Gary Owens' First Wedding: What Went Wrong?

Comedian Gary Owen and his ex-wife Kenya Duke's first wedding was marred by a fight and a missing pastor. The couple divorced in 2021 after 18 years of marriage and three children. The split was not amicable, with Duke accusing Owen of cheating and being a deadbeat dad. Owen denied the cheating allegations initially but later admitted to it. Owen claimed that he filed for divorce first due to unhappiness in the marriage.

Kenya Duke accused Gary Owen of cheating

Comedian Gary Owen and his ex-wife, Kenya Duke, were married for 18 years and had three children together. They first met in 1997 and tied the knot in 2003. However, their seemingly solid marriage came crashing down in 2021 when Kenya filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.

Kenya Duke accused Gary Owen of infidelity, claiming he had a mistress during their marriage. In a now-deleted Instagram post, she called out a nurse, tagging her and accusing her ex-husband of spending their family money on trips to the Bahamas and Florida with her. She also linked Owen to "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Claudia Jordan, which Jordan denied.

Kenya's Instagram posts also revealed her concerns about finances during the divorce proceedings. She claimed that Owen had stopped making regular deposits into their shared bank account, leaving her in a difficult financial situation. She requested a monthly settlement of $44,000 and a lump sum payment of $88,000 from Owen, citing her contributions to his career and their shared finances during the marriage.

While Owen initially denied the cheating allegations, he later admitted to infidelity. He also claimed that there was a big twist in the divorce that changed its dynamic, though he did not elaborate further. The exact amount of the divorce settlement has not been disclosed, but Owen has stated that it was not as high as the amount Kenya initially requested.

Duke requested $44,000 per month in support

Gary Owen and Kenya Duke's divorce in 2021 shocked fans, as the couple had been together for nearly 25 years. They first met in 1997 and got married in 2003. They had two children together, Austin and Kennedy, before their wedding and a third child after.

Duke filed for divorce in March 2021, citing irreconcilable differences. She accused Owen of cheating on her with another woman, which he initially denied. However, he later admitted to the affair.

Duke requested $44,000 per month in spousal support and a lump sum payment of $88,000 for the two months Owen had failed to provide her with funds. In court documents, Duke stated that Owen had always financially supported her and their children during their marriage, and that she was responsible for paying the bills. She explained that Owen made monthly deposits of $44,000, which she used to pay for their bills, credit cards, and personal spending for herself and the kids.

Duke argued that Owen was the sole provider for the family for over seventeen years and continued to earn a substantial income, even during the Covid pandemic. She also claimed that Owen had uncashed checks worth hundreds of thousands of dollars from his stand-up shows.

Duke's request for spousal support was part of a larger divorce settlement, the details of which have not been disclosed to the public. Owen has stated that he did pay alimony to Duke, but the amount was less than the $44,000 she requested.

Since the divorce, Duke has become a successful businesswoman, starting her own real estate company and no longer relies on financial support from Owen.

Owen admitted to cheating

In March 2021, Gary Owen's wife, Kenya Duke, filed for divorce after almost 18 years of marriage. The couple had been together for 23 years and shared three children. After the news broke, Duke accused Owen of cheating.

Owen initially denied the allegations. In an interview on The Wendy Williams Show, he dodged the topic of his divorce, saying only that there was a ""big twist" that "changed the whole dynamic of the divorce". However, in a later interview on The Breakfast Club, he admitted to infidelity. Owen claimed that he had tried to reach out to his children, but that they did not want anything to do with him.

Duke took to social media to address her ex-husband's alleged mistress, tagging her in a since-deleted Instagram post. She also accused Owen of financial infidelity, claiming that he had stopped depositing money into their shared bank account. Duke requested $44,000 per month and an $88,000 lump sum in her divorce settlement.

Duke accused Owen of not providing financial support

Duke addressed the issue on social media, stating:

> "He doesn't financially support his wife. Although he has sent me zero money (from a company I help build) I am still paying his bills. You can have him, but you don’t have the money. NOPE!!! Lawyer up, you have now become a big part of this divorce."

Duke also shared her feelings about the financial challenges she faced during the divorce in an interview with Essence in March, saying:

> "Most of my heartache wasn't the loss of the marriage — it was what I went through financially."

She further emphasised her financial struggles in an interview with HYPE magazine, where she stated:

> "I have been to a financial bottom and back, had to let some friends go, and get used to my new normal, but I wouldn’t change a thing."

Duke's accusations of financial neglect by Owen were a significant aspect of their divorce proceedings and contributed to the public nature of their split.

Duke addressed the alleged mistress on social media

In July 2021, Kenya Duke, the ex-wife of comedian Gary Owen, took to Instagram to address a woman she believed to be her ex-husband's mistress. In a series of posts, Duke accused the woman of having a relationship with Owen during their marriage and going on trips with him to the Bahamas and Florida. She wrote, "You definitely know who I am... You didn't care @garyowencomedy was/is married and you don't seem to care he still hasn't seen his kids (which is weird because you are a baby mama)."

Duke also claimed that Owen was not financially supporting his family and that she was still paying his bills. She warned the alleged mistress, "You can have him, but you don't have the money. NOPE!!! Lawyer up, you have now become a big part of this divorce. Gurl, Can't wait to see that tan [bikini emoji] in court."

Duke further insinuated that the woman's friends were not loyal and were "spilling all [her] cheating tea." She also criticised Owen's spending habits, recalling an instance where he found a $12 side dish too expensive.

While Duke's Instagram posts have since been deleted, they sparked a media frenzy, with several news outlets covering the story. Owen, however, has denied the cheating allegations and maintained his silence on the matter.

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