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May 01, 2024

'Hacks' star Hannah Einbinder says she was 'brainwashed' to love the Eagles from a young age

The actress told Stephen Colbert her first TV appearance was celebrating the 2018 Super Bowl win with her dad on local news.

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hannah einbinder eagles Mikala Compton/American-Statesman; USA TODAY NETWORK

During an appearance on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,' comedian and actress Hannah Einbinder said she is a 'big' Eagles fan.

Hannah Einbinder may be a two-time Emmy nominee for her role on the Max dramedy "Hacks," but to Stephen Colbert she'll always be known as an Eagles fan. 

Einbinder, 28, was a guest on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" on Tuesday to promote the upcoming Season 3 premiere of "Hacks" when the conversation turned to the Birds. 


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They were discussing how Einbinder's "Hacks" costar Jean Smart — who was interviewed by Colbert earlier in the week — said she discovered Einbinder after she performed stand-up on "The Late Show" back in 2020, which marked her national TV debut. 

"I just found out that that was not your first television appearance," Colbert said to Einbinder.

It turns out that Einbinder's first foray into television fell on the same 2018 evening that the Eagles beat the Patriots to win their first Super Bowl. The Los Angeles native was watching the big game at a Philly-themed bar in Santa Monica — perhaps the Britannia Pub, which has been dubbed the “Eagles Nest West." She was with her father, actor and writer Chad Einbinder, who was born in Doylestown and instilled a love of the Eagles in Hannah from a young age. They were caught celebrating by a local news camera. 

"My dad and I are big Eagles fans — my dad's from Philly and he brainwashed me," said Einbinder, whose mother is original "Saturday Night Live" cast member Laraine Newman. "So we were there and the Eagles won and we poured into the streets and unfortunately, or fortunately, KTLA 5 News was on the scene and they did, in many ways, capture us drunk in the streets."

After confirming that Einbinder and her dad enjoyed some "liquid refreshments" while watching the Super Bowl, the "Late Show" host, of course, revealed that he had the clip on hand to play for viewers.

"In this clip you seem either on the edge of tears or completely engulfed in tears," Colbert said, describing what was likely the mental state of many Birds fans on that fine evening.

On the 2018 newscast, a reporter approaches Einbinder and her dad, who are standing on the sidewalk wearing Eagles jerseys as passing drivers honk and whoop. With tears in her eyes, Einbinder delivers a heartfelt speech representative of her lifelong fandom.

"Philadelphia teams have had to deal with loss, with disappointment, with anguish, with pain for so many years, and I thank the good Lord for blessing us and blessing the Eagles and for winning this game," she said.

Her father then gave a shoutout to all their family "back in Philly" and showed off the back of his jersey, which read "Einbinder." He yelled, "My name's on the back 'cause I'll never be traded!"

The pair ended their local TV appearance with a roaring Eagles chant.

"Go Birds, baby," Einbinder told Colbert in response to the clip.

"I know you're a two-time Emmy nominee, but I will always know you now as 'Hannah Einbinder, Eagles fan,'" Colbert said, holding up a screenshot from the newscast that referred to her that way.

"Hacks," which follows the complicated mentorship between a legendary comic Deborah Vance (Smart) and young outcast comedy writer Ava Daniels (Einbinder), returns for its third season on Max on Thursday, May 2. Two episodes will drop each week until the finale May 30.

Einbinder may have a fellow Eagles fan on the "Hacks" set. Kaitlin Olson, who is married to her Philly-native "Always Sunny in Philadelphia" co-star Rob McElhenney, plays Deborah Vance's daughter on "Hacks." In November, Olson outbid McElhenney in the charity auction for the Princess Diana Eagles jacket that was signed by retired Eagles legend Jason Kelce's wife Kylie. The couple ended up agreeing to jointly bid $100,000 for the jacket, which benefitted the Eagles Autism Foundation. Maybe Olson will let Einbinder borrow the jacket!

Watch Einbinder's full "Late Show" interview below:



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