Paul Anka criticizes ex-wife over appeal of child-custody ruling

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After Paul Anka's ex-wife announced she would appeal a recent court ruling that gave the Canadian crooner custody of the couple's young son, the Having My Baby singer blasted his former wife, Anna Anka.

"Narcissists never quit, and that's what's going on here," the entertainer told The Globe and Mail. "Anna is a sore loser. She has nothing but time and has no caring for her children."

Anka and the former Miss Sweden married in 2008 and divorced two years later. In late June, after a bitter court battle, a judge in Ventura County, Calif., gave sole physical and legal custody of 11-year-old Ethan to the 76-year-old singer. It was reported that the boy had testified in court that he had "an intense dislike of his mother." Judge Henry Walsh ruled visitation would only take place "by agreement between petitioner and respondent."

"The judge basically said, 'I'm just going to let Paul Anka decide,'" Anna Anka told the New York Daily News. "That's unconstitutional. I have a right. Even if I was a murderer, I should still get to see my kid with supervised visitation."

The Ottawa native Anka, famous for '50s pop hits Diana, Lonely Boy and Put Your Head on My Shoulder, and for writing the English lyrics to My Way, Thursday dismissed his former wife's comments. "The custody battle is over and done with. It is old news. The California system, much to its credit, listens to the children."

The singer was in the news earlier this week when it was revealed in a Page Six story that he had no intention to refund a $75,000 (U.S.) deposit for a cancelled charity event at President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla. The LIFE (Leaders in Furthering Education) Lady in Red Gala was moved to another venue at another date following the President's controversial remarks about the recent violence in Charlottesville, Va.

"We offered to perform later in January, but we can't do the show on the new date they set because I'm taking a family trip to Europe then," explained Anka. "We're running a business."

In January, the crooner backed out of performing at Trump's inauguration, citing a scheduling conflict related to the custody battle over his son. He was to sing My Way at a Washington ball for Trump's first dance with his wife, Melania, as President and first lady.

Asked about his relationship with Trump, the singer said he's known the President for 50 years. "I've worked for him. He's a friend. I don't get involved in politics."