Triumph/Breaking Bad Actor, Advocate & Philanthropist, RJ Mitte

Welcome to Disability Matters with your host Joyce Bender.

All comments, views, and opinions expressed on the show are solely those of the host, guest, and callers. Now the host of Disability Matters, here's Joyce Bender.

Hey everyone in the United States, welcome to the show, and to all of you throughout the world. You know, as I've said before, from China to Saudi Arabia, everyone listening, oh my God, you're helping me change the lives of people living with disabilities like me with epilepsy and I'm hard of hearing. What you're doing is helping me. Let people understand that people with disabilities have dignity, quality of life. So to all those countries listening to the show, thank you. And boy, are you in, woo-hoo! You're in for a big, big treat today because we got a movie star. But before I do that, I have to say a special shout out to Richard Roberts, who I met in South Korea with the State Department. Gang Young, who is in South Korea. When I first met Richard, he was there. Then he went to Japan. And I too go with the State Department and speak around the world about employing people with disabilities. So, and a special shout out to Venyamin, who is, in Kazakhstan, and Cheryl Harris with the State Department in Tunisia is now right here back in the United States. To all of you from the State Department fighting the fight of advocacy for people with disabilities, you are awesome. And Yoshiko Dart, hello Yoshiko, you know I'm always going to be saying hello to the widow of the great late Justin Dart Jr. And to our sponsor, Highmark, the lead sponsor of this show. And this show has been on for 18 years because of all of you great listeners. All right, you get a gift because you've been a great listener. You get a gift. You're getting a gift because we have a movie star on the show. A movie star. I mean, is that exciting? We've had CEOs, NFL players, authors, disability rights senators, everything, but this is our first movie star, RJ Mitte. Welcome to the show. I am so thrilled to have you on today, Mr. Movie Star.

Well, thank you, thank you so much. I'm very honored to be a part of this show.

Well, we're honored to have you. And all of you listening, I know you're going to know him when I start talking a little bit, but I'll tell you what, you don't know him now, you wait till you see him through the next few years winning Academy Awards, and you're going to say, ah, I remember when I heard him on Disability Matters. So RJ, what a celebrity. It's such an honor to have you on the show. Would you mind sharing with our listeners in the United States and around the world your story. Like, where did you grow up? What was it like, you know, for you in school? Because you too have a disability. Yeah, I forgot that. He's the real deal, you know, an actor who plays a part of a person with a disability that really has a disability, which is what it's all about. But, um, what was that like for you? RJ?

You know, it has been, it has been great. You know, I have been very lucky growing up in my life to have very strong grandparents and parents who really instilled in me the motto that "cannot is a decision." And so I grew up between like Louisiana and Texas for the first 8 years of my life, and well, 12 years of my life really. And then I moved to California around 11, 12 years old for my sister. And then I started working because if you moved to Los Angeles, and this is 2004, 2005, and then we didn't really have the technology we do today, but if you moved there then and you didn't go to school, you didn't join a gang, and you didn't act, you weren't really going to make friends or know anyone. So I started acting to meet kids my own age and It turned into a career for me. I started working on shows like Hannah Montana and Everybody Hates Chris and Weeds and 7th Heaven as an extra, which I recommend if people want to get into the industry. Um, extra work is a great way to figure out if you actually love it. But then shortly after that, I booked a show called Breaking Bad, which gave me a career for Ever. It's still carrying on and I still work and I have a movie that's up for nomination with the Academy right now and— but I have cerebral palsy which is part of my life and never really held me back.

Yeah, you are truly, really a movie star. Now tell me something. Why you went into acting, why? Just because you're saying you wanted to meet people in school, you wanted to have friends, is that what you mean?

