Former Cosby Show actor Geoffrey Owens is considering multiple television offers after being publicly “job-shamed,” for working as a Trader Joe’s cashier.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter published Thursday, Owens described the incident and ensuing backlash as a blessing in disguise and a potential catalyst for changing the way society thinks about “working people.”
“I don’t want to be presumptuous and say because of my situation, we’ve started a change, but I think it is certainly less shameful to admit that we are all working people who do what we need to do,” he told the Los Angeles-based outlet.
The 57-year-old, who played Elvin Tiabideaux on the groundbreaking television show between 1985 and 1992, revealed he is currently evaluating a “whole handful” of television gigs. “It’s been a real generosity of spirit and a generosity of action where that is concerned,” he said.
Asked if he believed the Daily Mail and Fox News published the photos in poor taste, Owens called the report of him working the register at the health food store in Clifton, New Jersey, “mean-spirited.”
“I am a very private person, but I chose this life, so I accepted it,” said Owens. “I didn’t feel any impulse to lash out, but I was devastated. Fortunately, that didn’t last very long when all the support came in.”
In an opinion-editor published this week, Breitbart News’ John Nolte blasted the “hideous behavior,” of the two women who snapped photos of Owens at Trader Joe’s.
“Honestly, shame on everyone here, except of course Geoffrey Owens, who (as far as I know) has never gone the route of many actors and former actors — never disgraced himself in the media, never gotten into trouble with the law,” wrote Nolte. “All this man is doing, in-between acting jobs, is making an honest living, minding his own business, and not losing his cool over a couple of terrible women dining off the fact he committed the sin of getting older.”
Hip-hop artist Nicki Minaj told Entertainment Tonight that she wants to donate $25,000 to Owens while he sifts through acting offers. “Tell him that I’m going to have my team contact him because I hope he doesn’t take it the wrong way,” the star said. “I just want to help him in any way I can.”
However, it doesn’t appear Owens will be taking handouts anytime soon.
“There is no job that’s better than another,” he told ABC’s Good Morning America host Robin Roberts. “It may pay better, it may have better benefits, it may look better on paper. But it’s not better. Every job is worthwhile.”