{{Short description|Canadian television host and actor}} {{Use Canadian English|date=March 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox person | name = Phil Guerrero | image = Phil Guerrero.jpg | caption = | birth_name = Jacques Philip Guerrero | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|6|6}} <ref name=BvdGinterview /><ref>{{cite web |title=YTV The Zone with original commercials (1994) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nk2PXf_yu1Y |access-date=14 April 2026 |date=18 May 2017}}</ref> | birth_place = Canada | occupation = {{hlist|Television host|actor|voice actor|musician}} | years_active = 1989–present | known_for = ''The Zone'' on YTV }}
'''Phil Guerrero''', also known as '''PJ "Fresh" Phil''', is a Canadian television host, actor, voice actor, and musician. He is best known for hosting ''The Zone'' on YTV throughout the 1990s, where he was one of the network's most prominent program jockeys (PJs).<ref name="blogto-pjs">{{cite web |last=Conroy |first=Ed |title=The top 10 YTV PJs of all time |url=https://www.blogto.com/film/2015/02/the_top_10_ytv_pjs_of_all_time/ |website=blogTO |date=October 22, 2022 |access-date=March 18, 2026}}</ref><ref name="complex">{{cite web |last=Guagliardi |first=Kassandra |title=PJ Phresh Phil Talks About His YTV Days and the New Retro Collection |url=https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/a/kassandraguagliardi/pj-phresh-phil-ytv-retro-collection-interview |website=Complex |date=November 17, 2021 |access-date=March 18, 2026}}</ref>
== Early life ==
One of Phil's earliest television appearance was on a segment of the first season of OWL/TV, where he and other children in the Hoot Club built a giant totem pole out of paper and cardboard. <ref>{{cite web |title=YTV - The Zone - PJ Fresh Phil Shares His Appearance on OWL/TV from 1983 [September 1993] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrIQ5dALF1g |access-date=13 April 2026 |date=26 October 2020}}</ref>
He attended Upper Canada College in Toronto, before eventually being kicked out in 10th grade and reenrolling at Jarvis Collegiate Institute. <ref>{{cite web |title=Episode 106: Phil Guerrero |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hAbuFQOjTA |website=YouTube |publisher=The Graphic Histories Podcast |access-date=13 April 2026 |date=30 September 2024}}</ref><ref name="complex" /> <ref name=BvdGinterview>{{cite web |last1=Blaine |first1=van der Griend |title=Blaine van der Griend interview with PJ Phil |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqYL6T1lnDo |access-date=13 April 2026 |date=18 June 2024}}</ref>
A childhood friend, Russell Chong, who worked in acting, secured Guerrero an audition for the YTV music program ''YTV Rocks''. Although he did not get the co-hosting role, he was brought on as a reporter for the show during his last year of high school in 1989.<ref name="complex" /> <ref name=BvdGinterview />
Guerrero briefly studied political science at Concordia University in Montreal before being called back by YTV for additional auditions for The Hit List and StreetNOISE, which he didn't end up getting.<ref name="complex" /><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Black |first1=Barbara |title=Names in the News |journal=Concordia's Thursday Report |date=6 June 1996 |volume=20 |issue=26 |page=9 |url=https://archive.org/details/thursday-report-1996-june-6/page/9/mode/1up |access-date=13 April 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ep.05 - Talking with "PJ" Phil Guerrero |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWruaHngq50 |access-date=14 April 2026 |date=15 March 2025}}</ref>
== Career ==
=== YTV (1991–1999) === Guerrero began his career at YTV after being offered a three-day-per-week, six-month contract as a program jockey (PJ) for the network's after-school programming block.<ref name="complex" /> He became the host of ''The Afterschool Zone'' (later renamed The Zone), YTV's flagship programming block that aired weekday afternoons, where he introduced shows such as ''Mighty Morphin Power Rangers'', ''Goosebumps'', ''Sailor Moon'', and ''Are You Afraid of the Dark?''.<ref name="complex" /><ref name="kcc">{{cite web |title=Guest Announcement: Phil Guerrero (PJ Phil) |url=https://kitchenercomiccon2.wixsite.com/kcc2024/post/guest-announcement-phil-guerrero-pj-phil |website=Kitchener Comic Con |date=August 20, 2024 |access-date=March 18, 2026}}</ref> On ''The Zone'', he interacted with puppet characters including Snit and the Grogs.<ref name="fancons">{{cite web |title=Phil Guerrero |url=https://fancons.com/guests/bio/4510/phil-guerrero |website=FanCons.com |access-date=March 18, 2026}}</ref>
