ride ▁label . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁O w ens ▁wrote ▁The ▁( What ▁to ▁Do ▁While ▁You ' re ▁Hold ing ▁the ) ▁Phone ▁Book ▁( ), ▁a ▁com edic ▁look ▁at ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁the ▁tele phone . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁Gary ▁O w ens ▁appeared ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁season ▁of ▁Bar nab y ▁Jones ; ▁episode ▁titled , ▁" Tw enty ▁Mill ion ▁A lib is " ( May ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 9 7 3 ). ▁He ▁played ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Gary ▁Mich a els . ▁▁ ▁On ▁the ▁live ▁album ▁U pt own ▁R ul ers ▁by ▁the ▁fun k ▁band ▁The ▁M eters , ▁O w ens ▁can ▁be ▁heard ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁track ▁introdu cing ▁the ▁band . ▁The ▁live ▁recording ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁March ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁at ▁Paul ▁and ▁L inda ▁McC art ney ' s ▁release ▁party ▁for ▁the ▁Ven us ▁and ▁Mars ▁album ▁held ▁ab o ard ▁the ▁R MS ▁Queen ▁Mary . ▁ ▁O w ens ▁did ▁the ▁hum orous ▁news ▁bl ur bs ▁that ▁are ▁inter sp ers ed ▁throughout ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁film ▁The ▁Pr ison er ▁of ▁Second ▁Avenue . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 6 - 7 7 , ▁he ▁hosted ▁the ▁first ▁season ▁of ▁the ▁night time ▁version ▁of ▁The ▁G ong ▁Show ; ▁he ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁the ▁show ' s ▁cre ator , ▁Ch uck