Yeah, well, so my parents were very fragmented, so I was kind of always bouncing around from grandparents and stuff and jumping from school to school, and I was always the new kid at school. I always would have to reintroduce myself and make friends. Face bullies and deal with the awkwardness of being the new kid with braces. And it was a little funny and people would look at me a little weird, but I was always really good at making friends. But then my sister got cast out of a water park out of Houston, Texas, and that's what brought us to LA. And I didn't really know anyone. I didn't really have any friends I didn't really, because at the time I was also homeschooled, so I didn't really, um, there's only 4 people in my program, so, and they were all scattered across Louisiana, so I didn't really have any friends. And I just, it was a good way to make money. At the time, actually, my mom was partially paralyzed due to a car accident. For the first 7 years of my sister's life. So I was kind of the only one working at the time and taking care of my mom and my sister, as well as Lacey, my sister, getting cast in work. So that's what kind of just propelled us into this industry.

And acting, like, how did you know you'd be able to do that?

I just did it. I didn't really think about this. This is one of the big things I've realized. You don't know you can do something unless you try to do it. And trying and succeeding is great, but trying and failing actually gives you knowledge. You know, just because I'm still doing it and I'm working and I have movies and shows and stuff doesn't mean I don't, I don't fail at some of my other stuff. You know, the project I've been working on right now that's up for the Academy Award, I've been working on for 7 years. Oh my goodness. It's literally been a nightmare trying to get this project together, but people believe in it and people want it and it just won't die.

It won't die because it's going to go on. Yes, it is a great— oh, wait till you all see this movie. Triumph. Oh, it is so awesome. Wait till you see it. Wait till you see it. And everyone listening to the show, I mean it, when this is at the movie theater, you've got to tell everyone you know and you've got to go see that movie, you know, wherever you're seeing it, whether it's streamed or it's a movie theater, wherever. Triumph. The word Triumph is the name of the movie that we're talking about. And RJ's the star, and I'm gonna tell you, I saw a trailer and oh my God, are you gonna be— oh, it is a great movie.

Well, let me tell you a little bit about it. So, you know, Michael Coffey, the creator of this movie, this is actually based on his life. This is based on dreams and wishes that he wishes he was able to achieve when he was younger. And it's based in the '80s. When disability wasn't really viewed the same way disability is viewed now, and people really didn't allow him to live and have the opportunities that he dreamed of having, and he was able to create this movie to kind of bring those dreams to life, and that's one of my favorite things about the film industry is With TV and film, we make dreams reality. We bring things to the forefront. We change mindsets. We change opinions and views on how we receive people, and that's why I believe diversification and disability representation in the arts and media is such a crucial tool to help bridge the gap of people that don't always have access to individuals with disabilities. And it helped change the mindset in a positive manner. And that's why we need positive content towards people with disabilities, not just the same cookie-cutter type disgruntled employee, but actual full-fledged individuals who have accurate representation, who really could be a beacon to someone that is stuck in a place that is a very common thing to be stuck in, of despair and disbelief and doubt. And so with this movie, it's based on his life, but if he had the opportunities that he wanted to have and society didn't repress him. And so he wanted to wrestle. This is a high school wrestling movie. And he, through that, faces challenges and makes friends. Deals with bullies and is able to live his life the way he wants to see it.

Oh, that is so awesome. Yeah, and I want to talk more about this movie and Michael Coffey. I wanted to ask you one question first, though. How did you get selected to be in Breaking Bad? How did that happen?

So I auditioned. At the time, I was working on a show called Hannah Montana as an extra. And a couple other shows as well. I was in Los Angeles auditioning for other projects and Breaking Bad came along and it literally described me. It said, "Dark hair, big eyebrows, and mild cerebral palsy." And I was like, "That's me!" So I went in, I went in for the audition and I auditioned 5 times over the course of 6 months. I auditioned 4 in Los Angeles and once in New Mexico, and this was in 2004 or 2005. And, um, just went in and did my best, and apparently they liked me because they hired me.

Well, yes, when they liked you, you were outstanding. In that show, and I'm glad that, you know, you're known from that show. How was it working with people? Did you feel you had— that they treated you the way they would treat anyone? Did you feel different because you had a disability? How did you feel?

