NJ Job-Shamed Actor Accepts Job Offer From Tyler Perry: Report

Geoffrey Owens, the actor whose employment at a North Jersey Trader Joe's and alleged subsequent job-shaming went viral, has accepted a job offer to appear in Tyler Perry's "The Haves and The Have Nots," CNN reported.

Perry extended the job offer after Owens was allegedly "job-shamed" online by Fox News last week after a photo of him working at a Clifton Trader Joe's was published on Twitter.

Perry posted the offer on Twitter Tuesday.

"#GeoffreyOwens I’m about to start shootings OWN’s number one drama next week! Come join us," Perry said on Twitter.com. "I have so much respect for people who hustle between gigs. The measure of a true artist."

Owens received a significant amount of support from actors — including a $25,000 donation from Nicki Minaj — and others who supported him working at Trader Joe's for 15 months in order to support his family. (See related: Nicki Minaj Donates $25K To Job-Shamed Actor Geoffrey Owens)

Minaj said Owens was "not out there doing drugs and doing dumb things on the Internet and trying to get attention. He is working in between jobs. I'm an actress first and foremost before everything. I took that to heart and y'all don't know how difficult it is to keep getting jobs."

Owens appeared in 44 episodes of "The Cosby Show" as Elvin Tibideaux, the boyfriend and later husband of Sondra Huxtable.

Owens said on "Good Morning America" Tuesday he took the Trader Joe's job because he wanted something where he could have some flexibility and try and stay in acting. He worked there for 15 months. (See related: Alleged Job-Shamed Actor From NJ Trader Joe's Speaks Out)

Owens also told GMA he did not want to take any acting jobs because of the publicity he had received from the photo appearing online.

"I wouldn't feel comfortable getting acting jobs from this event. I wouldn't mind getting auditions, I don't mind if people call me in to try out for things due to what's happened, but I wouldn't feel comfortable getting a job based on whats happened," Owens said on GMA. "I want to get a job because I'm the right person for that job."

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com

Photo: "Cosby Show" actor Geoffrey Owens (By Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)