behar Claimed She Was Considered For A Role In Ted Lasso
Joy Behar claimed she was contacted to potentially play a role in Ted Lasso on The View’s podcast Behind the Table. However, her response was a quick no as she said:
It was too hot. There was a heat wave going on at that time, like, 100-degree weather, and I'd have to get on a plane and go in the middle of the heat? No. Listen, I'm a writer, I write my own stuff. I don't care about other people's stuff. I don't need to be in everything.
So, as she said, she turned down the role because it was too hot, and she noted that if the work would have been done in the fall or spring she would have considered it. Ultimately, Becky Ann Baker landed the role (and an Emmy nomination for it). And now, Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt are reacting to the claim, explaining that, as far as they know, it didn’t happen.
According To Jason Sudeikis And Brendan Hunt, Joy Behar Was Not Considered For The Role Of Ted Lasso’s Mom
It’s important to note that Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt are more than just Ted Lasso and Coach Beard. They are also co-creators, writers and executive producers on the Emmy-winning series. This means they have a hand in everything, and were likely very aware of the casting process. So, when People asked them about Joy Behar's story about Dottie, the Emmy-winning actor behind Ted said:
I, no. Joy Behar from The View?
Then, in true Ted Lasso fashion, he followed that up with a very sweet comment, saying:
She's welcome to sit at the table.
While she wasn’t on Ted Lasso, you can see Joy Behar every week on The View, which is currently airing on the 2024 TV schedule.
You know, maybe if that Ted Lasso rumor about Sudeikis missing the show proves to be true, and we get a Season 4, maybe The View co-host could play Ted’s aunt, possibly named Debbie Lasso. I could see it. However, the future of AFC Richmond is pretty clear, and if the Ted Lasso story continues, it will likely be through a spinoff that doesn’t include the title character.
Anyway, that’s all simply wishful thinking. Going back to reality, Brendan Hunt explained that this reveal about Behar was news to him and Sudeikis as he said:
Respectfully, it would be news to us. We just work there.
So, overall, it sounds like Joy Behar was never really considered to play Ted’s mom. It’s always possible a casting director put out feelers, and she turned it down so quickly that the two co-creators never heard about it. It’s also possible that it just straight up didn’t happen.
No matter what the case is, Dottie ended up being played brilliantly by Becky Ann Baker, and you can see her, not Joy Behar, as Ted’s mom by streaming Ted Lasso with an Apple TV+ subscription.
