FRANKIE AVALON: `SOME MOB BOSSES ARE NICE PEOPLE'

FRANKIE AVALON: `SOME MOB BOSSES ARE NICE PEOPLE'

LOS ANGELES (Wireless Flash) -- Although some Italian-Americans think mafia-oriented shows like "The Sopranos" are bad for their image, former teen idol Frankie Avalon isn't among them. In fact, Avalon hopes to get mobbed by fans in "Fuhgedaboudit," an upcoming sitcom in which he plays a mob boss. The 60-year-old singer says he isn't worried about promoting Italian stereotypes because he figures most non- Italians envy Italians' lifestyle and food. Avalon's character is based on mafiosos he knew as a kid in South Philadelphia -- but he says he had no clue they worked for the mafia until much later because they acted so nice and were always helping out others who were low on dough.