HUNTINGTON BEACH : Crazies Prepare First Shipment to Troops

The production manager for the Orange County Crazies, an improvisational troupe, said the group will be ready to ship its first packages filled with comedy items to U.S. troops in the Persian Gulf by the end of this week.

Production manager Alan Cranis applauded “the wonderful response from the residents of Orange County” to the project, dubbed Operation Desert Smile.

About 300 donations have been received, said Cherrie Kerr, the Crazies’ artistic director and producer.

Donations have included coffee mugs, personally typed jokes, calendars, books, humorous magazines and condoms with depictions of Saddam Hussein.

The Department of Defense gave the organizers some guidelines for sending humorous items to the troops, Cranis said.

“We were hoping to screen out any material that was in bad taste,” he said.

Businesses are also contributing their products and services. Condor Freight Lines in Vernon has offered to package and ship the comedy items each week, Condor President Bob Crites said Monday.

“Our drivers get real satisfaction in doing this type of project, Crites said.

Video Affair Productions of Huntington Beach is making copies of the Crazies’ videos to send to the troops.

“We just want to help the troops out and provide some entertainment for them,” said Video Affair owner Mike Monagham.

Operation Desert Smile arose from a need that the group felt to help the troops overseas, Cranis said, “not from a sense of protest or unequivocal support. The reality is that this is happening, and making people laugh is what we’re good at.”

Kerr said Operation Desert Smile still needs volunteers to answer phones, to call corporations for donations and to provide other assistance. For more information, call Alan Cranis or Cherie Kerr at (714) 840-1406.