No, I felt like one of the team, one of the crew. I think my biggest thing was is I was so much younger. I was only 13, 14 at the time, And everyone was in their late 20s, early 30s, and older. So it was more like a family dynamic and in a very positive setting. You know, I've been very lucky to work in my career that I don't really have to deal with too many negatives towards my disability because of my vocalness about how important disability rights are and really positive views of disability, how important they are. So people really don't press me on that too much. I think the biggest thing that I have to deal with is just a lot of egos and I still deal with bullying. People still try to bully me today. I find when you try to help people and you try to change people's lives, people don't really like that so much. So I get some headway, but as far as my industry is concerned, I've always been treated very graciously, and when it comes to my disability, I don't really need too many accommodations. I'm pretty much self-sufficient when it comes to my work ethic. I've done construction and hard labor a lot of my life, and I'm used to getting beat up pretty badly. I, uh, I'm tough as nails for the most part.

Well, you are a movie star with a disability that believes in disability rights, and disability rights are civil rights. So that makes me so happy to know you. Now, RJ, I've got to get back to this movie because I'm so excited about this movie. How did you meet Michael? How did that happen? Michael Coffey.

I was working— Michael Coffey. I was working on another project called "Who's Driving Doug?" which is based on another individual named Michael Karnick who has muscular dystrophy, and I helped create his movie with him, and after doing that, I got linked to this project, and It was kind of the same similar MO of the other film I was working on where it was a disabled writer that created his vision and his dream and we wanted to bring it to life, so we did and it just grew from there. This was 2000— oh my God, 2000— 2013, 2014, started working on this project and just had some hiccups along the way but kept pushing through it and was able to regroup and find funding and made this dream a reality. And, you know, I'm a firm believer in creating dreams, creating people's visions, and allowing people to to have a dream a reality. And that's what we live in, in this entertainment business, is we take dreams and turn them into reality. I felt this project had so much to teach us and talk to us about and really entertain us. And it just kept growing and it's still growing today. It's so amazing to see that there's so many people that believe in this film. In the Academy that they allowed it to even be nominated to be nominated.

Well, I know that's so prestigious, and you also got to work with Terrence Howard.

Yes, yes, I did. He was cool, you know. He, um, he only worked for a few days though. What we try to do when we get stars like him on is he works for like 4 days and he's in 50% of the movie, which is quite nice. Um, but he was a cool dude, you know. Terrence Howard, Grace Victoria Cox, and Colton Haynes, and, and, um, some other great individuals and actors a part of it, you know. This movie was a labor of love, no doubt about it. Everyone that was a part of it, everyone that committed to it really cared to bring this vision to life and to help further bringing awareness and inclusion to media. That is what this project was about and that is what this project is. It is entertaining as well as it is informational.

Okay, so here is my question. I have a few, but first, what did you have to do to learn how to wrestle?

I, uh, I got my butt whooped. That's what I did. I, uh, I went to a professional wrestling coach and he taught me how to wrestle. And, and, you know, when people are listening, they think of wrestling like WWE. This is Roman style, Greco style wrestling. So this is very, uh, very physically draining and demanding, and it's, it's not like what you see on, on the on WWE or any of that. This is actual Olympic-style wrestling. So I learned, I learned how to wrestle.

Well, that must have been quite enduring because just as you said, this is the real deal. This is like, it's not fake where you jump off and hit someone but they're all okay. And how is that possible when you you know, you're supposed to have landed on their face, but you really didn't. This is the real deal.

So does that— you get— you definitely get landed on your face, I'll tell you that. You get— you get planted headfirst in the ground a few times.

Well, that must— did you have to like exercise all the time for this? I mean, how did you get—

I was I was, you know, so for the most part with— so I have cerebral palsy. So for people that don't know what cerebral palsy is, it's commonly caused at childbirth. It's where lack of oxygen to the brain doesn't activate portions of the brain. So the neural networks don't always communicate with the rest of the body. So it affects hand-eye, it affects hand-eye coordination, speech, dexterity, muscle control. And so for me, my whole life I've always been in physical therapy, occupational therapy, and sometimes speech therapy. So I'm pretty good with exercise. I always try to stretch. I'm always trying to— I incorporate my therapy in my everyday life. Does that make sense? Yes. Yes, it does make sense. And I think it's so important to always stay on top of it because as soon as you let go, it pushes the gas. And so I'm always in pretty decent shape. So when this movie came up, I just had to actually go to a gym. And start exercising and build muscle and, and just learn the technique. I think that was the big thing for me is learning the techniques of wrestling.

