‘Ted Lasso’s Bill Lawrence Set For WGA East’s Herb Sargent Award For Comedy Excellence

Bill Lawrence is set to receive the Herb Sargent Award for Comedy Excellence at the 77th annual Writers Guild Awards, the East Coast edition of which is set to take place in New York’s Edison Ballroom on Saturday, February 15.

The Sargent Award is presented to a writer who embodies the spirit, commitment and comic genius of Sargent — a writer-producer known for his work on Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show, who served as president of the WGAE for 14 years and was a dedicated mentor to new writers. Previously, the prize has been bestowed upon the likes of Paul Simms, Judd Apatow, Tina Fey & Robert Carlock, Steve O’Donnell, Norman Stiles, Lorne Michaels, Paula Pell and James L. Brooks.

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In a statement on the honor, Lawrence said, “I couldn’t be more honored to be included with the amazing writers who received this before me. I hope people think I look young.”

A Guild member since 1991, Lawrence is best known for creating the hit medical comedy Scrubs, which has a reboot in development, and for co-creating Apple TV+’s WGA Award-winning cultural phenomenon Ted Lasso, which is eyeing a fourth season. Recently, he’s also shepherded Apple’s Shrinking and Bad Monkey and an untitled Steve Carell comedy for HBO, among other projects. Additional credits for the Doozer Productions principal include Spin City, Cougar Town, Clone High, and Whiskey Cavalier, to name just a few.

Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, President of the Writers Guild of America East, shared, “I first met Bill Lawrence at the Showrunner Training Program, where he imparted his wisdom and experience with his trademark extreme candor. What I remember most, though, are his eyes, which are the blue of the tablet you put in toilet tanks. Beyond showrunning and creating iconic shows, Bill embodies the spirit of this award by mentoring an enormous cadre of writers. We are thrilled to present him with the Herb Sargent Award at this year’s ceremony in New York.”

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