I want to wish a very happy birthday to my dear friend, Mr. Frankie Valli. Today Frankie is 83 years old and he is still performing better than ever. Frankie has always been a person that has been great to me and my friends. He is truly my generation’s Sinatra.
Frankie has always shown his kindness to people not associated with the arts, yet people around the arts always feel like a big deal when Frankie is around. I won’t forget being at a function where there were many big stars there, including Frankie. All of a sudden Paul McCartney walked into the room and the minute he spotted Mr. Valli, he went up to him, put his arm around him, wished him well and started to sing “Sherry.” If that doesn’t tell you, how big Frankie really is, then nothing does.
The classic line in the movie Goodfellas was when Lorraine Bracco screams at Ray Liotta for not showing up to their date. “You got some nerve standing me up like that last night! Nobody does that to me! Who the Hell do you think you are? Frankie Valli or some kinda bigshot?”
Frankie has always been a hero to me and a lot of my friends. To say that I have probably been to 200 of his shows in my lifetime is an understatement. There are (at least) two things that will always be special to me about Frankie. First, when he was on Broadway and his show was sold out, I bought tickets from a scalper. When Frankie found out, he got upset with me, because he said, “no matter what, you never pay at my show.” And, last year, when I couldn’t attend his show, but my son Ricky went, Frankie spent most of his time babysitting Ricky, despite many of Frankie’s friends being there to see him.
That’s just who Frankie Valli is — one of the really good guys that I have known in my life of sports and entertainment. You’re just too good to be true!