Yeah. Oh, wait till you see this movie. I mean, now how do we know— when is— when are we going to know if it is, uh, going to be nominated for an Academy Award?

So right now, the way that The way that the award shows go is that you get nominated to be nominated. That it falls in all the categories and people are talking about it and the right people are promoting it. So as of right now, it is in the private circuit of the Academy's website where people are viewing and I think in probably another few weeks, possibly a month, um, we will know if this movie makes it into the Academy Awards, which I don't know if I'm gonna laugh or if I'm gonna cry. I, I haven't decided yet.

Well, we're gonna clap. That's what we're gonna do. We're gonna all applaud. I do have one question. What can our listeners do? What can our listeners do to help promote this?

Just go check it out online. It should be, I think it is out on video on demand in some areas. So if you look up Triumph, you can find some places to watch it. Check it out. I mean, just enjoy the film. We're very proud of it. It's been a labor of love. You know, I'm a big believer in advocacy and raising awareness, and I feel that this film has a lot of that. And if you like that type of content, you will love this film. Um, it's very adventurous, it has ups and downs, and it has a twist ending. So I— it's not your typical, your typical film. So we're very proud of that. And but, um, but just keep an eye out for it, and, um, it will be out shortly.

Oh, I can't wait. We can't wait. Listen, everyone, now we're talking about Triumph. That's the name of the movie, and we're talking to RJ Mitty, who is the star of this movie and who you saw, uh, as the son on Breaking Bad, Flynn on Breaking Bad. And he lives with cerebral palsy, uh, but most importantly He's a really good actor who we want to be nominated for an Academy Award. So you all have to go see this. You've got to spread the buzz about it. You've got to put this out on your social media. I mean, we have a movie star with a disability who believes in us because he too has a disability. So we've got to get behind this movie. It won't be hard though, because I saw the trailer And I'll be streaming the movie, and it is so good. As I recall, and you were saying earlier, in this movie you're bullied in school. Is that correct?

That is correct.

Well, high school students with disabilities are terribly bullied. Um, why do you think that is, RJ? Why do you think kids with disabilities are bullied?

Yeah, there's been studies that show children, people with physical disabilities are twice as likely to be bullied in school. And I think the biggest thing that comes down to it really is that people perceive disabilities as an illness and as a weakness. And in society we've catered to that mentality that disability is a weakness and it's an illness and we have to cure this or heal them and let them get past it instead of embracing it. And I think there's a lot of people who face a lot of challenges who are not disabled, and this is strictly at the bullies that are facing issues at home, facing mental problems and things that they don't understand. And a lot of times, if you see someone that you perceive as weaker than you, you will assert dominance. That's kind of what humanity has always done. It's, it's, it's— we're, we're creatures with our species, right? So, um, if you look at it from that standpoint There's a lot of people that perceive disability as weakness, so they are like, "Oh, you're weaker than me. You can't do anything to me. So let me take my aggression out on you." And it turns into more of a combative stage versus a "I'm hurt and I need help." You know what I'm saying? There's this formula. And I think a lot of people have that mentality, and that's why I believe creating content and projects that show disability as a positive versus a negative, as knowledge and as power versus an illness or disease. We need to learn how to embrace this and understand it because it affects all of us. And when it comes to bullying, being able to teach your kids to stand up for what they believe in and stand up for who they are, no matter the consequence. Because sometimes bullying will never go away. I mean, I faced bull— I literally am dealing with a bully right now, and he's 50 years old. You know what I'm saying? They don't— bullies will always be bullies, and they'll always look to repress someone else. And I find if you can stand your ground and you stay true to who you are, And stay true to what you believe. It doesn't really— they can't really hurt you, right?

You have to believe in who you are. That is so true. Yeah, I don't know what's wrong, uh, what happens to people that they— especially like this person that could still be doing this at the age of 50. Shame on you is what I say. But, um, you know, here's what I tell students with disabilities at the Bender Leadership Academy. I tell them, what do you do if you don't like a TV show? And they'll say, well, change the channel. And I said, how do you do that? I get out the remote control. I say, well, that's what you have to do when people say terrible things to you. In your mind, change the station. You don't have time to listen to them. Change the station. Don't listen anymore. Focus on how Awesome. You are. Don't listen to them because, you know, and I, even though you're a movie star now, I'll bet you still remember when you were young when kids bullied you because it sort of stays with you.

