Jersey Boys Blog

By Audrey Rockman

Having voted for various luminaries like so many JB Blog readers, in this third ‘class’ of the New Jersey Hall of Fame, I received my emailed invitation to the press conference last Thursday- which would unveil the final 15 out of hundreds of original names – a process begun many, many months ago. Thirty names had been painstakingly selected to put before the masses for a vote. I was anxious to be there when Frankie’s name would undoubtedly be announced.

If this is a Jersey story, we gotta start at the beginning. I wanted copies of the Four Seasons Old Neighborhood Tour news article, as I passed through Princeton on my way to the one o’clock event. The Kinkos employee noticed the Four Seasons headline and told me that he hailed from the ‘Old Neighborhood,’ as well. I’m not surprised anymore when people throughout NJ own Newark as their first hometown. He went on to tell me that his best friend had dated Frankie’s daughter back in the day. I also get used to folks claiming to have a connection to Frankie, so I skeptically asked what her name was. Darn, if he didn’t come up with “Toni” at which point, I pulled out my notebook and showed him a picture of Toni, (which he immediately recognized), with other Seasons’ family members at the street naming eighteen months ago in Union. As I gathered my papers, I asked THE question—“Have you seen Jersey Boys yet?” Add another person to the list of those who WANT to see it, but has somehow yet to buy a ticket.

Arriving in plenty of time, my mother and I parked and crossed the busy, downtown street, coming upon a young man, who before I could ask for the location of the State Museum, inquired if we were looking for the Hall of Fame event. Maybe it was my bright red JERSEY BOYS bag??!

Having the same destination, we started chatting as we walked. Like many of my conversations, even my everyday ones, we were on the subject of Jersey Boys in seconds. Gary Gellman, who had given me his business card (and I later learned is a supporter of the Hall of Fame), commented that if I know Jersey Boys, I probably know ‘Erica.’ Wishing to validate his insider impression of me, my mind started racing through tons of cast members from over the years, as well as producers and marketing people. I must remember not to make things harder than need be—Erica Piccinni, of course!; the original Broadway Lorraine. He said not only is Erica his cousin, but that her husband – who many will remember proposed to Erica on a JB stage – is also his cousin on the other side of the family, (although that had nothing to do with how they met). Like they say….family is everything, especially in Jersey.

Once inside, Governor-elect Chris Christie took the podium to introduce the selected 15 before the assembled press. Mr. Christie had a story here and there as he went through NJ’s finest. For instance, mentioning that he remembered well his daughter’s school report on women’s rights activist, Alice Paul. The audience offered polite applause for many of those whose qualifications the soon-to-be-governor recounted.

Was it my imagination though, that when he neared the end of the alphabet, I saw the most enthusiastic applause as he announced…Frankie Valli?! Naaahhh, that was real; it wasn’t no vision. I discovered that, like everyone I talk to when researching the ‘Old Neighborhood’, even Mr. Christie has a Frankie Valli connection as he shared the memory of Frankie performing at his brother’s wedding! (By the way, maybe I should incorporate the other two Newark-born inductess into my next bus tour. I got ten ideas already.) I was pleased to see one inductee from my hometown of Edison-Susan Sarandon. Christie went on to note, after reading Woodrow Wilson’s name…if it takes three years to get a guy who was governor, then president, and a Nobel Prize recipient into the NJ Hall of Fame, then you know that getting into this isn’t so easy.

Of course, certain individuals aren’t crazy about living in a state where you have to drive to a landfill next to a dump next to a turnpike to cheer from a team that’s from New York. But then a lot of other individuals, like me, are proud to live here and enjoy reflecting on the human resources which have been fostered in this state. The gala Hall of Fame induction event, which will presumably feature Frankie Valli, along with many honorees past and present, accepting the honor in person, will be held on Sunday, May 2 at NJ PAC in Newark, NJ. Tickets, some priced as low as $25, go on sale March 1; but are available now to sponsors and donors. For more information, don’t call Gyp, but rather visit the NJ Hall of Fame website or contact Executive Director, Don Jay Smith at 908-832-1020.