Why was Geoffrey Owens working at Trader Joe’s? Cosby Show actor still struggling despite Tyler Perry support

Geoffrey Owens of The Cosby Show fame recently appeared on V-103 Atlanta's Big Tigger Morning Show. The actor well-known for portraying The Cosby Show character Elvin Tibideaux spoke about his latest movie, Mr. Santa: A Christmas Extravaganza.

Besides the newly-released film, Owens talked about being a part of The Cosby Show and the experience of working at a local Trader Joe's store.

For those unaware, pictures of Geoffrey Owens working at Trader Joe's went viral in 2018. During the Screen Actors Guild Awards 2019, the actor mentioned unemployment and debt as reasons for taking up the job.

However, to "attack on his privacy," Owens left the job and was offered work by Tyler Perry. Subsequently, the Poppa's House actor got regular offers for acting jobs.

However, despite actively working in the industry and appearing on different shows, Owens claimed that his financial struggles were still far from over. Speaking to the hosts Jazzy McBee and Big Tigger, Geoffrey Owens said,

"Trader Joe's was a wonderful job. I gotta give a shout out to those guys. It's a wonderful place to work. And in fact I... to be honest... you know... I've gone back there. I asked to... for hours to work there again. Cuz let me make this clear to everyone listening... you know... even today right now as we speak, I still struggle to make a living. I struggle everyday to make my ends meet. And people can't get their heads around that, because they see me in movies."

The actor explained how many don't understand how the entertainment industry works. He claimed there's little understanding of the salaries and pay scales among the general public. The actor highlighted his struggles to make ends meet despite working more than many people.

"I'm not complaining. I'm grateful for the work I have. I work more than a lot of people do, right? So, I got to keep perspective, but the fact is I struggle every day to make my (ends meet)."

While praising his previous job and colleagues, Geoffrey Owens spoke about returning to Trader Joe's for another opportunity after the 2018 incident. Interestingly, he also talked about the residual checks he got for being a part of The Cosby Show,

"[They] were never particularly wonderful for me. Remember cuz, I was here and there, right? I did maybe 20% of the shows."

For the unversed, The Cosby Show was also pulled down by the networks following the rise in s*x assault allegations against Bill Cosby.

Geoffrey Owens was offered help by Tyler Perry, 50 Cent, and Nicki Minaj

Tyler Perry was one of the well-established names who reached out to Geoffrey Owens in 2018 after the latter's Trader Joe's pictures went viral. In an X post, Perry wrote,

"#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."

Owens acknowledged Perry's gesture in his recent interview with V-103 Atlanta. He also mentioned the assistance offered by 50 Cent and Nicki Minaj. The latter gifted him $25K to start work, but Owens eventually gave the money to charity.

Besides the help from the industry people, Owens also talked about the time when his photos were trending. The actor noted that the initial comments were about the 'job shaming' comments, but the later responses were overwhelmingly positive.

Trending

"It was most good... you know... at first there was some negative stuff about... you know... basically the shaming... the job shaming thing... like 'look where is he now' kind of thing. So, that was a little bit, but then very soon after that there was all this support and encouragement from all over the world... like everybody was chiming in, in a positive way, encouraging me and supporting me."

On the work front, Geoffrey Owens is playing a recurring role in Damon Wayans' Poppa's House. He was also seen in a recent holiday movie -- Mr. Santa: A Christmas Extravaganza -- in which he portrayed the titular character.

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