Guerrero also hosted several other YTV programs during this period, including ''The Anti-Gravity Room'', ''Gamerz'' and ''Warp'', the latter alongside fellow PJ Paul McGuire.<ref name="blogto-pjs" /><ref name="kcc" />
From 1993 to 1998, Guerrero was a host of ''Dark Night'', YTV's annual Halloween programming special. The first ''Dark Night'' (1993) featured Guerrero alongside PJs Jenn and Ashna on a candlelit set with extended episodes of ''Are You Afraid of the Dark?''.<ref name="blogto-dark">{{cite web |title=That time when Halloween was the Dark Night |url=https://www.blogto.com/city/2013/10/that_time_when_halloween_was_the_dark_night/ |website=blogTO |access-date=March 18, 2026}}</ref> The specials grew in scope over subsequent years; ''Dark Night 3'' (1995) was filmed at Casa Loma, and ''Dark Night 4'' (1996) featured Guerrero and McGuire in a narrative filmed on the streets of Toronto near YTV's Jefferson Avenue headquarters.<ref name="blogto-dark" /> ''Dark Night 5'' (1997) employed found footage techniques predating ''The Blair Witch Project''.<ref name="blogto-dark" />
In 1999, Guerrero co-hosted the 10th Annual YTV Achievement Awards.
In 2015, blogTO ranked Guerrero as the number one YTV PJ of all time, calling him "the undisputed King of PJs" who "encouraged a generation of Canadian kids to pick up a guitar and follow their dreams."<ref name="blogto-pjs" />
=== ''Karaoke Star Jr.'' (2009) === In 2009, Guerrero returned to YTV as the host of ''Karaoke Star Jr.'', a children's singing competition series that premiered on March 16, 2009. Paul McGuire hosted the companion adult version, ''Karaoke Star'', on CMT.
=== Acting and voice acting === Guerrero has acted in several film and television productions. His credits include a role as Fernando in ''Relic Hunter'' (1999), Young Lover in ''The Ladies Man'' (2000), and Lee Fung in ''The Returned'' (2013).
From 2000 to 2002, he voiced the character Ace Nakamura, the protagonist's best friend, in the Nelvana-produced animated series ''Pelswick'', which aired on CBC and Nickelodeon.<ref name="btva">{{cite web |title=Phil Guerrero (visual voices guide) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Phil-Guerrero/ |website=Behind The Voice Actors |access-date=March 18, 2026}}</ref>
=== Music === Guerrero is also a musician and guitarist. In 2003, he joined the industrial/gothic rock band Razed in Black, fronted by Romell Regulacion, as their lead guitar player, touring North America.<ref name="kcc" />
=== Convention appearances === Since 2012, Guerrero has been active on the Canadian fan convention circuit, making appearances at events including Atomic Lollipop, Hamilton Comic Con, Kitchener Comic Con, Anime Toronto, and others across Canada.<ref name="fancons" />
== Filmography == ===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes |- | 1991–1999 || ''The Zone'' || Host (PJ Phil) || YTV programming block |- | 1993–1998 || ''Dark Night'' || Host || YTV Halloween specials |- | 1999 || ''Relic Hunter'' || Fernando || Television series |- | 1999 || ''10th Annual YTV Achievement Awards'' || Co-host || |- | 2000–2002 || ''Pelswick'' || Ace Nakamura (voice) || Animated series |- | 2006 || ''Style Me with Rachel Hunter'' || Contestant || Reality series |- | 2009 || ''Karaoke Star Jr.'' || Host || YTV |- |}
===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes |- | 2000 || ''The Ladies Man'' || Young Lover || Film |- | 2013 || ''The Returned'' || Lee Fung || Film |}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb name|id=0346240|name=Phil Guerrero}} * {{facebook|jphilipguerrero}} * {{Instagram|pjfreshphil}} * {{threads|pjfreshphil}} * {{YouTube|h=jphilipguerrero}} * {{twitter|pjfreshphil}} * {{LinkedIn user | id= phil-guerrero-42485535}}
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Category:Canadian television hosts Category:Canadian male voice actors Category:Canadian male television actors Category:Canadian male film actors Category:Canadian guitarists Category:Male actors from Toronto Category:Musicians from Toronto
Category:Living people
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)