I had my hand broken. I, I got— I used to get hardcore bullied, and but the thing about was I never backed down. And so I always got the full brunt of, of the punishment, but at the end of the day, I, I never let anything affect me. Now, I never forgot.

You never forgot? Wow, if you got your hand broken, I can see why you never forgot. Um, oh, that makes me so mad even hearing that. But, uh, RJ, how did you do that? What, what gave you the ability because sadly that's not like how it is for everyone. What gave you that inner strength? What was it that gave you the ability that even though these terrible things happened to you, it didn't change the way you felt about yourself?

You know, it— first of all, a lot of terrible things have to happen before you get to that point. But, um, I think what came down to it, at a certain point I realized that they couldn't really hurt me anymore. And it was like, what do you— as soon as that, as soon as they took, as soon as I wasn't hurt by their actions, it really took away their power. And you know, I again, I believe in a thing that 'can't' is a decision. So when people tell me I can't do something or I can't do this, I recognize that, but I realize that that's a decision. So when people were telling me I couldn't be something or couldn't do something, I would always push against that. And I'm a fairly stubborn person, but I find more often than not when there's people that are isolating you or degrading you or devaluing you, those people don't really have value of themselves. And that to me is sad. And, and so I for the most part pity those people that, that don't have that self-worth or that self-value because they're— they'll never learn how to be loved, they'll never learn how to love, and they'll just carry that through their whole life of devaluing the people they care about the most. And being able to recognize that takes some maturity, but you have to over time be able to be that independent person and to realize that these people aren't people that are really worth your time, energy, or sadness. And being sad takes up a lot of energy, being depressed takes up a lot of energy, and it will make you say and do things that will hurt the people you love about. And so being able to recognize that and grow from that and utilize it for your advantage and not someone else's is so important. But you have to look into yourself and realize what do you want to achieve, who do you want to be, and why do you want to be that person, and then being able to grow from there and trying to stay on that path with so many distractions.

Well, that is truly great advice. That is great advice. Uh, and it seems like you've had people that, uh, helped you from when you were little to, to feel, to have that I can do it mentality that you have. Uh, is that right? And if so, who were those people?

Yeah, um, you know, it's, it's much easier said than done, uh, just, just FYI. But, um, you know, my grandparents, who are all deceased now, were big influences in my life. Um, One was all military and business professionals and really taught me a lot of what I needed to do and what I was capable of doing. And it just took a lot of whoopins and trial and error to understand what I needed to do to grow. But my parents and my grandparents were very big motivators. And my father, who really wasn't a big part of my life, he was a big motivator for me when it came to— he was everything I didn't want to be. Um, and so I pretty much did my best not to be him, and I think I did a pretty good job.

Well, I think that you're a wonderful person, and guess what? You are loved in the disability community. So you did a good job.

I love them.

Well, we love you, that is for sure. Um, hey, how— I want to— I'll come back to this in a minute, but when you were saying that this movie took 7 years, was that the big impact being COVID?

Sorry, repeat that.

The movie Triumph, it took real long. What was the COVID impact on that?

So we actually finished a year before COVID um, you know, and, and I think our big impact really for us was a positive impact, sadly, when it looked at COVID, you know, because it did have a positive impact on streaming and, um, and going into like open source theaters, um, so, so when it came to distribution, it was It was for the most part not a negative impact on our end. And we didn't really have to film during the COVID guidelines. Now, I've shot projects since then, which COVID has made things very difficult. And mostly just people are afraid. And that's kind of my biggest issue with all of COVID is just the fear that everyone now has being over COVID. I'm not really too worried about it. You know, my father did pass away of COVID and I've had many friends who are deceased because of it. But at the same time, they weren't in the best of health, and it was kind of one of those situations that was sad. But we have to grow through it, and especially during something that's happening like this. But I find just being able to push through it, do, do what you have to do and wear your masks and do the things what the bosses tell you to do and just keep, keep living life and don't let anything stop you from that.

