Gary Owen | |
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Owen in 2012
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Born |
Cincinnati, Ohio |
July 26, 1974
Occupation | Actor, comedian |
Years active | 1997–present |
Spouse(s) | Kenya Duke (2003–present) |
Children | 3 |
Website | garyowen |
Gary Owen (born July 26, 1974) is an American actor and stand-up comedian. After being named "Funniest Serviceman In America," his big break came in 1997 on Black Entertainment Television's stand-up showcase Comic View. Owen followed this debut with featured roles in the films Daddy Day Care, Little Man, and College. He has cultivated an African-American following after headlining on cable channel BET and performing at targeted events, such as Shaquille O'Neal's All-Star Comedy Jam Tour. He has an upcoming TV show on BET called The Gary Owen Show.
After a year of doing stand-up, Owen was named "Funniest Serviceman in America". He continued doing stand-up in San Diego and developed a large African-American fan base. He went on to win the "Funniest Black Comedian in San Diego" contest. That led to his first gig at The Comedy Store in Hollywood. In July 1997, he auditioned for BET's Comic View. Two appearances on the multicultural comedy showcase won him his own one-hour Grandstand show. At the end of the season, he was selected from the year's four "Grandstanders" to be the host. Owen was the only white man to have ever hosted Comic View.
In April 2011, Ebony dubbed Owen "Black America's Favorite White Comic". Owen has produced two stand-up DVDs: Breakin' Out The Park, which is now available nationwide, and Urban Legend. He was also one of the headliners on Martin Lawrence Presents: 1st Amendment Stand-Up on Starz.