An actor who was a regular on "The Cosby Show" said he's thankful for the support he has received since photos of him working at a grocery store showed up on news sites.
Geoffrey Owens said Tuesday on ABC's "Good Morning America" that he did feel some people were trying to shame him. But he stressed that "every job is worthwhile and valuable," adding that what's important is the honor of the working person and the dignity of the work. "There is no job that's better than another," he said. "Every job is worthwhile."
Owens played Elvin Tibideaux, the husband of Sondra, the oldest daughter of Bill Cosby's character on the TV show. Photos showed him working the register at a New Jersey Trader Joe's, "Geoffrey" on his name tag. He said he no longer works there because of the unwanted attention he received. Owens said people had recognized him in the past and that it was never a problem. The 57-year-old actor said he hasn't had an acting job that lasted more than 10 weeks since leaving "The Cosby Show," but has taught acting at Yale and worked other jobs related to entertainment.
Actor and former professional football player Terry Crews tweeted that he swept floors after the NFL and "if need be, I'd do it again." Actor Blair Underwood tweeted that Owens is "being a man in doing what he needs to do to provide for himself and his family."
Owens was most recently in an episode of "Elementary" and finished a movie called "Impossible Monsters." "No one should feel sorry for me," he said. "I've had a great life, a great career."
New Yorker whips up controversy
The New Yorker caused a wave of controversy after announcing that former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon would headline the 19th annual New Yorker Festival. Later, the magazine dropped Bannon from the lineup. Bannon, who left the White House in August 2017 and has moved on to helping far-right groups in Europe, was scheduled to speak with New Yorker editor David Remnick on "the Ideology of Trumpism" Oct. 5. But outrage followed. "I'm out. I genuinely support public intellectual debate, and have paid to see people speak with whom I strongly disagree. But this isn't James Baldwin versus William F. Buckley. This is PT Barnum level," comedian John Mulaney said. "Hard pass on this." Patton Owalt also dropped out and suggested that the New Yorker replace him with right-wing troll Milo Yiannopoulos. Judd Apatow said that he would not participate if Bannon did. Musician Jack Antonoff said participants "deserve to make a choice to appear alongside someone this hateful."
Back in action: Julia Louis-Dreyfus is back at work on "Veep" for the show's seventh and final season and said it feels "fantastic." The star of the HBO comedy series revealed last September that she had breast cancer. She has signed on to her first cancer awareness initiative, helping Carolina Herrera designer Wes Gordon design a T-shirt as part of Saks Fifth Avenue's 20th year raising money through its Key to the Cure program. The shirt will sell for $35 at Saks stores Oct. 1-31.
Honored: Harrison Ford and Lady Gaga are being honored by the SAG-AFTRA Foundation with the Artists Inspiration Award for their contributions to humanitarian and philanthropic causes. The nonprofit said the awards will be presented at its third annual Patron of the Artists Awards on Nov. 8 in Beverly Hills. For more than 25 years, Ford has been an advocate for the environmental nonprofit Conservation International, where he serves as vice chairman of the board of directors. Gaga started the Born This Way Foundation, which focuses on empowering youth and mental health research.
