Kevin Kayhart
Martin Lawrence played the role of substitute Santa to the benefit of a group underprivileged youths and kids in the foster care system in Los Angeles.
The comedian and actor teamed with some of his fellow celebrities for a day of fun at the K1 Speed: Indoor Kart Racing in the Burbank neighborhood on Wednesday, according to TMZ.
The annual event was part of the Martin Lawrence 2023 Celebrity Go Kart Holiday Kick-off.
In all, about 125 lucky kids with a need for speed got in on all the high octane excitement at the race track with the Bad Boys star and the other special VIP guests.
There was also some gift giving for the children, as part of the special holiday event.
Some of the other stars who lent their time to the non-profit included stand-up comedian Jo Koy, rapper and actor Kid Cudi, rappers Polo G and MC Lyte, comedian and actors King Bach and Affion Crockett, former NFL star Willie McGinest and comic Benji Brown.
Along with the go-kart racing, everyone involved also got to play different arcade games, and when they built up their hunger went to eat at Raising Cane’s chicken Fingers, along with some sweets at Randy’s Donuts.
The Big Momma’s House star can be seen making his way around the race track greeting as many people as he could, shaking hands and taking selfies.
At certain points he could be seen talking and close and directly with the kids, sharing a little bit about his life and where he came from before his breakthrough in Hollywood.
In keeping with the promotion, Lawrence wore a black t-shirt that read: ‘Martin Lawrence 2023 Charity Event’ on the top part of the front, along with ‘Celebrity Go Kart Holiday Kick Off.’
‘Tis was also the season for the funny man to don a red a white Santa hat much of the time at the event.
Eventually, the host of the festivities put his microphone down and put a black helmet on and hopped in one of the go-carts for a number of spins around the tracks, along with the kids.
The annual event ‘aims lift the spirits of unhoused children and others who may be experiencing the trials and tribulations of life.
When promoting the event, Lawrence boasted about how they all kicked off the Martin Lawrence Celebrity Go-Kart Tournament ‘in style’, and are now poised to take this second year to ‘whole new level.’
The former House Party star would also through down challenges to anyone who ‘thinks you got what it takes’ and is willing to lay all out on the race track.
Many of the kids were also wearing the same black t-shirt as Lawrence, which also read, Bad Boys,’ on the back, likely a reference to the successful film franchise that he stars in with Will Smith.
The pair returned to their buddy cop duo alter-egos: Detective Michael Eugene ‘Mike’ Lowrey and Detective Marcus Miles Bennett when they were back shooting the upcoming new Bad Boy 4 film that has yet to be titled.
Bad Boys For Life director Adil & Bilall are back at the helm working from a script by Chris Bremer for this second sequel.
Along with Smith and Lawrence the cast for the fourth installment includes Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Paola Núñez, Ioan Gruffudd, Tasha Smith, Rhea Seehorn and Joyner Lucas.
The original Bad Boys (1995) from Michael Bay, who worked from a script by Michael Barrie, Jim Mulholland and Doug Richardson, was a hit fans, according to the box office receipts, grossing $141.4 million against a budget of $19 million.
The original Bad Boys (1995) from Michael Bay was a hit fans, grossing $141.4 million against a budget of $19 million.
Bay followed up to helm the sequel from a screenplay by Ron Shelton and Jerry Stahl, Bad Boys 2, which was an even bigger hit a box office hit, earning $273.3 million in a budget of $130 million.
A second sequel, Bad Boys For Life, far outpaced the previous films at the worldwide box office, grossing a whopping $426.5 million with a budget of $90 million.
The annual event ‘aims lift the spirits of unhoused children and others who may be experiencing the trials and tribulations of life.
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