So what do you do? What— I mean, I don't even know if you have extra time with all these Hollywood and these movies and TV shows, but what do you like to do when you do have time to just be RJ? What do you like to do?

I'm, um, I'm more of an outdoors person, so I, I actually do my best not to work. I, I try not to make money and I try not to work because it only gives me more of a headache. Um, I know that's the contrary of what— how people view me. Um, but so I, I do my best to lay low Um, I go camping and I, I stay at home. I'm kind of a homebody.

Well, what are you gonna do if, if you win an Academy Award and then you're in all these— people want you in all these other movies? Then what? You're gonna have to work hard. That's just—

oh, that's not work hard. Well, no, that, that means I get to pick what I want to do versus what I have to do. That's the difference. If I, if I end up getting this nomination, I'm gonna be able to pick what I want to do versus be like, I really need to pay rent, I'm gonna do this movie.

You'll get to pick what you want to do. Well, you've got to promise all of us one thing: when you become a worldwide Hollywood star after you win an Academy Award, you have to still be on this show.

I will be more than happy to come back and be a part of this show.

You, you can't forget us because we know—

I will not— I will never—

you can't forget us because you are— I am telling you, you are a talented, talented young man. So you're a homebody. What— I mean, do you like— do you go out to restaurants? Do you just stay at home all the time?

I stay at home. I cook. I, I wait till I see the call. And then I have to go fly off to work. I, um, you know, I play video games. I've actually been thinking about doing some, like, lately with work and everything because of COVID work's been slow, so I've been thinking about doing, um, like, a podcast show, hosting something on the weekends talking about therapy and stuff of that nature. And just at-home therapies and different stuff. But for the most part, I have two— I have animals, I have my sister and my mother, and I actually run a foundation. So I have a nonprofit that I'm the president of based in Texas that takes up quite a bit of my time, and I have a community build project that I'm working on right now. Um, so really, when it's— when I'm not doing acting, I'm doing a lot of philanthropy and philanthropic work, um, which really takes up a lot of my time. So by the time I'm wanting to do anything, I'm like, I'm just ready to go to bed. Dealing with bureaucracies, I'm like—

you know what I love about you? I love about you that you're authentic. You're authentic. You're just authentic. You're the real deal. I really love that about you. Um, well, and you've got to stay like that. As I said, even if you're Hollywood stars, you've got to, you've got to stay this way because that is what makes you so charming that you are. Um, you are, you're very just Oh, we want you to— I've been working.

Yes, well, I don't think I'm going to change. I've been like this my whole life. I've— from big shows to small shows, I don't really, um, I haven't really wavered. So this, this is what you get.

So, well, we love what we get. So what, what is next? What do you— if Even if you win an Academy Award, what are you thinking will be next? What would you pick?

I would just hope to get nominated. I just hope to get nominated. I don't even want to win.

Um, what do you mean? We want you to win.

Winning is great and all, but just to get a nomination would be unbelievable. That would be That would just be, like, in my mind, impossible. But I've seen the impossible happen, so nothing is ever impossible. But I think for me, my next project really is wrapping up the project I've been working on down in Texas. I have 2 movies I'm supposed to start shooting in the next couple of months. Um, if they can get their locations in order. Um, so really just do that. And then, um, traveling. I want to do some camping. I have a school bus that I've been working on. Um, so I really want to try to finish building my bus.

Okay, why are you doing that? Just out of curiosity. What, why are you doing that? What made you want to do that?

Uh, so I have moved every year for 20 years, sometimes twice a year. And the way that, the way that I got this bus was I was tired of renting a U-Haul. So every time I go rent a U-Haul, it's a couple thousand dollars because I'm, I, I, I'm never moving close by. It's always across country or something of that nature. And so I, instead of renting a U-Haul, I bought a Craigslist bus and I moved all our stuff from LA to where we are now. And I snowboard, I fish, I camp, I do all those things, so I wanted to like build it out and make it like a lounge. And be able to drive it to the beach and to places that I like to go and have like a little lounge area. And so I've had this bus for like 3, 4 years now and my tires just got slashed. One of my tires got slashed.

