Comics to perform at Governor's before Iraq tour

One of the owners of Governor's Comedy Club will soon join three stand-up comics for a tour of Iraq to perform for the troops. But before they depart, the Levittown club will offer three free shows starting this weekend - one with Colin Quinn - to collect field items for servicemen and women.

HOW IT CAME ABOUT Comic John Mulrooney, who has played many a Long Island show, had gone to Iraq once to entertain the troops. When he thought about going again this year, he called Marc Lund, one of Governor's owners. He agreed to be tour manager. Mulrooney also recruited comics Vinnie Mark, a Massapequa native, and Richie Minervini, who once owned the East Side Comedy Club in Huntington and Farmingdale.

WHERE THEY'RE GOING The men depart May 9. The first stop will be Kuwait, where they will be for three days. Then they're off to Iraq. "The bases and where exactly we'll be going, they won't tell us," Lund says. "Some of the places are in the middle of the desert, and nobody knows where they are. We're going to be Blackhawked in for safety purposes for the soldiers." The 15-day trip will include stops in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates and either Ethiopia or Kenya, he says.

HOW THEY'RE PREPARING When Mark found out the trip to Kuwait will take more than half a day, he booked "the worst possible flight" to Las Vegas for a recent gig that involved ferryboat rides, multiple connections and a red eye. "Now a 13-hour direct flight is going to be a piece of cake, because there's a direct connection and there will be no screaming babies - except me. I might be the one screaming," says Mark.

WHAT IT'S LIKE THERE When Mulrooney went to Iraq in 2008 to perform for the troops, he had to wear a helmet and full body armor wherever he went - and for good reason. "I've been heckled, I've had a waitress drop a tray during my act, I've had people walk out, but I'd never had gunfire," he says.

WHAT Benefit for the "Locked, Loaded and Laughing Out Loud - Incoming Comedy Tour" for U.S. troops in Iraq

WHEN | WHERE Family-friendly shows with Vinnie Mark and friends at 1 and 3 p.m. Saturday and adult-only show with Colin Quinn at 8 p.m. May 5 at Governor's Comedy Club, 90 Division Ave., Levittown

INFO Free admission to all shows, but reservations are required; bring donated field items for military (call for list of acceptable items); free lunch for youths 17 and younger if they bring field item donations to May 1 shows; 516-731-3358