This year marks the 16th anniversary of Big Slick, a celebrity-driven fundraiser for Children’s Mercy. What started as a celebrity poker tournament and party hosted by KC natives Rob Riggle, Paul Rudd and Jason Sudeikis has grown into an annual weekend of festivities with the aim of raising money for pediatric cancer research. The main event is an hours-long party-like show at the T-Mobile Center with dozens of celebrity performances, music and other entertainment. Big Slick kicks off Friday, May 30, with a celebrity softball game at The K prior to the Royals game against the Detroit Tigers. Access to the softball tournament is included with a purchase of regular game tickets. The main party and show will be at the T-Mobile Center on Saturday, May 31. For more information and tickets, visit bigslickkc.org.
The secret power players that keep Big Slick moving and growing are the homegrown celebrities’ families
You hear it from nearly every charity producer in the city: Kansas City is a very generous town.
Entire families get on board to help. It’s part of the city’s DNA.
One of the more unusual examples of the city’s generous nature is Big Slick, an annual celebrity-driven fundraiser for Children’s Mercy Hospital that has raised more than $24 million through sponsorships, live auctions and branded merchandise over the past 15 years.
Big Slick started off modestly in 2010 as a charity-driven poker tournament set up by Kansas City native Rob Riggle, a Shawnee Mission South graduate-turned-Hollywood celebrity, actor, stand-up comedian and SNL alumnus.
Other Kansas City hometown actors such as Paul Rudd, Marvel’s Ant-Man, and SNL alumnus Jason Sudeikis, best known for his work as Ted Lasso, joined in.
The first Big Slick tournament held at Harrah’s Casino with a follow-up awards party at the Voodoo Lounge beat everyone’s expectations and outdid fundraising goals. Riggle, Rudd and Sudeikis thought they could raise $50,000. They raised $120,000.
And just like that, a star-studded annual fundraising event was born. Big Slick now brings in dozens of A-list celebrities and sports superstars for a weekend of parties and feel-good fundraising for all involved.
Today, Big Slick features a private social event for Kansas Citians to meet the power players that have flown in for the event; a celebrity softball game at The K before a scheduled Royals game; and a huge celebration and show at T-Mobile Center for 6,000 paid attendees, with a live update on money raised.
But behind all the glam and gloss, there is a secret army of movers and shakers making Big Slick the success that it is, and it’s largely composed of Big Slick performers’ family members, many of whom live in the metro. Let’s meet them.
Event content and marketing support
Ty and Justin Gardner, brothers of SNL comedian Heidi Gardner, are now in their third year with the event. “It’s just a really big project,” Justin says. His full-time gig is serving as executive producer for Everhance, a social news and edutainment company.
“Basically, we meet a couple months after the previous year’s Big Slick is over, talking about new ideas, asking what we did that we really love or how we might want to modify a little bit,” he says. “Then maybe a couple months after that, we start to break off into the committee meetings.”
Justin works on all socials, T-shirts, and website details for the event. His brother, Ty, a full-time attorney with Shook, Hardy and Bacon, works on the softball game and does general event support throughout the weekend.
Softball game set-up and logistics
Mandi Rudd, sister of Paul Rudd, works with the Royals organization and the Child Life department team at Children’s Mercy. Her full-time job is as director of new markets for Genumark, a branded merchandise company.
“Once we know which celebrities are coming in, I have the joy of creating the teams and making sure that those who were on the ‘home’ team last year are on the ‘away’ team this year,” she says. “We also make sure we have kids from the hospital to participate on the field with us.”
The celebrities take the field at 5 pm, play their softball game, and then the Royals take the field at 7 pm. The whole celebrity crew generally goes out on the field for the seventh inning stretch and sings “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.”
Marketing
Joan Charbonneau, sister of comedian David Koechner—best known for his roles in The Office and Anchorman—helps manage the marketing meetings with the Kansas City advertising agency of record, Barkley. She is the CEO of promotional merchandising agency Perfect Promotions.
The marketing team touches every aspect of the entire weekend. “I also work on sponsorship, which starts early,” she says.
Charbonneau works with publicist Beth Hoops on public relations activities and with social media chair Dave Shultz on digital marketing. “The main focus I have is with merchandising for the entire weekend,” she says. “We create a website. We design all of the products. We take Barkley’s designs and their concepts and turn them into merchandise.”
The campaign this year is focused on the energy of the event, with the theme “Let’s Get Loud.” “I manage the silent auction and the live auction (of items donated by celebrities), and we do what they do at the Oscars, which is a gifting lounge for the celebrities as soon as they arrive,” she says. “It’s a big kind of tent area where they receive their thank-you gifts from their hosts.”
What’s in a Name? Why “Big Slick”?
1. It is a poker phrase used to describe the Ace-King hand in Texas Hold’em. It’s often referred to as “big slick” because it’s a big hand, but it can be slippery. It’s got a lot of potential, but it could also lead to a big loss if not played correctly.
2. It is a slang term related to the 1969 oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara. Initially, the hand that consists of an Ace and King of any suit was called “Santa Barbara” by the poker community and later became known as big slick.
3. It means nothing in the context of the event. “We eventually got rid of poker, but we kept the name, which makes no sense at all,” Paul Rudd said to KCTV-5 reporter Samantha Boring
(May 31, 2024).
