Actor and comedian Kumail Nanjiani will make his Big Slick Celebrity Weekend debut this month, joining the list of featured performers taking part in the annual Children’s Mercy fundraiser.
Nanjiani, who starred in the HBO comedy series “Silicon Valley,” also wrote and starred in the 2017 romantic comedy “The Big Sick.”
“Big Sick” Big Slick. “Big Sick” Big Slick.
You’re going to hear a lot of jokes about it.
This year’s 15th annual fundraiser will be held on Friday and Saturday, May 31st and June 1st. Sheryl Crow will perform at T-Mobile’s Big Slick Party & Show on Saturday night, organizers announced Friday.
Like every year, the event’s KC-affiliated hosts Heidi Gardner, David Koechner, Eric Stonestreet, Paul Rudd, Rob Riggle, and Jason Sudeikis are joined by colleagues from their work in television and Hollywood, as well as uses his own family.
Nanjiani will be joined by actor and comedian Fortune Feimster (“The Mindy Project”) and comedian Jeff Ross, aka “Roastmaster General,” as first-time participants. Most of the guests announced so far have been here before.
▪ Richard Christie, radio personality, musician/drummer
▪ Sheryl Crow, Grammy Award-winning singer, Missouri native
▪ Beth Dover, actor, “Orange is the New Black”, “Wet Hot American Summer: 10 Years Later”
▪ Shaun Evans, host of YouTube’s “Hot Ones”
▪ Will Forte: Actor, “MacGruber,” “The Last Man on Earth,” “The Great North”
▪ Seth Herzog, comedian
▪ Anthony Hill, actor “Grey’s Anatomy”
▪ Taran Killam, “SNL,” “The Heat,” “It’s Still Morning”
▪ Logan Mize, country artist from Kansas
▪ Robert Smigel, voice of comic insult dog Triumph, “Bill Swerski’s Superfan”
▪ Jake Tapper, CNN anchor
▪ George Wendt, actor (“Cheers”), uncle of Sudeikis, “Bill Swerski superfan”
▪ Ariel Winter: actress, “Modern Family”, TikTok creator
More celebrity guests will be announced daily over the coming days on Big Slick’s social media channels and website, BigSlickKC.org, and on The Star.
The event’s biggest celebrity guest last year helped The Big Slick raise a record-setting over $3.5 million.
To date, The Big Slick has raised more than $20 million and helps attract top medical and research talent by exposing the work of Children’s Mercy Research Institute to a national audience.
Two major events this year:
▪ Super smooth celebrity softball game Games will be played on Kauffman Stadium’s main field on May 31 before the Royals take on the San Diego Padres. Anyone with a Royals ticket can attend the softball game.
If you purchase through the Big Slick website (or this link: mlb.com/royals/tickets/specials/big-slick), a portion of ticket proceeds will be donated.
▪ TBig Slick Party & Show. This includes comedians, musical performances, an auction with big prizes, and in the past has included red carpet movie premieres and a night with Bill Self and Kansas Basketball. Tickets start at $75 and can be purchased at Big Slick’s website or at his T-MobileCenter.com.
You can also donate directly to Children’s Mercy at BigSlickKC.org.