International Periscope

Frankie Valli

"Jersey Boys," the musical based on the lives of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, just won the Tony for best musical. Valli spoke with Nicki Gostin.

Was it weird seeing your life story on stage?
I'm on a cloud.

You must have dealt with a lot of mobsters.
I never had a problem. They never discussed their per-sonal business, and I never borrowed money from a loan shark or was owned by anybody.

Tell me a Frank Sinatra story—and not about what a nice guy he was. I want an a—hole story.
I don't have any a—hole stories. I was friendly with Frank for 10 years. Anybody he gave crap to deserved it.

Oh, please.
Did you ever know him?

Yeah, we were best friends. Of course I didn't know him!
He was a street kid and so was I. Both from Jersey. He always gave me good ad-vice. No one ever talks about the blank checks he gave to people. What did he ever do bad? He hung out with guys who were supposed to be Mob-connected. So what? That didn't make him a gangster.

What's your favorite pasta dish?
I do a variation of different sauces with ziti, penne, tomato, basil, some wine and some secret ingredients.

Give me the secret ingredients right now.
No way.