The Cosby Show actor Geoffrey Owens is overwhelmed “in a good way” by all of the support he’s received after being job shamed by critics.
The actor
appeared on Good Morning America Tuesday where he broke his silence about working at Trader Joe’s after a photo of him bagging groceries went viral.
Rocking his Trader Joe’s nametag, Owens told
GMA, “I was really devastated, but the period of devastation was so short. My wife and I started to read these responses from literally all over the world. Fortunately, the shame part didn’t last very long.”
Ownes received tons of support from fans and actors alike, who shared their own stories of working part-time jobs between acting gigs.
Director Tyler Perry also reached out to Owen on social media, offering the actor a new gig and praising him for his hustle.
Owen explained on
GMA that he took the job at Trader Joe’s because it offered him the flexibility to pursue roles.
He added, “I didn’t advertise that I was at Trader Joe’s, not [because] I was ashamed of it, but because I didn’t want the entertainment community to decide, ‘Well, he’s doing that. He’s not pursuing acting anymore.’ I felt like I had to be careful about that.”
The actor added that he hopes the incident changes people’s perceptions about certain jobs.
“Every job is worthwhile and valuable. I’ve had a great life. I’ve had a great career,” he said, “so no one has to feel sorry for me. I’m doing fine.”
