Cosby Show Actor Geoffrey Owens Reveals Why He Donated Money That Nicki Minaj Gave Him

Depending on how young you are, you might remember Cosby Show actor Geoffrey Owens for a viral photo from six years ago of him working at Trader Joe’s. As many folks expected Owens to be in a better position financially, they offered a lot of support and assistance, including a whopping $25,000 from none other than Nicki Minaj. Recently, he addressed the matter on Atlanta’s V-103 radio station, reflecting on that outpouring on support. However, the actor revealed that he donated the money that he received to charity, and continues to struggle financially despite his entertainment roles since that moment.

“At first, there was some negative stuff about basically the job-shaming,” Geoffrey Owens remarked about this viral situation. “A ‘Where is he now?’ kinda thing. But then, very soon after that, there was all this support and encouragement from all over the world. […] It wasn’t like I quit knowing I would be making a lot of money soon or anything. I just felt like I wasn’t going to be able to handle that kind of scrutiny and attack on my privacy.”

“At the time, it seemed like the right thing to do,” Geoffrey Owens continued, speaking on how he felt about donating the money that Nicki Minaj gave him to charity. “Even today, right now, as we speak, I still struggle to make a living. I struggle every day to make my ends meet. And people can’t get their heads around that because they see me in movies. […] People have a false impression of what the average middle-class actor makes and their ability to make a living in the industry.” Despite these hardships, he continues to enjoy his craft and share his passion with the world.

Beyond Geoffrey Owens, though, Nicki Minaj also seeks to give something back to her fans these days. Moreover, she recently claimed that she has a new album and tour on the way, although many fans expressed their disappointment when a deluxe Pink Friday 2 edition did not drop. We’ll see if that lands further down the line or if it’s something completely new coming soon. Nevertheless, we wish Owens the best and applaud his forthright honesty on this matter.