Patient stories producer
Mauria Stonestreet, the sister of Eric Stonestreet from the ABC sitcom Modern Family, is the executive director of Building Hope for Autism Foundation. For Big Slick, she and her video producer work with one or two families at Children’s Mercy, along with a physician or researcher, to tell their stories. “Each family is very unique, and I try to handle it with as much care as I can because it’s not easy, sometimes, to discuss what we’re talking about,” she says. “I want to make sure I’m respecting their boundaries and that they feel comfortable in sharing their story to help raise money for cancer research and to continue our efforts to provide that money back to Children’s Mercy.” Mauria says her experience working with autism has prepared her for this role. “I’ve been in conversations with families and in meetings with them, sometimes having difficult conversations, my whole career,” she says. “So what I do for Big Slick is just kind of a natural fit for me.” A few months before the event starts, she begins preparing to talk to various CMH patients and their families and films their stories. “Then it usually runs right up until the show at T-Mobile, when we’re getting the final cut to the show producer,” Mauria says. “They’re working on what time to show it, how long the run time will be, and how it best fits into the show.”
Travel
Kathy Sudeikis, mother of Jason Sudeikis, is a travel guru and currently serves as the vice president of corporate relations for Acendas Travel. She was also president of the American Society of Travel Agents from 2004 to 2006. Each year, the first thing she does is check changes in the airline industry. “We have to determine who’s on first in terms of offering flights between Kansas City and L.A. and between Kansas City and New York,” she says. “Southwest was non-stop three times a day, then twice a day, and now once a day from L.A. and New York to Kansas City. Delta was once a day, now it’s twice a day from New York to Kansas City, and once a day from L.A. to Kansas City. It’s just keeping up with the natural evolution of those kinds of things because we try to put them all on a nonstop flight.” Kathy adds that they also work with airlines to determine where it makes sense to contractually agree to fill a certain number of seats. “We’ll put an escort from the team on a plane from L.A. and get all the celebrities on the plane, and then buy them all drinks the whole way,” she says. “One of the challenges we have is working with the celebrity’s scheduling. Those things are changing by the minute and by the hour. It’s not the airline and the weather necessarily but their original plans. And somebody new can come to the table at a moment’s notice.”
Where Does the Big Slick Money Go?
The Cancer Center at Children’s Mercy Hospital uses Big Slick funds for expansions to provide better stays for patients and families, as well as to purchase advanced medical equipment that enables more research.
According to Dr. Alan Gamis, the CMH cancer center’s section chief of oncology, a new treatment avenue the hospital is exploring is chimeric antigen receptor therapy, or CAR T-cell therapy, where doctors reprogram T-cells to attack cancer cells without attacking the rest of the body. The research came about largely because of Big Slick funding.
These five Big Slick regulars don’t live here, but they keep coming back to perform. What Keeps You Coming Back to Kansas City?
“I keep coming back for the city—the people of KC, the food, the incredibly good time—but far and away the No. 1 reason is the kids. Getting to spend time with the kids of Children’s Mercy and their families reminds me what real courage, strength, resilience and love is. Not to mention the staff of CM—the coolest. Truly doing the very best work a person could do with grace, aplomb and love.” -Adam Scott
“I never want to miss a Big Slick for two main reasons. The first is the wonderful enthusiasm of the Kansas City locals. It’s so clear how meaningful this weekend has become for them, knowing all the good it does. And the second is the BBQ. I’m drooling right now just thinking of all the burnt ends I’m going to put away.” -Samm Levine
“What keeps me coming back to Kansas City is the people. I love the warm way people across our incredible city make you feel like you’re at home in a place where you belong. And grabbing a slice of Original Pizza, some Taco Via, a bite at Jack Stack, Grand Street Cafe—and… oh did I mention the food? Yup. I need a whole article to talk about KC food love.” -David Dastmalchian
“The people. I bring friends into town who aren’t from here, and they always praise how welcoming everyone is. You miss the place when you leave. The people in KC make it feel like home.” -Anthony Hill
“I grew up in Kansas City, and my family still lives in the metro. I was seen at Children’s Mercy as a child, so coming back for Big Slick is always a treat. There is a special kind of magic here, and I’m always more than happy to support and celebrate how much the city has grown through the years. It’s an honor to be a small part of the big difference Big Slick makes and to have some serious fun for some serious good. Also, it’s gotta be said: The burnt ends can’t be beat!”– Kat McNamara
To KC, With Love
Thank you, Kansas City! What started as just an idea 16 years ago—brainstormed on a dock at Lake of the Ozarks—has turned into an annual weekend full of charity, healing and civic pride.
It’s been incredible to watch Big Slick grow, evolve and raise millions of dollars for the kids, families, doctors and nurses at Children’s Mercy. The hospital is a true gift to KC and the entire Midwest, and it’s a privilege to be a small part of supporting its mission.
So, what’s the Big Slick magic? Why the cover story? How has this event, which started as a not-quite-sanctioned poker tournament in a casino ballroom, thrived? The answer is you, Kansas City. Your hosts, Paul, Jason, Dave, Eric, Heidi and myself, are so proud of our hometown. Our friends—the ramshackle mix of actors, musicians, comedians, magicians and athletes that generously donate their time and travel from across the country (and sometimes across the world) to be here—they always cite the hospitality and love KC shows them. You make inviting people to KC easy because this city is a warm hug. It just feels like home.
If you’ve never been to Big Slick, consider this a personal invitation. There are so many ways to get involved. Come early to The K on Friday for the “softball game” (said in quotes for a reason), buy merch on the website, bid on online auction items, or just donate a few bucks directly to Children’s Mercy. If you want to experience peak Big Slick silliness, come to the show on Saturday. What started in that casino ballroom migrated to a theater and is now at T-Mobile Center. We went big to add more seats and give everyone the opportunity to attend. It’s comedy, music, skits, hot wings, storytelling … and a lot of generosity. One night only. Never the same show twice (we couldn’t repeat it if we tried).
The countdown is on. Big Slick year 16 is just a few weeks away. It’s time for Kansas City to keep shining like it’s always done. Let’s have some fun. Let’s raise some money. It’s for the kids—and it’s for each other.
