KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Big Slick co-hosts Rob Riggle, Paul Rudd, Jason Sudeikis, David Koechner and Eric Stonestreet held a short news conference Friday morning at Children’s Mercy Hospital about their 7th annual Big Slick Celebrity Weekend.
They thanked friends and their families for working so hard to organizing the event and thanked the Kansas City community for ‘showing up’ for them to help them raise money for Children’s Mercy. Jason Sudeikis called it Kansas City ‘integrity, enthusiasm and genuineness.’
The weekend is packed full of activities to raise money for Children’s Mercy Hospital. Riggle, Rudd, Sudeikis, Koechner and Stonestreet all have ties to the Kansas City area (or Kansas and Missouri– see specifics below) and are committed to raising funds to help children battling illness and injury.
One of the weekend’s first events comes Friday night with the ‘Big Slick Star Spangled Softball Game’ at Kauffman Stadium. The game begins at 5 p.m., prior to the Royals game. Entry with Royals game tickets.
On Saturday, it’s the Big Slick Red White & Bowl Red Carpet. The five of them along with celebrity guests will walk a short red carpet, lined with fans prior to entering Pinstripes for the bowling event.
Big Slick started in 2010 as a celebrity poker tournament.
A reminder about the co-hosts and a few of their comments from the Friday morning news conference:
David Koechner grew up in Tipton, Mo.
“As you know we’re all from this area and it’s such a wonderful, special event to come back to and feel so welcome back to where you’re from.”
Eric Stonestreet grew up in Kansas City, Kan., and graduated from Kansas State University.
“It already feels good when I come home. When I come home to Kansas City I feel like I’m getting a big hug because the city itself is so great, so when you come home, see these guys, to do something like this, it just feels like a big bear hug.”
Rob Riggle grew up in Overland Park, attended Shawnee Mission South and graduated from the University of Kansas. He was also in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve for 23 years.
“You’re going to hear a lot of cliché words, a lot of gratitude and love, compassion and these things you’re going to hear them over and over. But they have real meaning. They mean a lot to everyone up here…. You’re going to see a lot of emotions this weekend. I’ll probably cry 5 or 6 times. That’s the average.”
Paul Rudd moved to Lenexa with his family when he was ten-years old. He attended Shawnee Mission West High School and went to the University of Kansas.
“To be able to have a personal connection with the hospital and the people that are here, the staff as well.. is amazing. It makes this event very personal… Over the last 7 years, the personal connection that I felt with the people that work here and the families that are here has really grown.”
Jason Sudeikis calls Overland Park, Kan., his hometown. He is a longtime Kansas Jayhawks fan.
“We literally love this. We know that it gives our parents and our families something to look forward to. They know when they’re going to see us next. And for the people who have come out time after time.”
The list of celebrity guests continues to grow each year. In 2016, expect to see the following celebrities participating in the Big Slick Celebrity Weekend.
Will Forte
Samm Levine
Seth Herzog
Tom Arnold
Robert Smigel
Owen Burke
Martin Starr
Kevin Rahm
Kevin Pollak
Judy Greer
Jeffrey Dean Morgan
John Hodgman
Josh Hopkins
James Van Der Beek
James Marsden
Ian Gomez
Hillarie Burton
Haley Joel Osment
George Wendt
Adam Scott
Chris Daughtry
David Cook
