Rob Riggle raves on success of Big Slick charity weekend, continued growth
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Big Slick is back! It’s one of the biggest annual charity events in Kansas City, and it all kicks off this weekend.
It starts with a celebrity baseball game at Kaufman Stadium and then the “Big Show” at the T-Mobile Center. Every year, the star-studded event raises millions for Children’s Mercy Hospital.
KCTV5 anchor Sharon Chen had the opportunity to sit down with one of the men who started it all, actor and comedian Rob Riggle.
Sharon: “Rob Riggle, you are back here in Kansas City for what is probably one of the biggest events, and it all started with you?”
Riggle: “Well, it started with everybody. I might have had the idea, but if Paul and Jason didn’t agree to it. It wouldn’t have happened.”
Sharon: “And it all started with the idea of playing poker - where did you come up with that idea?”
Riggle: “I’m glad you asked that because a lot of people are always like ‘Where did the name Big Slick come from?’ Big Slick is a poker term for when you have ace-king in the hole. I thought ‘What could be a way to get some celebrities to come to Kansas City?’ I thought Poker Tournament!”
Sharon: “Sixteen years in the making, you guys started with a poker game, and you raised $120,000. It has grown exponentially since then.”
Riggle: “It’s been amazing to watch it grow every year. The first Big Slick, I think we had three or four celebrities, maybe six or seven counting the hosts. This weekend we’re going to have 49 celebrities in town. Now, we’re at the level [that] in a weekend — the 15th last year — we raised $3.9 million in a weekend. It’s been really special because Children’s Mercy is a Kansas City treasure, and we’ve got to take care of it."
Sharon: “You’ve been there to visit the kids. Being there with the kids, that just kind of drives home why you do this.”
Riggle: “Yeah, that gets me every time. If you ever go to Children’s Mercy Hospital, if you ever visit it, it will change your life. It changed mine. So that’s the reason I got involved and decided I wanted to do something more, and Paul felt the same way, and Jason felt the same way.”
Sharon: “Kansas City is going to pack tomorrow’s game and the T-Mobile Center here Saturday night. When you’re out on that stage and you’re doing all that fundraising, you look out into that crowd, and you think ‘Wow, this is all how it started?’”
Riggle: “It warms your heart, you know? It’s rare that I speak for all the hosts, but I can say this. We love our hometown, and we’re very proud of it. We’re very proud of Children’s Mercy. So we love coming back. Kansas City, it’s my ride or die, you know?”
Sharon: “Now that you’re back in KC, what’s at the top of the to do list?”
Riggle: “The food is fantastic, I’ve got so many BBQ restaurants lined up. I try to systematically hit all of them, and then I always try to find out about new places because I love discovering new restaurants. Always though, time with friends and time with family.”
Spoken like a true Kansas Citian.
All told, Big Slick has raised some $25 million for Children’s Mercy Hospital in its 15 years, with millions more expected this weekend.
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