‘Cosby Show’ Star Geoffrey Owens Breaks Silence After Pic Of Him Working At Trader Joe’s Goes Viral | Essence (2024)

“Every job is worthwhile and valuable," he said.

‘Cosby Show’ Star Geoffrey Owens Breaks Silence After Pic Of Him Working At Trader Joe’s Goes Viral | Essence (1)

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.

I swept floors AFTER the @NFL. If need be, I’d do it again. Good honest work is nothing to be ashamed of. https://t.co/8mseCpaIqz

— Terry Crews (@terrycrews) September 2, 2018

Director Tyler Perry also reached out to Owen on social media, offering the actor a new gig and praising him for his hustle.

#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

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.”

‘Cosby Show’ Star Geoffrey Owens Breaks Silence After Pic Of Him Working At Trader Joe’s Goes Viral | Essence (2024)

FAQs

‘Cosby Show’ Star Geoffrey Owens Breaks Silence After Pic Of Him Working At Trader Joe’s Goes Viral | Essence? ›

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.

What happened to the actor working at Trader Joe's? ›

“The Cosby Show” actor Geoffrey Owens has launched a new show on Instagram. Two years after he was infamously job shamed for working at Trader Joe's, “The Cosby Show” alum Geoffrey Owens has launched an Instagram TV show celebrating essential workers.

Which Trader Joe's did Geoffrey Owens work at? ›

Late last summer, when a Trader Joe's customer took some unflattering photos of Owens at his job in the Clifton, New Jersey, grocery store, he quit the job without giving notice. “I was kind of in a panic,” he told The New York Times then.

Does Alvin from Cosby Show work at Trader Joe's? ›

"I found myself in the dark wood of unemployment and debt, but instead of switching careers like a sane person, I took a job at a local Trader Joe's to see if I could hang in there with my career and it's actually worked out pretty well," he said. "I'm Geoffrey Owens and I'm an actor!"

Who was the actor that worked at Trader Joe's? ›

Actor Geoffrey Owens was shamed by some, and celebrated by others, for working at Trader Joe's between roles.

Who is the famous employee at Trader Joe's? ›

Geoffrey Owens, actor and Trader Joe's employee, sparked a debate about how we value work. The actor, who played Elvin on the Cosby Show, said he hopes the conversation around how we value menial labor will continue. Aja Romano writes about pop culture, media, and ethics.

Who owns Trader Joe's today? ›

Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's in Chattanooga, Tennessee
OwnerFamily of Theo Albrecht
Number of employees50,000+
ParentAldi Nord
Websitewww.traderjoes.com
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Did Tyler Perry give Geoffrey Owens a job? ›

Geoffrey Owens back in action after accepting Tyler Perry's job offer.

Do the Aldi brothers own Trader Joe's? ›

The Aldi group operates over 12,000 stores worldwide. Aldi Nord is responsible for its stores in Northern Germany, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and Spain. Aldi Nord also owns the Trader Joe's grocery chain in the United States which operates separately from the group.

What was Trader Joe's original name? ›

In 1958, Joe Coulombe took over a small chain of Pronto Markets convenience stores around the Los Angeles, California, area. After seeing changes in demographics, he opened the first Trader Joe's in 1967 in nearby Pasadena.

Who was Theo Cosby's best friend? ›

During his high school years, Theo's best friend was Walter Bradley (Carl Anthony Payne II), better known as "co*ckroach", who was more of a scholastic underachiever than Theo, although when an argument Theo and his parents culminated into a mock trial, co*ckroach was the one who presented convincing facts which closed ...

What celebrity is at Trader Joe's? ›

Geoffrey Owens Gives Acting Career Update After Being Job-Shamed for Working at Trader Joe's: 'A Lot of Doors' Opened (Exclusive) Comeback season. Geoffrey Owens opened up about how his life has changed since a photo of him working at Trader Joe's went viral in August 2018.

Who is Trader Joe's wife? ›

Joe Coulombe
OccupationEntrepreneur
Known forFounder and CEO of Trader Joe's
SpouseAlice Steere
Children3
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Did China buy Trader Joe's? ›

Trader Joe's was purchased in 1979 by a German conglomerate, is entirely managed in the US, and has never been resold.

What does Geoffrey Owens do now? ›

Owens is the founder and artistic director of The Brooklyn Shakespeare Company. He has taught acting and Shakespeare at Columbia University, Yale, Stella Adler Studio of Acting, the Adult School of Montclair and Pace University.

When did Joe Coulombe leave Trader Joe's? ›

Joseph Hardin Coulombe (June 3, 1930 – February 28, 2020) was an American entrepreneur. He founded the grocery store chain Trader Joe's in 1967 and ran it until his retirement in 1988.

Who was the celebrity at Trader Joe's? ›

Geoffrey Owens Gives Acting Career Update After Being Job-Shamed for Working at Trader Joe's: 'A Lot of Doors' Opened (Exclusive) Comeback season. Geoffrey Owens opened up about how his life has changed since a photo of him working at Trader Joe's went viral in August 2018.

Who played the son-in-law on The Cosby Show? ›

Geoffrey Owens, who played Elvin Tibideaux (a son-in-law of Cliff and Clair Huxtable) for several years on “The Cosby Show,” is suddenly a famous actor again.

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