Oh no.

And so I have to fix it. And so while I'm fixing my tire that was slashed, I have to now fix In my mind, I have to start doing more work to it so people don't abuse the bus.

That's terrible. That is terrible. So I love that idea about the lounge inside. It's sort of like a, like a fan, like a new type of RV. We've got a bus that has—

yeah, I don't want a toilet. I don't want to sink. I don't want people crapping on my bus. I just want to be able to take it places and like, like if— so I like snowboarding, I like skiing, right? So, but I always have an apartment with people. But what if you could have it parked in the parking lot and like you have a place to rest for a little bit and then you go back to it and then you go to your house? Right, it sounds nice.

Yeah, but see, here's what's going to happen that you won't be able to do that. Here's what's going to happen. You're going to become so famous that you're going to have all these paparazzi around you, and you'll have to keep them away from your bus.

That's— that's— they won't know. I— well, the bus is on the DL. No one's gonna find me. I'm actually very hard to find, believe it or not. I'm, uh, I'm pretty, pretty sly.

You're sly. Well, what about when people want your autograph and photos and all of that? Then what are you going to do about that?

I still will sly. I'll, I'll send them, but, uh, but you gotta catch me.

It sounds like you're hard.

You ever see the movie Catch Me? It's, uh, I'm very hard to catch. You ever see the movie Catch Me If You Can?

Yeah, is that you?

That's, that's me. Yeah, you turn your head, I'm in a whole other state.

Well, I'm sorry to tell you this, but you're a movie star. Movie stars have people, they're going to come around you, want their flash pictures, get your autograph. That is what's going to happen to you. You're not going to be able to stop that. You're going to— I mean That just goes with it. And why do you have to—

it goes with it.

Well, what do you have to go around the world? Because we got these people listening all around the world.

Oh, China, I have actually. Well, so I used to do, um, and I did a lot of work with, um, with Equal Opportunity Employment. And so I went to Germany and Russia and UK, all focusing on disability employment. That's actually how I believe we met one time, um, years ago.

Yeah, yeah, because I did work with EEOC and you did.

Yes, I've done work with them in the past too.

You— that one, uh, oh, who did that? Was it the Department of Labor? There was that video campaign. Yes, about I, I work, or I— you know, you were in that also.

Yes, so I did, I worked with the Department of Labor on a couple of different fronts. One with the, the I could, I don't remember what it was called, but it was like I Can Work. Yeah, that's it. And then I did a few social exchange programs, and then I did the, the Real Economic Impact Tour. With the, um, with the Department of Labor.

Oh, that's awesome.

And a few other, a few other different causes. But, um, but I don't mind fans. I don't mind all that stuff. I'm still hard to find. You won't— I grow a beard, um, when I'm not working, so people don't recognize I look like a completely different person.

No kidding. Wow.

I shave my face, I look like I'm 18 again.

Yeah, you are very young looking, I must tell you. Very young looking. I want to tell you something that'll make you smile. I have this Bender Leadership Academy where I train people with this— students with disabilities about the world of work and leadership and believing in themselves. And sometimes I show I want to work that video. Sometimes I show that, and then when it's done, I say, I'll bet there's one person that you knew in that video, and all the hands go up and they say, Breaking Bad, Breaking Bad!

That's awesome! Oh my God, yeah, they know you.

They all know who you are. They all know who you are. You know, like, one of my employees, Lee Hassinger, is my Joyce Bender, and he also lives with cerebral palsy, and he's worked at my company, Bender Consulting Services, for over 20 years. And he was so thrilled you were going to be on this show because you give hope to people that have been marginalized or left out. He hasn't because he works at our company, has been very successful. But even when he first— when we first hired him and he walked out in front of his house with a business suit on. Now, this is way back. This is like 1996 or '97. He said that people wanted to know, well, why was he wearing that? Because they couldn't fathom that he had a job. Now, as you said, yeah, things have got better. But still, even today, people with disabilities have double the unemployment rate of people without disabilities. And, you know, people with disabilities have great talent and have so much to offer, and I can't understand why people don't understand there's this untapped labor pool of great people able to work. It is hard to understand. Isn't that hard for you to understand?

