Paul Rudd gave a sweet shoutout to a former teacher during ESPN interview
The first season of “Ted Lasso” was loaded with references to Kansas City, some obvious and others a little more obscure.
In the final episode, Jason Sudeikis’ title character lets his emotions show and yells. The neighbor above bangs on the floor, and Ted says: “Sorry Mrs. Shipley!”
You could be forgiven for not realizing that was a tribute to a former teacher at Shawnee Mission West, where Sudeikis graduated. Sally Shipley taught speech, forensics and radio/television for 31 years before retiring in 1994.
Shipley also taught Paul Rudd, the “Ant-Man” and “Anchorman” star, at Shawnee Mission West.
“Both of them had the personality and the charisma,” Shipley told The Star in 2018. “Kids wanted to be like them and be a part of what they were doing.”
Rudd and Sudeikis were back in Kansas City over the weekend for the Big Slick event that raised $4.5 million for Children’s Mercy Hospital. The duo was interviewed on “SportsCenter” and asked why so many celebrities come from Kansas City.
“Barbecue sauce, that’s what’s in the water here. It’s everywhere here,” Rudd quipped. “It is weird, you know, we went to the same high school and we had a teacher named Sally Shipley, who I think in Kansas City, didn’t just have to go to our high school. She was such a huge force in so many students’ lives.
“She really encouraged performing arts, and I think she was a really key figure in both of our lives. I saw her yesterday, and so I think that she has had a real impact on a lot of people from this part of Kansas City.”
This story was originally published June 6, 2025 at 11:58 AM.
