Gary Coleman's Newest Role

By Stephen M. Silverman

07/21/1998 at 12:00 AM EDT

As part of a blow-out party last night, New York's Tribeca Film Center, co-founded by Robert De Niro, honored the Web site UGO.com, which features an advice column by -- of all people -- former "Diff'rent Strokes" child star Gary Coleman. (UGO stands for Under Ground Online). The diminutive actor-writer, 32, put in an appearance to pick up the film center's Ruler's Edge Award. Dressed in a suit and tie and sporting an uncharacteristic beard, Coleman told PEOPLE: "When they called me to tell me about the award, I said, 'Cool.' Tribeca recognized that UGO has great content. We have news, entertainment, animation and soon we'll have live action." Coleman's advice column, "Coleman Confidential," started appearing last month and he has it's already attracted a devoted following. Among the questions he's answered? "Is it abnormal to eat fish sticks and smoke cigarettes at the same time?" and "What is your advice for a struggling young actor who is vertically challenged like yourself?"