Geoffrey Owens...

we should all be like him in the industry. The story is of man who was on the most popular t.v. show at the time, "The Cosby Show" and recently was "shamed" by social media as a grocery bagger at Trader Joe's.
A Yale trained actor who taught acting until that well dried up, he did what he had to do to survive and support his wife. You know what he said in an interview...he doesn't want an acting gig because people pity him, he wants a CHANCE to audition. This guy is what this industry needs more of. A man who doesn't want a handout.

Now, the life of someone working in the entertainment field is total awful garbage. But the passion isn't. The passion is doing something that communicates to the world. However, there are many voices and they're all shouting at the the same. I can imagine shortly after the end of his time with "The Cosby Show" no one would see him as a serious actor. Money dries up fast, people out there. LISTEN...it dries up fucking fast. When I was shooting films as a cinematographer, I was making a ton of money. But loans, debt, bills and other issues drained it almost within a year. It has to be a steady income to sustain the craft. Working a steady job like Trader Joe's is a smart move, because of flexibility to go to auditions. IF your overhead is low. Many people (such as myself) started living a little out their means. A big paycheck goes to fancy cars, dining hot women and booze (I didn't do drugs). That sucks up your life so fast, I look back and regret I wasn't smarter with the dough. But I really respect Mr. Owens. He is grinding it out and putting a very good point in his life, which is...if it's something you are driven to do, pride or ego isn't part of the equation. And everyone respects that.
This brought me to tears:
"I don't expect to be offered things," he explains. "It would be lovely as one of the results of this, some doors open in terms of giving me the opportunity to audition. That, I would appreciate -- always, as all actors do. I don't necessarily feel comfortable being given things as a result of this. I mean, I'm not in a position to turn things down but... I don't expect that kind of thing. I like the idea of, you know, put me in the room with everyone else and see if I'm the right one for the job."

Amen Brother. I'm grinding it out right next to you, sir.