Gary Owen is under fire for admitting he says a racial slur while singing along to rap songs.

According to the 'Atlanta Black Star,' Owen was confronted with a question from an audience member while performing a short run of shows at the Brockton Comedy Club in Oklahoma City.

HCE Live Presents Shaquille O' Neal's All Star Comedy Jam, Featuring DeRay Davis, Tony Roberts, Tommy Davidson, Gary Owen, Michael Blackson, Hosted By Big Tigger
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 10: Actor/comedian Gary Owen performs onstage during the HCE Live presents Shaquille O'Neal All Star Comedy Jam at Cobb Energy Center on October 10, 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for HCE LIve

During one of his performances, an audience member asked Owen, 49, if he ever used the N-word. The comedian, caught off guard, responded, "Dude, what ... just happened? First off...that question had nothing to do with my act."

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"I've never said it like with malicious intent. Never said it as a putdown. I listen to rap. You don't think when I'm in the car by myself I'm singing ... the song 'They Not Like Us.' And I still look both ways before I say it," Owen confessed.

A clip of this exchange made its way online. While the in-person audience at the comedy club reacted with laughter, the online response was different. Social media users did not hold back in expressing their disapproval.

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LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 19: Actor/comedian Gary Owen presents an award during The Players' Awards presented by BET at the Rio Hotel (Photo by Ethan Miller/BET/Getty Images for BET)

One fan commented, "Yeeeeeeeeeah keep laughing and inviting them to the cookout. Sooner or later they will feel comfortable to say it in your face!" Another user wrote, "I'm a huge Gary fan...but no!" The backlash also included snide reminders of Owen's racial identity, with one user bluntly stating, "You're still a white man!"

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The criticism highlights the ongoing debate about who can and who cannot say the N-word and in what context.

Despite the Ohio native's attempt to explain his use of the word within the realm of singing along to rap music, many people felt that his explanation fell short.

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