‘KC feels like a hug’: Big Slick hosts, guests share excitement and a ‘friendly’ game

Heidi Gardner, the newest host to join the Big Slick Celebrity Weekend hometown host team, summed up the overall feel of the annual fundraiser for Children’s Mercy:

“My friend Rashida (Olayiwola, an actress who’s one of the guests in town this weekend) said KC feels like a hug, and that’s the best thing you could ever say,” Gardner said at a Friday morning press conference at the hospital — in the newly named Big Slick Auditorium.

Fellow host Paul Rudd jokingly said you can look for “KC feels like a hug” on T-shirts very soon. Host Eric Stonestreet chimed in and said all of his shirts feel like a hug.

That exchange set up the mood for the weekend, with a Friday night softball game at Kauffman Stadium and a Saturday night party and show at the T-Mobile Center: fun for a good cause.

The hosts, also including Jason Sudeikis and Rob Riggle, all shared their excitement to be back in town. (Host David Koechner couldn’t attend this year.)

“This is always the highlight of the year for me,” Riggle said.

“It’s the greatest honor of my life,” Gardner said.

Stonestreet said Big Slick has inspired other celebrities to do similar fundraisers in their hometowns.

While it’s to be determined if they’ll add a softball game or Family Feud game with pediatric patients in the audience to their respective fundraisers, Big Slick’s impact is felt not only in Kansas City, but nationally.

After the press conference, the hosts split into teams with some celebrity guests for a few games of Family Feud — renamed “Friendly Feud” for the Children’s Mercy patients in the audience.

Game show host and Children’s Mercy employee Trista Tate tried her best to keep the game under control, but with so many comedians and personalities all under one roof making the children laugh, it was a tough task.

Tate exclaimed that she was going to get fired from her job if the panel couldn’t finish the games before noon.

Some of the categories included what weather events would make a great pro wrestling name — WWE superstar and Lenexa native Baron Corbin did not guess the top answer. Also: what Kansas City is known for and what’s your favorite dinosaur.

Tying for first place: Gardner’s team, featuring Olayiwola, comedians Taylor Williamson and Tim Heidecker, actress and Lee’s Summit native Katherine McNamara, and actor Bradley James, and Riggle’s team, featuring actor Samm Levine, comedian Sarah Tiana, singer and Blue Springs native David Cook and musicians the Potash Twins.

As for Koechner’s absence, organizers said, “David Koechner had some family obligations this weekend so he will not be joining us, but that is why we have a whole squad of hosts to help cover his energy.”

Since starting as a poker tournament in 2010, Big Slick has raised over $17 million for Children’s Mercy.