Yeah, it's, you know, it's actually very upsetting to me when it comes to the lack of willingness to hire people, and this isn't just people with disabilities, across when it comes to businesses and entities that are looking for employees but choose not to because we get or given incentives not to hire people. Companies are definitely given breaks and incentives not to put people in employment, not, not just specifically for people with disabilities, but across the board. And I've seen a big growth of that with COVID Where people are losing their jobs because of risk of COVID but people want to work. And it's disheartening and disgusting to me to see so many counter-incentives to employ people versus people that really want the work and want the job and not just want the cookie-cutter job that— the peanut job, right? Like an actual well-rounded life-altering position and that they deserve. There's so many great employees out there. There's so many great employers out there, but we have so many incentives not to actually do— to live our lives, and it's so disheartening.

Uh-huh. Yeah, it really is. It is very disheartening, but we're going to change it because we have that— mantra that you have, which is, "Can't is a decision," and we don't accept that. We are, we are able to work, we can work, and in 1999, RJ, when I received the President's Award at the White House from President Clinton, I had just a very small company at that time, and of course what I do is find employment for people with disabilities in competitive areas. That's why our motto is competitive jobs mean freedom. And that was in IT. So we place people like in IT, finance, accounting, mathematics, mathematicians. But why I received that award is because we were focusing only on competitive employment versus you have to be a stock boy, you have to be a janitor, you have to, you know, one of the— there's a As Martin Luther King Jr. said, there's a great job for everyone. It's just that not everyone should be in one thing. So like, if you're a child—

I agree—

you can have the dream of RJ Minnie that you're going to be a movie star. And I'll bet, yeah, when you were little and those kids were bullying you, look what happened. You're a movie star.

It's funny. It's funny now to look at where my life was to where my life is now. And you know, this is my biggest thing is anyone has the right to do what I do today. Everyone has the ability inside them to do. Will it be the same for them as it was for me? No. But that's not every path. No two people can walk the same path. And so I find if you have a dream If you want to achieve a goal, go at it headfirst and never look back.

Mm, so true. That is so true. Well, RJ, before we end the show today, I tell my students, the young people, I'll say, I'm Joyce Bender, I'm the CEO, I live with epilepsy. Not ashamed. So can you, can you give a little message out to them similar so that they can hear you say it?

Okay. I got you covered. Well, I'm RJ Mitty and I live with cerebral palsy and I'm not ashamed.

And neither should any of you. As he said, don't let anyone stop you. But I've got to end with saying go see Triumph. You have to go see Triumph because we know we're never going to see him because we can't find him because he hides everywhere. We can't find him, so we've got to see him in a movie theater.

You got to keep your eyes, keep your eyes open. I, I'm always around and never around at the same time.

Yeah, well, we'll be looking for that bus with a person with a beard. And now what, every time I'll see someone, I'll say, I wonder if that's RJ.

He's hiding. If you see a teal and pink bus, that's me.

Well, I want to see you win an Academy Award. That's what I want. And I— and you know what, you wait. If I see you out there with all these girls screaming and wanting to meet you, I'm going to stand back there and say, I told you so. Can't hide, can't get to that bus.

Joe.

Yeah, that's right, that's right. RJ, RJ, you are just dynamic, and you are also a great international disability rights advocate. That's what you are. You're a champion. You are a champion, and I, I want to thank you so much for being with us today. I know that gave That's just a message of hope to all these young kids with disabilities. So we're rooting for you and we're going to all go see Triumph.

Well, thank you so much. It's a great honor to be a part of this show and thank you for all the— what y'all do and what you do with your work. And it's again, we'll see what happens, but thank you so much.

You're welcome. And we end every show with a quote and today it's this. "Can't is a decision that I don't accept," said RJ Mitty. This is Joyce Bender, America's Voice, where disability matters, at voiceamerica.com. Talk to you all next week.

Voice America would like to thank you for tuning in. Please join us next Tuesday at 11 AM Pacific time and 2 PM Eastern time for another installment of Disability Matters right here on the Voice America Variety Channel.

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