We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Michele Palermo a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Michele , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What was your first dollar earned as a creative?

It’s actually a fun story, but first I have to a tiny bone to pick and please don’t hate me for doing it. I’m not a fan of the use of “a creative” to describe people. This term originated in corporate culture to marginalize creative talent. It’s a bit of a mission with me to call out the usage when I hear it, because 1) it lumps artists and artisans and crafters into one giant nebulous category and 2) allows people who don’t actually create anything to jump right in and call themselves “a creative”. I know it’s not a popular stance, because suddenly it’s everywhere and everyone is using it, and calling out my interviewer during an interview might be a really bad idea… but I am, first and foremost, a writer. And “creative” is an adjective. Calling someone “a creative” is like calling someone a “nice”. O.K., got that out of the way, so if you’re still going to print my interview… ;)

The first dollar earned on my creative journey was as an actor (that’s how I started, way back in the day) playing the role of “Amy” in CHARLEY’S AUNT” at the Lazy Susan Dinner Theater in Woodbridge, Virginia. The motto we actors made up for the place was: “Come for the apple butter, stay for the show.” But I was getting paid $25 per show to ACT! Plus, I got to wait tables for extra money! O.K., I did have to go out in costume during intermission and hear peoples’ reviews of my performance first-hand, but I was 23 and I was earning as a “professional actor”. Plus, combined with the waitering, I actually saved some money from that gig. Two of my cast mates and I pooled our savings to start the So Far Theater Company in Washington D.C. We stayed alive for 2 seasons, and that experience set me on the creative path that led me to where I am now – creating as a writer, director and independent producer. But I still can’t eat apple butter. ;)

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Back when I was acting in the ’80s and ’90s, there weren’t a whole lot of good roles for women. I mean, it’s still a pretty lopsided industry, and don’t even get me started on ‘reality’ TV and how it continues to misrepresent women—seriously, I could rant about that for hours.

Anyway, I started writing because I wanted to create the kind of roles I wanted to play. And at some point, I realized, ‘Hey, I think I can actually contribute more as a writer than I can as an actor.’ Turns out, I was right. I’ve written plays that have been performed all over the country, screenplays, TV episodes, and pilots, always with women at the center—strong, complex female characters that I really believe in. But here’s the thing—over the years, I got really tired of waiting around for permission to tell the stories I wanted to tell.

So I launched my own production company, WerdGerl—yes, it’s misspelled because my mom, who passed away in March (miss her every day), was always my first reader and loved reminding me I was a great writer but a terrible speller! With WerdGerl, I’ve independently produced two films, four plays, a web series, and most recently, the first season of *MIDDLEHOOD*—an eight-episode, half-hour comedy inspired by my own life and family. I wrote it, directed it, produced it, and honestly, it’s an amazing show. Our international sales rep, Caroline Kusser, is working so hard to get it picked up in this crazy market. So, hey, if you want to see a really awesome, female-driven show, jump on Threads, X, or wherever you like to @ and @Netflix, @Hulu, @AmazonPrime, @AppleTV+, @Tubi, @whoever, and tell them to buy *MIDDLEHOOD*!”

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Absolutely! It’s all about widening the playing field, opening doors, and creating real pathways for yet-to-be-discovered talented people to shine.

There’s so much talent out there, but the entertainment industry is so focused on sticking with what’s already known that maybe 10% of artists ever get the chance to share their gifts with an audience. And that’s just… wrong. You hear execs complain all the time about the lack of ‘fresh, new stories’ in film and TV. But when you only let a handful of people write the stories—and they all have to be based on existing intellectual property—well, of course you’re not getting anything fresh or new! The same thing applies to actors.

Take *MIDDLEHOOD*, for example. We have, hands down, the best cast ever assembled for a TV show. And I’m not just saying that—everyone who’s seen the show agrees! So why was this incredible group available for my little indie show with a SAG-AFTRA New Media contract? Because most of them are considered ‘no-name’ actors in Hollywood. Which, by the way, is ridiculous because they ALL have names, and the majority have been working in film, TV, and theater for years. But because many of them are over 30 and haven’t had that big lead role yet, they don’t get the chances they deserve. I didn’t care about any of that when I was casting. I only cared about who was the best actor for each role—and boy, did I get it right!

Full disclosure, I also have Mark Damon Espinoza in my cast, who plays “Bill” and he is definitely a name actor. I semi-begged him to come on board because, like so many women my age, I have been crushing on him big time since he was on BEVERLY HILLS, 90210 – he and Gabrielle Carteris are the whole reason I watched that show. Spoiler alert: *MIDDLEHOOD* marked their first onscreen reunion since that show decades ago!

But here’s the challenge I’m facing now: I made this great series with an amazing cast, but because I’m not a star show-runner, and my incredible cast is full of ‘unknown’ actors, and the show isn’t based on some pre-existing IP, it’s been tough getting a network or streamer to take a chance on us. But someone will. I truly believe that. And when that happens, the playing field is going to widen a bit, that door will open a little more, and there’ll be a new path for others to walk down.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

You know how everyone’s all about the ‘buy local’ movement these days? Well, I say ART LOCAL!

Seriously, go see your local theater—and I don’t just mean the big Broadway roadshow productions. If you’re in LA, for example, check out the Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks (https://www.whitefiretheatre.com), they do amazing shows all year long, including an award-winning Solo-Fest! There are so many incredible gems right under your nose that you can miss if you’re too too focused on the mainstream stuff.

And hey, if you’re not in LA, no worries! Practically every city and town has some kind of theater company. Support them! Go! And it’s not just theater! Film festivals are everywhere now. Your town probably has at least one. Buy a ticket—or ten! Take your whole friend group and make a day of it. These festivals are where the real exciting stuff happens—where you get to see films before anyone else does, meet the filmmakers, and feel like you’re part of something special.

And bookstores—local bookstores are everything. Walk in, browse around, buy a book from an author you’ve never heard of before. Then there are art fairs and galleries—you’d be surprised at the incredible talent in your own community. Local clubs and bars have live music and stand-up comedy happening all the time.

The best way to grow a creative scene? Start where you are. Support what’s happening in your own backyard. And if your town doesn’t have a community theater, or a film festival, or an art fair, or a music festival—start one! Round up some people who share your passion for art and create something together. Art is all around us, and we’ve got to nurture it. Is your local high school putting on a show? Go see it! There’s something so pure about watching the next generation dive into creating. It’s energizing.

So yeah, ART LOCAL, beautiful humans! The next big thing might be happening right in your neighborhood – don’t miss out!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.middehood.tv
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/middlehoodtvshow
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MiddlehoodTVshow
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-palermo/
• Twitter: I don’t do X – stopped when Musk took over

Image Credits

Photo #2 Bianca Catbagan; Photo #3 Paul Prissel

Photos #3 and #4 Mark Damon Espinoza and Elena Wohl play fictionalized version of Michele and her husband Paul Prissel in MIDDLEHOOD.