‘The Cosby Show’ actor Geoffrey Owens is speaking out in the wake of being ‘job shamed’ for taking a side job at Trader Joe’s.
“I was really devastated,” Geoffrey said of the initial reporting. “But the period of devastation was so short because, so shortly after that, my wife and I started to read these responses of support from all over the world, so the shame period didn’t last very long.”
“I’d been teaching, acting, directing for 30-plus years, but it got to a point where it just didn’t add up enough. You gotta do what you gotta do,” he said.
Despite the newfound attention, Geoffrey says he doesn’t want the controversy to earn him new acting jobs.
“I wouldn’t feel comfortable with someone giving me a job because this happened,” he said, adding that he would be open to offers to audition. “I want to get a job because I’m the right person for that job.”
Tyler Perry has already offered Geoffrey a role, with others probably soon to come.
#GeoffreyOwens I’m about to start shootings OWN’s number one drama next week! Come join us!!! I have so much respect for people who hustle between gigs. The measure of a true artist.
— Tyler Perry (@tylerperry) September 4, 2018
While he knows the conversation about him specifically will pass, Geoffrey hopes the larger conversation about the value of hard work will leave a lasting impact.
“There’s no job that’s better than another job,” he said. “Every job is worthwhile and valuable, and if we have a re-thinking about that because of what’s happened to me, that would be great.”
“I’ve had a great life. I’ve had a great career. I’ve had a career that most actors would die for,” he said. “No one has to feel sorry for me. I’m doing fine.”
Check out the video below.
FULL INTERVIEW: @GMA EXCLUSIVE — "There's no job better than another…every job is worthwhile…" Actor Geoffrey Owens speaks out, responding to job shaming and backlash after a photo of him working at a grocery store was posted online: https://t.co/0wZJnpowI9 pic.twitter.com/aNiG5fV2yf
— Good Morning America (@GMA) September 4, 2018
