The new 'Ted Lasso' claymation Christmas short is adorable, even if you don't watch the show

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Christmas did indeed come early this year. Both for "Ted Lasso" fans and for those who just like some good old-fashioned wholesome fun (said in Ted’s voice).
If you haven’t yet familiarized yourself with Apple TV’s show about a lovable, folksy football coach and his underdog team, just know this: The story, like the characters themselves, is well loved for its charm, humor and most of all, for its humanity.
Lasso had already delivered some holiday cheer with its cheesy (as in yummy, warm and comforting) Christmas episode titled "Carol of the Bells." I mean, Hannah Waddingham showed off her Broadway chops. What more could you want?
Because "Ted Lasso" is the gift that keeps on giving, Apple TV released another episode, this time as a claymation short, like those beloved and classically Christmas Rudolf movies.
The short features a bare-face Ted Lasso, who simply must retrieve his signature Tom Selleck lip foliage before a holiday FaceTime with his son Henry. The title, of course, is “The Missing Christmas Mustache.”
In the cartoon, Ted has to enlist the help of the crew including Keeley, Roy Kent, Jamie Tartt, Rebecca, Higgins, Coach Beard and pre-evil Nate. All voiced by the original cast. Yay.
Sticking to true "Ted Lasso" form, the cartoon at first leans into the wacky zany comedy bits (always angry Roy Kent giving his eyebrows for Ted to use as an interim stache, for example) before diving into a heartwarming message:
“It’s not about making Christmas perfect for the people you love. It’s the people you love that make Christmas perfect.”
That’s right. With "Ted Lasso," you come for the laughs, but stay for the wisdom. Now more than ever, this holiday season is a time to turn our minds away from the chaos, confusion and even longing for something better. And instead focus on what, and who, gives us a reason to smile in the present moment.
As Ted Lasso put it so elegantly, “Have an imperfect Christmas everyone.”
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."