BV Entertainment Newswire Dec. 16: Stevie Wonder, 'Little Man'

Stevie Wonder will celebrate this holiday season with his 10th Annual House Full of Toys Benefit Concert on Dec. 17 at Hollywood’s Kodak Theater. Special guest artists include Earth, Wind & Fire, Fantasia, Jamie Foxx, Kem, and Maroon 5. Rickey Minor has been taped as Musical Director. According to a spokesperson for Wonder, hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of toys, computers, games and educational aids have gone to children, families and organizations in need in the past nine years. The 10th Annual House Full of Toys Benefit Concert is sponsored in part by Honda of America and Coach. Wonder, who already has 22 Grammys and the prestigious Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award to his credit, racked up six Grammy nominations last week, including Best R&B Album. He is scheduled to perform at the Superbowl pre-game show in Detroit on Feb 5.

’Little” Goes Big

This week, production got underway for the forthcoming Keenen Ivory Wayans-directed comedy ‘Little Man’ in Vancouver, B.C. Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Kerry Washington and Tracy Morgan are taking the leads in the film. In ‘Little Man, Shawn Wayans plays a man so anxious to become a father that he mistakes a baby-faced thief on the run, played by Marlon Wayans, for an abandoned toddler. He and his wife, played by Kerry Washington, take the "baby" home to care for him. The "baby's" partner-in-crime in a jewelry store heist, played by Tracy Morgan, tries to break him out and recover a stolen diamond. The film, written and produced by all three filmmaking brothers, is scheduled for released on May 26.

Loud And Clear

Foxy Brown held a press conference yesterday to break her silence, the first time, about her hearing loss" In May 2005, my life was altered drastically," the brazen hip-hop star read from a prepared statement. Russell and Kimora Lee Simmons joined Doug E. Fresh, Tyson Beckford, Dr. Benjamin Chavis, Reverend Youngblood, and Brown’s doctor, Laura Arias, for the near 30-minute presentation. “I think that it’s really important for everyone to know that this has not at all gotten my spirits down,” she said. “I am so excited to undergo the surgery, to be able to restore my hearing and get back to the studio. Yes I am racing to the studio the moment that God affords me the opportunity to hear again.” According to Arias, Brown lost hearing in both ears, a condition that can be permanent. She is expected to begin treatment in January and also will undergo surgery.

Growing ‘Weeds’

On the heels of the three Golden Globe nominations Showtime has given the okay to produce 12 new episodes of the comedy ‘Weeds,’ for a second season. The series, which stars Mary-Louise Parker, Elizabeth Perkins, Tonye Patano, Justin Kirk and Kevin Nealon and former College Boyz rapper Romany Malco. A single-camera comedy that exposes the dirty little secrets that lie behind suburbia California, the hit comedy is created and executive produced by Emmy Award winner Jenji Kohan. Production will resume in Los Angeles in the spring and premiere next summer.

Hidden Beach Overseas

Yesterday, Hidden Beach Recordings officially announced the launch of Hidden Beach International (HBI), a new imprint that will extend the highly successful recording brand to the global marketplace. Jill Scott, Mike Phillips, Kindred The Family Soul, Jeff Bradshaw and Lina are all artists on the Hidden Beach roster, which is helmed by veteran record industry executive Steve McKeever. “We try to think differently, and we enjoy taking creative risks,” McKeever said. “We imagine music outside of the calculated forms which results in signing artists whose musical styles are outside of the expected and something new.” While the HBI will be based in Santa Monica, CA, the first release from the imprint will be the internationally renowned Bent Fabric’s ‘Jukebox – The Album,’ arriving in stores on Jan. 24. The set will feature 11 new songs, including Fabric playing his Grammy Award-winning original composition "Alley Cat," and two new remixes: "Alley Cat" by Hit & Run; and "Jukebox" by legendary DJ and remixer Ralphi Rosario