Pop CultureBy Ian Casselberry on

Just like so many of us, legendary television journalist Diane Sawyer is also a fan of Ted Lasso. So what, you might say. Anyone can follow a pop culture trend and watch a TV series with everyone else.

But if you watched Ted Lasso‘s Season 2 premiere, “Goodbye, Earl,” you know that Sawyer was mentioned early on in one of Ted’s many folksy analogies. Following AFC Richmond’s eighth consecutive tie, the coach went to owner Rebecca Welton’s office to commiserate with his boss, director of football operations Leslie Higgins, and marketing director Keeley Jones.

Rebecca asks if Ted would like a consolatory cocktail, to which he responds, “The same thing I’d say to Diane Sawyer if she ever asked me out on a date: Yes, please.”

Perhaps you noticed who posted that video clip to her Twitter account: Diane Sawyer herself. Playing along, the veteran reporter and anchor said she’s up for a date with Coach Lasso.

And as TheWrap pointed out, that was Sawyer’s first tweet since May 2020. The coach is inspiring everyone, apparently, not just his AFC Richmond players and the club’s front office.

Extending the joke even further, the official Ted Lasso Twitter account responded to Sawyer.

Lasso surely knew that a date with Sawyer wouldn’t be inappropriate when he admitted his fantasy out loud. Sawyer’s husband, famed director Mike Nichols, passed away in 2014.

Sawyer is a Kentucky native, so she and Ted might have plenty of stories to share. They could also debate whether Kentucky is a Midwestern state, like Ted’s beloved Kansas, or part of the South. Or they could spend most of the evening discussing whether a date with a fictional character is, in fact, a date.

As of yet, Sawyer has not responded to Lasso’s offer of biscuits. Maybe she prefers scones? Perhaps the two have taken their conversation to DMs. Let’s hope not, because we could all use some more fun on Twitter, right?

Or maybe the show’s writers are preparing to talk to Sawyer about writing her in for an appearance on the show. They could double-date with Rebecca and whomever she might end up with by the end of Season 2. (Fingers crossed for a Gerard Butler or Jude Law-type.)

About Ian Casselberry

Ian is a writer, editor, and podcaster. You can find his work at Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He's written for Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, MLive, Bleacher Report, and SB Nation.

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