February 25, 2026
Copy by Caroline Tallmadge
Photos by Isabel Salazar
Every fall, the Northwest Arkansas Gridiron Show brings together area journalists, college students and local residents in a satirical sketch show that parodies regional political leaders and current events.
Beginning in the late 1970s as a lighthearted fundraising effort, the Gridiron Show evolved over time to become an integral part of the culture of Northwest Arkansas, combining comedy and community awareness to fund scholarships for University of Arkansas journalism students.
Journalist and U of A professor Rusty Turner has participated in the show for years. As a student in the 1980s, he attended the show as a spectator and later joined the cast when the show was brought back to life in 2004.
“I was a spectator back in the ‘80s when I was first starting in my career,” Turner said. “I went to a couple of Gridiron shows, so I was familiar with the show at that point just as a member of the audience. They took a long break, stopped until about 2004, and then started the show again. I was asked to be in the show in 2004.”
In addition to participating in the show for years as a performer, Turner currently directs the show and is responsible for guiding the cast, writing sketches and directing the flow of the show on stage. As much as he said he likes his responsibilities as a director, Turner enjoys performing in the show most.
“Being in the cast is the most fun,” Turner said. “I like being the director, but it’s a little challenging because you’re dealing with a lot of different actions, some of them not very experienced. It’s still fun, but there’s nothing better than being onstage and making people laugh.”
According to Turner, the bulk of the creative process occurs prior to opening night. The group begins writing in the summer months, meeting to brainstorm ideas, rewrite jokes and test the sketches.
“The writing sessions are a lot of fun,” Turner said. “There’s a core group of writers, maybe six, eight, ten of us, who get together and kick around ideas. We start during the summer, and then we write the sketches, trade them back and forth and rewrite them and all that kind of stuff, and that’s really enjoyable.”
He said some of his favorite behind the scenes moments have come from this writing process.
“Some of my favorite moments have been when we’ve been talking about a sketch and one of the writers has written something and another one has a great idea that adds to it and, you know, it’s just a lot of fun. A lot of laughter, a lot, a lot of interaction,” Turner said.
While the primary purpose of the Gridiron Show is for entertainment, the show also has a larger objective. Proceeds from the show fund journalism scholarships through the Society of Professional Journalists.
For many attendees, especially student journalists, the Gridiron Show is a reminder of why it matters to show up for events designed to benefit you and your community. U of A journalism student Angie Ramirez shared this sentiment. She said that attending felt meaningful precisely because the show directly supports the field she hopes to enter.
“I think it’s very important to attend this event because they’re using proceeds from this show to fund our scholarships,” Ramirez said. “This is very important because the money is going to us, and we should all want to support this and show up for everyone dedicating so much of their time to the production.”
Ramirez added that even if students go simply to support the cause, they’ll walk away with more than they expected –– not just a night of laughter, but also a deeper understanding of the real issues and local conversations that shape the satirical sketches onstage.
“Although they portrayed these issues as a comedic show, it was true in a way,” Ramirez said. “It helped us understand what’s happening around us in a comedic fashion.”
The NWA Gridiron Show leaves its audience with more than just punchlines –– it leaves them with a stronger connection to their community, a deeper knowledge of the world around them and a greater appreciation for the journalism community in Northwest Arkansas.