Geoffrey Owens known for his iconic role as Elvin Tibideaux on "The Cosby Show" spoke very candidly about his current financial difficulties in a recent interview on V-103 Atlanta’s “Big Tigger Morning Show”. Owens' remarks follow his 2018 viral moment where he was photographed working at a Trader Joe's grocery store demonstrating the very complicated side of celebrity status that does not always mean complete financial success. Owens also admitted that he did leave his position with grocery chain prior to the images being circulated online which changed how he views public life for a time.
Owens Explains Privacy Concerns Led to Trader Joe's Departure and Public Scrutiny from Recent Events
Geoffrey Owens stated during his appearance on "Big Tigger Morning Show" that he decided to quit his employment at Trader Joe's just before the infamous news broke due to privacy concerns from photographs that were secretly taken in the store. The 2018 Trader Joe’s images and news reports added another layer of complexity to Owen’s work status creating a difficult dynamic for privacy and personal income. Geoffrey explained he was not able to tolerate a work place with potential intrusive scrutiny by the public in order to safeguard his right to a quiet existence.
Support from Tyler Perry and Nicki Minaj Followed Owens' Viral Moment at Trader Joe's
The wide spread circulation of pictures working at Trader Joe's generated large public response with several high profile actors such as Tyler Perry reaching out offering Owens work within the OWN network show “The Haves and Have Nots” with Nicki Minaj also providing 25000 dollars of support at that time . Owens stated the large gift from Nicki Minaj was donated to charity because “at the time it seemed like the right thing to do”. This show of support from his entertainment industry colleagues demonstrates a wide desire for his success and prosperity in his field after a short bout with public shame.
Geoffrey Owens Expresses Gratitude For Trader Joe’s While Acknowledging Financial Reality of His Profession
Geoffrey Owens described Trader Joe's as being “a wonderful place to work" where he also requested re-employment indicating he wanted to regain a sense of security with part-time working hours despite his career. Owens however made clear he is "not much better off now than he was then" noting despite some recent successes that he struggles financially every single day and has trouble meeting basic needs for livelihood. Geoffrey made note people have wrong impression about actors' incomes based on current TV show or Movie credits when they do not understand the full complexity and dynamic with money for actors.
Residual Checks From 'The Cosby Show' Insufficient to Meet Living Costs States Owens in New Interview
Geoffrey Owens has shared that the residual checks he earns from “The Cosby Show” are not great noting they “were never particularly wonderful” since he appeared on the program about 20% of the time. "The Cosby Show" also was removed from regular rotation for some time due to several serious allegations leveled against Bill Cosby the show's creator resulting in Owens losing a significant residual income stream . Owens noted the general public is unaware of the financial status and struggles actors go through to maintain regular standard of living. That said Geoffrey Owens' honesty shines light on significant misunderstanding in the entertainment world regarding salaries and financial success for even widely known names within industry.
Ongoing Financial Hardship: Geoffrey Owens Highlights Income Struggles in Present Day Life
Geoffrey Owens said “even today right now as we speak I still struggle to make a living” and emphasized many find his ongoing money issues confusing since he appears in movies such as "Mr Santa" or CBS’s “Poppa’s House” and several other notable productions. Owens made clear he wants to publicly convey the financial realities for the average middle class actor that does not automatically equate stardom to riches when working within various television series. The 63 year old actor clarified that this ongoing situation is nothing new with the past few decades being very financially difficult despite his great work ethic.
"Mr. Santa: A Christmas Extravaganza" Showcases Owens alongside Tommy Davidson Demonstrating His Dedication To Creative Field
Geoffrey Owens is also starring alongside Tommy Davidson in new film "Mr Santa: A Christmas Extravaganza" released on the Christmas Season for holiday enjoyment for all viewers. This new film directed by Noel Calloway is designed for family and focuses on a substitute teacher named “Mr. Santa”. It also shows Owens’ dedication for diverse film projects that are always creative . The movie aims to be uplifting by showing the challenges faced and solved with positive outcomes.
Social Media Debate: Job Shaming After the Incident at New Jersey Trader Joe's Creates Big Industry Reaction
The Trader Joe's images and its wide public distribution online led social media conversations on “job shaming” in 2018 as an invasion of his personal space and time as some argued. Many celebrities demonstrated immediate support such as former NFL player Terry Crews praising Owen's hardworking nature. USA Today covered many reactions from the media which ranged from general public to high profile celebrities that added more conversations about “job shaming” for famous actors such as Geoffrey. Nicki Minaj's support brought even more public awareness which eventually was donated to charity honoring Earle Hyman who played his grandfather on The Cosby show.
Career Retrospective: Owens Continues Creative Endeavors Beyond "The Cosby Show" Demonstrating Diverse Roles
Though well known for the 128 episodes he starred in from “The Cosby Show” from 1985 -1992 Geoffrey Owens worked in many projects including film and TV. Owens’ credits include his 1994 role as Lou in the movie “The Paper" with 2009 “Play the Game” and more recently “Poppa's House” series on CBS. He also appeared in well-known television series such as “It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” and “NCIS: New Orleans”. Furthermore Owen’s also has smaller television appearances in both "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" and "That’s So Raven" starring his former co-star Raven-Symoné which clearly show his range and diverse talents in different acting venues across genres. USA Today continues reporting on current film updates with great success for the entertainment field as they are seen to be reputable source.
Other Actors Showcase Alternative Careers Ranging From Lifeguarding To Legal Expertise And Real Estate
The former Stranger Things actor works as lifeguard showing how to save people at his local pool showcasing the need to be connected with both entertainment and civic duties . Numerous former Hollywood personalities such as Erik von Detten chose work in finance or sales, while Alimi Ballard of “Sabrina the Teenage Witch" moved toward financial sectors after acting which highlights his diverse capabilities in creative expression and financial management. The actress Nikki Blonsky moved into cosmetics by working at beauty salon for makeup and stylist work while actor Eric Estrada transitioned to a reserve police officer, which proves a variety of career choices from all different sides of entertainment world.
Other celebrities who transition to more stable income streams include Lizzie McGuire star Clayton Snyder a real estate professional showing how he used life on a Disney series to create long lasting life goals with stable financial outcomes. Kevin Jonas founded his own construction company and served as a marketing CEO displaying entrepreneur skills in addition to musical interests. Charlie Korsmo worked to obtain both legal and professorial titles becoming a professor at Case Western University with his prior acting history still playing a huge role in current status. The “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” star Peter Ostrum worked as a veterinarian as a long term career goal demonstrating personal interests over public ones. Furthermore Jennifer Stone of Wizards of Waverly Place who went on to become a registered nurse proves her deep commitment to both entertainment and healthcare in parallel life pursuits. Ross Bagley from The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air transitioned to a career in real estate with Jeff Cohen formerly from "The Goonies" working as an attorney in entertainment law that highlights an overlap from law to Hollywood. Finally both Teddy Dunn of "Veronica Mars" plus Alexander of "iCarly" have had great success in transitioning from acting to legal or journalism professions thereby showcasing their diverse areas of expertise across wide range of fields.