Vanguard is back—believe it!

You may know him as the wildly sweet and endearingly optimistic Ted Lasso , star of the award- winning Apple TV + series of that name. Now, comedian, actor, writer, and producer Jason Sudeikis will headline this year’s Vanguard event.

Vanguard–back in business!

Retooled and reimagined, Vanguard is back for the first time since 2019. Benefiting the JUF Annual Campaign, the event will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 8th at Chicago’s unique Salt Shed venue–former home of the old Morton Salt Factory. The event will feature Sudeikis in a Q&A format. Instead of a sit-down dinner, guests will schmooze over cocktails and heavy hors d’oeuvres before the big show.

“We are deeply honored to be chairing this year’s Vanguard featuring Jason Sudeikis,” said Vanguard Chairs Melissa Grund Sarnoff & David Sarnoff. “Now, more than ever, it is critical to support JUF in its important mission. We look forward to an evening of fun, but more importantly, we can’t wait to stand in solidarity with our strong Chicago Jewish community, as we raise money to support Jews in need at home, abroad, and especially in Israel.”

Vanguard is JUF’s giving society for those making a minimum gift of $5,000 to the JUF Annual Campaign. To inspire future generations and to ensure continuity of JUF’s tradition of tzedakah, attendees are invited to bring their young adult children, 16 and older, as guests.

The road to Ted Lasso

The Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG award-winning Sudeikis is best known for his versatile performances in film and TV. Born in Virginia, Sudeikis grew up in Kansas. His upcoming visit to Chicago isn’t his first gig in the Windy City. He launched his comedy career here, performing with the Annoyance Theatre, ComedySportz, and iO Chicago, before being cast in The Second City Touring Company, and moving to Nevada to become a founding member of The Second City Las Vegas.

In 2003, he was hired as a sketch writer on Saturday Night Live; three years later, he snagged a spot as a regular cast member on the iconic sketch show. He became a fan favorite, playing Mitt Romney and Joe Biden, among others. Sudeikis exited the show in 2013.

His other projects include the movies We’re the Millers and Horrible Bosse s, and the shows 30 Rock, Eastbound & Down , and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Then, in 2020, in a nation suffering both a pandemic and deep ideological division, audiences were introduced to the comedy series Ted Lasso –and its sunny and beloved title character–giving the public one thing they could agree on.

Sudeikis co-created, wrote, and starred in the series about a small-time American football (as in “football”) coach who is hired to coach a fictional English football (as in “soccer”) club, AFC Richmond. The show wrapped earlier this year, leaving fans longing for another season. The show has scored scads of praise and trophies, including the prestigious Peabody Award, and 11 Prime Time Emmys so far, with another 21 noms for the upcoming Emmys, delayed due to the Hollywood strikes. But whatever the award outcome, Ted Lasso fans are the winners.

For more information, contact Elana Tennenbaum at [email protected] or 312-357-4950. To register, visit juf.org/vanguard.
Rochelle Newman Rubinoff is a freelance writer living in the northern suburbs of Chicago.