is there any better man to pin your dreams on?

I'm sure many of you have noticed through my various stories of interacting with Hollywood legends (Jerry O'Connell, Lou Diamond Phillips, Fred Savage, and Christine Lakin), my mom was always in favor of me being famous. It's a blessing more than it could ever be a curse. I'm sure I've told you all about, the Cheerios ad application. Well when that didn't pan out, at the ripe old age of two, mom got me a mentor. Now you might have a mentor in your life, a parent, a professional in a field that you like, or maybe it's a star of sports or TV that you will probably never meet. I'd love to say that I feel for you on that, but my mentor is a Hollywood actor that I've formed quite a bond with since I was two. Who? Well, Judd Nelson, of course.

Judd was contacted by my mom in 1983 anticipating my birth later in the year. She asked if he would contract himself as a fame mentor. As a student at Haverford College, Judd was a little confused. He agreed because it would be a few quick bucks. My mysterious mom said, "Okay-- I'll send for you when you're needed." She's got a bit of a Vito Corleone demeanor to her. Anyway, Judd started to think about the whole thing and figured that maybe he could be famous. He headed to New York City after graduation and scored a starring role in Making the Grade, a 1984 classic comedy about a street-smart kid getting paid to go to school for a preppy rich kid that's too lazy to go himself. After that Judd scored Fandango, a comedy that offered a bit more depth for him. After that, as I think we all know, he soared to the top of everyone's list as John Bender in The Breakfast Club-- the tough guy with more under the surface. Boom! Then came St. Elmo's Fire, where he reprised the role a bit as Alec Newbary. These two films got Judd into the ever-classic film crew, the Brat Pack. It was such a lame name.

My mom, concerned about the Brat Pack garnering poor publicity for Judd, sent for him. He returned, escorted by Tom Hagen and Luca Brasi, and my mother explained that the mentoring process would start now. She presented me and he was even more confused. I sat looking up at him, because I still didn't prefer standing at two years old. It was a rough introduction. Judd even came out and said, "What the hell do you want me to do with a two-year-old?! I'm not a wizard, I'm an expert at having a chip on my shoulder and keeping secrets from the audience." My mom reminded him of their agreement and she gave him the $25. He got to work trying to teach me piercing stares and creepy smiles. It didn't go too well, but Judd never lost faith in me. Some say that his film career really took a nose-dive after he started to help me and not focus on his own career. I'd tend to agree, but only out of professional respect. After a TV movie or two he did take on a more child-friendly role, which I accept most credit for, as Rodimus Prime in the Transformers Movie.

It was a long few years with Judd and while he helped me through life, we built quite a friendship. I still remember his strong handshake and saying, "Today you're a man," at my graduation from Kindergarten. "B is for busy-bodies, at work and at play," that was my line in the stage performance. I was still a bit amateurish though. I waved to my mom from stage. My teacher promptly yelled her ass off, but Judd was much more comforting. I think he may have gotten my mom to put a hit on the teacher too. In light of his success, Judd went on to join the cast of New Jack City in 1991, featuring Ice-T. His role was fantastic, but throughout the movie audiences expected him to turn on his team. Judd had an untrusting face. When he returned home and met with me to see what I had been up to, he was furious to find that I'd developed a love of sports. He seriously flipped his shit and vowed that never again would Buzz Beamer of Sports Illustrated for Kids come between me and my pursuit of fame. I think he may have gotten my mom to put a hit on Buzz Beamer too.

Over the next few years Judd taught me how to write for cinema. The whole cancer thing popped up in 1993 and Judd was very concerned for me. He vowed to finish writing the film that I started and make sure it got produced. Of course he left my name off the script, which I didn't mind at the time. He was my mentor and all. The film was Every Breath, which happened to feature Rebecca Arthur, who you may know as Mary Anne Spencer Bartokomous, from Perfect Strangers. It was a bit of a flop, but Judd took the hit. As time progressed and I learned how to walk again, Judd was there. He took a few jobs here and there, but he struck gold in Airheads, where he played opposite Adam Sandler and co. as the sleazy corporate dude. I laughed and cried a little on the inside.

Judd took a few years off from having a real career to teach me about failure and the hard steps you have to take to obtain fame. To do this he starred in Suddenly Susan and Steel, featuring Shaquille O'Neal. They sucked. When my senior year of high school came along Judd knew I was ready for TV and I became a school-wide celebrity by co-hosting the morning announcements with Bob Miller. (Peace out Bob!) Judd went off to star in his most famous made-for-tv role: Stanley Caldwell in Cabin by the Lake. Judd did great and I was glad to watch him from home. We were both sharing TV success and we couldn't be happier for each other. Time went on and Judd was asked to reprise his role for Return to Cabin by the Lake. He did so and nailed the role on the head for another time. This came between two insanely polar career moves for Judd. In one he wanted to teach me about taking risks. He had a role in the short anthology film on VH1 called Strange Frequency and after Return... he showed me that sometimes you have to work with Hollywood hacks in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. I was honored that he would do such things just to teach me a lesson.

In 2001 Judd decided to teach me that I should follow my dreams and one day I could achieve a true sign of distinction: he starred in the Sci-Fi Original picture, Lost Voyage. He had truly become my hero, and I was glad to call him my mentor. I decided that I needed to do something to get this fame thing on track, so I launched Pete Phillips Online. I started to build my small group of fan-friends and Judd went out on his own for a few years too. He starred in Cybermutt, about a good-natured Golden Retriever who is given bionic super powers; Santa Jr., where Santa gives the reins over to his son (opposite Lauren Holly no less); and Lost Angel with John Rhys-Davies in which a female detective fights to stop a sacrilegious serial killer. It was at this point the tables turned, and Judd came to me.

I was proud and happy to help out my old friend. I looked through his scripts and chose his next film, which is now in post-production. It's not a huge role, but it's called Black Hole, about an atomic researcher who opens a black hole right in the middle of Missouri. The Sci-Fi Channel will embrace you and make you into a genre star. Judd's going to try this one out and see what develops. As for us, we work closely and check in with each other regularly. He's not a big fan of the internet, but he's a big fan of me, and that's all that counts. I suggest that if you ever see his name on a video box you pick it up. Even is it's Santa Jr., Judd'll make it a fun ride for everyone!