Big Slick auction opens. Want to be in Heidi Gardner’s summer movie filming in KC?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Heidi Gardner will film The Swimming Lesson in the Kansas City area in August.
- The auction visit is for Aug. 17–28 and includes an on-screen extra role.
- Proceeds from Big Slick events benefit Children’s Mercy pediatric cancer research.
Heidi Gardner will shoot a movie in the Kansas City area in August and you could be in it — just grab your credit card.
A visit to the set of “The Swimming Lesson” is up for grabs in the Big Slick Celebrity Weekend online auction, which opened Friday.
Other auction items: A pair of boxing gloves signed by “Rocky” icon Sylvester Stallone, a custom shuffleboard signed by Big Slick hosts and tickets to Drew Barrymore, Andy Cohen, Jimmy Kimmel and Seth Meyers shows.
The former “Saturday Night Live” star, who hails from Kansas City, is offering a behind-the-scenes - and on-screen - visit to the set between Aug. 17 and 28.
Gardner stars as a “directionless single mother” struggling to give her autistic son a good life as her ex-boyfriend — her son’s recovering drug addict father — returns.
“This isn’t a quick walk through or a wave from afar — you’ll step directly into the heart of the production and be part of the action,” says the description of the experience.
“Spend the day on set, soak in the energy of filming, and even appear in the movie as an on screen extra. Have lunch with Heidi, the director, and members of the cast and crew, hearing firsthand stories about the filmmaking process.
“Then, once production wraps, you’ll be invited to attend a screening of the finished film, knowing you helped bring it to life.”
Gardner is one of the homegrown celebrities who host the annual Big Slick fundraiser for Children’s Mercy. She joined Jason Sudeikis, Rob Riggle, Paul Rudd, Eric Stonestreet and David Koechner in 2023.
The May 30 event began announcing its celebrity guests this week, adding four more on Friday, three of whom are originally from the Kansas City area.
WWE star Tom Pestock, from Lenexa, will not only appear at the event but donated an auction item — a one-year monthly delivery of roasted coffee from his Open Air Coffee company.
Actress Katherine McNamara, a Kansas City native known for “Shadowhunters,” “Arrow,” the “Maze Runner” trilogy and “Walker Independence,” donated an Andretti Global VIP Experience — she’ll go, too — to the auction.
Actors David Dastmalchian, originally from Overland Park, and Johnny Knoxville will both return to this year’s Big Slick Party and Show at T-Mobile Center.
Big Slick weekend looks a little different because of FIFA World Cup soccer events. The event’s popular celebrity softball game has been scratched and replaced by a private VIP party on Friday, May 29, but is expected to return next year.
The softball game usually takes place at Kauffman Stadium before a Royals game. But organizers earlier announced that “due to scheduling limitations around Kansas City’s exciting FIFA World Cup bid, Big Slick is rolling into town when the Kansas City Royals are out of town.”
Tickets for the replacement limited-capacity “experience” at Kauffman Stadium start at $3,500. Tickets for the main event at T-Mobile start at $100.
The VIP evening “offers face-to-face time with Big Slick’s celebrity hosts and their friends alongside curated entertainment, conversation and music throughout the night,” organizers have said.
Tickets to both are available at bigslickkc.org. Tickets to the T-Mobile show are also at T-MobileCenter.com.
All proceeds from the Big Slick events benefit pediatric cancer research at Children’s Mercy. Big Slick has raised more than $30 million for the hospital.
Here’s the guest list thus far. More names will be announced in coming days.
David Cook: Singer, “American Idol” winner, Blue Springs native
Adam Devine: Actor (”Pitch Perfect” movies, “Workaholics,” “Mike & Dave Need Wedding Dates”), podcast host
Chloe Bridges Devine: Actor (”Camp Rock 2,” “Pretty Little Liars,” “The Carrie Diaries.”)
Rich Eisen: Sportscaster, “The Rich Eisen Show.”
Will Forte: Comedian, actor (”Saturday Night Live,” “The Four Seasons,” “Win or Lose.”)
Anthony Hill: Actor (”Grey’s Anatomy,” “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “This Is Us,” “How to Get Away with Murder,” Overland Park native.
Marc Evan Jackson: Actor (”The Good Place,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “Parks & Rec,” “The Baby-Sitters Club,” “22 Jump Street” and “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.”)
Zachary Levi: Actor (”Chuck,” “American Underdog,” “Shazam!” franchise, “Sarah’s Oil,” “The Unbreakable Boy.”)
Steel Panther: Comedic parody band of 1980s “hair metal” bands.
Tom Papa: Stand-up comedian, actor, host of “Breaking Bread” podcast
Kevin Pollak: Actor (“The Usual Suspects,” “A Few Good Men,” “Casino,” “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Tulsa King.”)
Adam Ray: Comedian, actor (”Young Rock,” “Hacks,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm”) and star of “Dr. Phil LIVE!”
Andy Richter: Comedian, long-time Conan O’Brien comedy partner.
Al Roker: “Today” show weather anchor
Adam Scott: Actor (“Parks and Recreation,” “Step Brothers,” “Party Down,” “Severance.” “Hokum,” “Severance.”
Stephen Wilson Jr.: Country singer, recent winner of ACM Award.
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