Gary Owen

Gary Owen is a stand-up comedian and actor who built his audience through BET. [en.wikipedia.org] He grew up poor in a trailer park in Oxford, Ohio. [en.wikipedia.org] He joined the Navy at eighteen and served six years, including in the Presidential Honor Guard. [en.wikipedia.org] Two appearances on BET's Comic View in 1997 won him his own show, and he became the only white host the programme has had. [en.wikipedia.org] He is direct about why he enlisted. [www.buzzfeed.com] He dates his certainty about comedy to telling the same joke twice and having it land the second time. [www.buzzfeed.com] He was named the funniest serviceman in America while enlisted, and later won a San Diego comedy contest. [www.wvxu.org] He describes his own fame as recognition without a name attached. [www.wvxu.org]

“Gary Stephen Owens (born July 26, 1974), known professionally as Gary Owen, is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He has cultivated a large Black following after headlining on cable channel BET and performing at targeted events, such as Shaquille O'Neal's All-Star Comedy Jam Tour.” [en.wikipedia.org]

“Owen's family struggled financially during his childhood. His mother worked in a factory making electrical connectors, and his stepfather was chronically unemployed. Owen spent the majority of his childhood in a trailer park in Oxford, Ohio, along with his mother, stepfather, stepsister, and three younger half-siblings.” [en.wikipedia.org]

“He joined the U.S. Navy at age 18. He served for six years as a master-at-arms and was in the Presidential Honor Guard.” [en.wikipedia.org]

“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.” [en.wikipedia.org]

“"I didn't want to be some proud American and serve my country. I just wanted to get out of the trailer park. That was my only goal in life."” [www.buzzfeed.com]

“"I was shocked when I walked onstage and told the exact same fucking joke and it worked," Owen said. "And that was when I knew."” [www.buzzfeed.com]

“He grew up with six brothers and sisters in a trailer near Oxford, and enlisted in the Navy after graduating from Talawanda in 1991. Owen was named the "Funniest Serviceman in America," and later won a "Funniest Black Comedian in San Diego" contest.” [www.wvxu.org]

“"I'm Black famous," he says. "Black people stop me, even if they don't know my name. They just know they've seen me on somethin'. They're like: 'That's my boy! That's my boy right there!' "” [www.wvxu.org]