In this episode, Vicki sits down with her longtime friend and collaborator TJ Berden — filmmaker, producer, and one of her people — for a conversation twenty years in the making.

They talk about finding your people in Hollywood, what it means to have big dreams and a big heart in a town that wants to know if it's sellable, and what it looks like to stay true to your values across two decades of an industry that keeps changing the rules. They also talk about neurodivergent creatives — what TJ calls pearl divers — and what it means to make work that goes to the depths of human experience.

This is a conversation about traumedy, friendship, identity, and why the stories that are hardest to tell are usually the ones most worth making.

ABOUT TJ

TJ Berden is a filmmaker and producer based in Michigan. He has produced films distributed by major studios and made documentaries on subjects ranging from prison reform to education reform to faith. His current project is Cinderella Nun — a documentary about Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the 106-year-old nun and New York Times bestselling author who became one of the most beloved figures in college basketball.

Cinderella Nun: https://www.cinderellanun.com/

SUPPORT THE SHOW

If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who might need it.

Hat on a Hat on a Hat (Substack): https://ahatonahatonahat.substack.com/

Donations are gratefully accepted and help keep this show going at whatever pace is sustainable.

Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/vickipeterson

✍️ Subscribe now to hear future episodes.

🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com

🌐 Learn more about the network at AutisticCulturePodcastNetwork.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.