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.
The new series, titled “Shift Happens,” will feature Owens as host, “interviewing working people about their work,” according to a promo video released on Instagram over the holiday weekend.
Owens, who played Elvin Tibideaux on “The Cosby Show,” received an outpouring of support in 2018 after he was photographed working at a Trader Joe’s grocery store in New Jersey and subsequently harassed online.
“As you might know, that whole thing didn’t quite go as the shamers planned,” Owens said in Saturday’s video. “A lot of good things happened to me, but the best thing about that whole thing was that people started thinking about and talking about work in a different way. They started considering the dignity of work — even the nobility of work. Considering that some jobs are not necessarily better than others, and that — let’s put it this way — all work matters.”
The mini trailer features Owens approaching people person-on-the-street style to ask them about their professions while pausing for selfie photos outside various local restaurants and retail establishments.
“[N]ow, with the COVID crisis, these ideas are even more relevant and significant than ever,” he continues. “Not only are we acknowledging that all work matters, but we’re also realizing that a lot of the people who do the jobs that — let’s face it — we didn’t think very much of before are actually heroes.”
After he was “spotted” at Trader Joe’s, several of Owens’ Hollywood peers — including Tyler Perry, Nicki Minaj, Tami Roman, Pamela Adlon, Terry Crews, Blair Underwood, Patricia Heaton and James Campbell — leapt to his defense, shared their own myriad work experiences and counter-shamed people who looked down on him for making a living.
Perry also invited Owens to appear on his OWN series, “The Haves and Have Nots,” while Minaj gifted him $25,000. (Owens reportedly ended up donating Minaj’s contribution to the Actor’s Fund in honor of the late Earle Hyman, who played Russell Huxtable on “The Cosby Show.”)
And in 2019, Owens briefly reflected on his experience at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, which spotlighted him during its “I Am an Actor” segment.
“Somewhere in the middle of the road of my life, I found myself in the dark wood of unemployment and debt,” Owens said. “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. I’m Geoffrey Owens, and I am an actor.”
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Sept. 7, 2018
FAQs
Owens explained that he took the job at Trader Joe's because the flexible hours allowed him to juggle auditions and his teaching job, and that he'd worked there for 15 months with only positive feedback from members of the public who recognized him.
What famous person works 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!"
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.
What was Trader Joe's original name? ›
Trader Joe's is named after its founder, Joe Coulombe. The company began in 1958 as a Greater Los Angeles area chain known as Pronto Market convenience stores.
Why did Joe Coulombe start Trader Joes? ›
Coulombe was the owner of a small chain of 18 Pronto Market convenience stores in the mid-1960s when he became concerned about a growing competitive threat: the expansion of Dallas-based Southland Corp.'s 7-Eleven convenience stores into Southern California. To survive, Coulombe knew he had to do something different.
Who owns Trader Joe's now? ›
Trader Joe's is owned by families that also own part of Aldi Nord. Trader Joe's and Aldi Nord operate independently.
Are the founders of Aldi and Trader Joe's related? ›
Aldi Sud founded the first American Aldi store in 1976 (in Iowa), and currently owns all U.S. locations. Completely unrelated is the fact that in 1979 Aldi Nord purchased the U.S. operations of Trader Joe's, which was founded in California in 1958. So, there is no relationship between Aldi and Trader Joe's.
Who is suing Trader Joe's? ›
A new class action lawsuit claims Trader Joe's sells a gluten-free bagel that isn't actually gluten-free. Plaintiff Shaianne Starks filed the lawsuit against Trader Joe's Co. June 28 in a California federal court, alleging violations of false advertising laws.
What does Trader Joe's call their employees? ›
Crew. As a member of the Crew, you do a little of everything—and handle a lot. So does everyone along with you. From running the register, to stocking shelves, to creating a beautiful display; all while making sure that every customer has a fun, friendly and informative shopping experience.
What is top pay at Trader Joe's? ›
Traders Joe Salary in California
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay |
|---|
| Top Earners | $108,559 | $9,046 |
| 75th Percentile | $106,600 | $8,883 |
| Average | $82,311 | $6,859 |
| 25th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,916 |
The #1 Overall award went to Chili & Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips.
Did Tyler Perry give Geoffrey Owens a job? ›
Geoffrey Owens back in action after accepting Tyler Perry's job offer.
Who is Sandra Cosby's husband? ›
Elvin Larson Tibideaux (born March 5, 1962) initially joins the show as Sondra's boyfriend, and later as her husband on The Cosby Show, and is the father of her two children, Winnie and Nelson.
What is Geoffrey Nauffts doing now? ›
He is the current artistic director of Naked Angels where he's been a proud member for over twenty-three years.
What job did Owen have before he joined the army? ›
Wilfred Edward Salter Owen was born 18 March 1893 in Oswestry, Shropshire. After school he became a teaching assistant and in 1913 went to France for two years to work as a language tutor.
What actor worked in a grocery store? ›
Actor Geoffrey Owens spoke with Good Morning America's Robin Roberts Tuesday after images of him working at a local Trader Joe's were shared widely online, drawing job-shaming comments and widespread pickup from media outlets.
Does Geoffrey Owens do commercials? ›
Sign up to track 2 nationally aired TV ad campaigns for Geoffrey Owens. In the past 30 days, commercials featuring Geoffrey Owens have had 1,081 airings. You can connect with Geoffrey Owens on Facebook, Twitter, IMDB, and Wikipedia.
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.
