by Joseph Sunde After a decades-long career in film, theater, and education, actor Geoffrey Owens decided to take a part-time job as a cashier at Trader Joe’s. When customers and news outlets began posting photos of the actor bagging groceries, the resulting comments included a mix of mockery and what Owens describes as “job-shaming.” Fortunately, according to Owens, “the shame part didn’t last very long.” “It hurt…I was really devastated,” Owens explained on Good Morning America, “but the period of devastation was so short.” Owens soon received countless messages of praise and celebration—many from fellow actors—encouraging him and affirming the value of his work. Owens, who first became known for his role on The Cosby Show, says that he originally took the job to provide stability between acting gigs. “I got to the point that I needed to take a job to pay my bills, to support my family. It was basically that,” Owens explained in an interview with CNN. “I wanted a job that had some flexibility, so that if I did stay in entertainment industry, I could continue to audition and do jobs if I could, and Trader Joe’s provided that.” It’s more than a little strange that such an event can gain…
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