Ambulance called for Avalon before ‘Idol’

Singer became shaky after eating only a bag of candy all day

Frank Micelotta / AP

Frankie Avalon sings onstage on "American Idol" Wednesday night. The pop legend almost didn't make it to the stage, as he became shaky and was tended to by paramedics before the show.

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Access Hollywood

updated 3:09 p.m. ET April 13, 2009

LOS ANGELES - Pop legend Frankie Avalon surprised the “American Idol” audience Wednesday night singing his classic hit “Venus,” but his performance almost never happened.

An ambulance was called for Avalon before he took the stage after he became shaky from having not eaten all day, the singer revealed.

“I ate a whole bag of those red candies, and all of a sudden 20 minutes before the show, I get the shakes,” Avalon told Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush on “The Billy Bush Show” on Thursday.

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”[The paramedics] took my blood pressure and asked me questions and all that stuff,” he continued.

But Avalon told the emergency medical team that the show must go on!

“I said, ‘Hey, I am on in five minutes!’ And of course, I did the show and everything was fine after that,” he added.

“Idol” host Ryan Seacrest was busy updating fans after the incident occurred, writing on his Twitter account, “Frankie Avalon almost didn’t go on ... paramedics were called. Close call but we love him!”

Despite his medical scare, Avalon turned out a stellar performance — even making judge Simon Cowell smile.