Oscar moments for family, friends

FAMILY and friends marked the death anniversary of comedian Oscar Obligacion, who passed away in February 2010, with a party at the Valle Verde 6 Country Club recently.

Widow Myrna Obligacion invited Oscar’s colleagues and friends in the biz—Mila del Sol, Anita Linda, Delia Razon, Lilia Dizon, Caridad Sanchez, Gloria Sevilla, Marita Zobel, Liberty Ilagan, German Moreno, Pempe Rodrigo, Terry Tambunting and Amalia Fuentes.

The party mood was light and fun, said Anita Linda.

She recalled that, shortly before his passing, Oscar went to a party for Mila del Sol. He arrived in a wheelchair, Anita related, but got up to dance when he heard cha-cha music.

In a speech, Myrna, a budding actress when she met Oscar, said she missed her husband dearly. She and her sons Neville and Glenn sang for the party guests. “Our theme song was ‘With a Song in My Heart,’” she recounted. “On our first date, in 1952, we watched that Susan Hayward movie. He was my funny Valentine.”

Music for Japan

LONDON—Canadian pop sensation Justin Bieber and Irish rockers U2 are among the artists featured on a digital-only album being rushed by Universal Music to raise funds for Japan’s earthquake and tsunami victims. Also confirmed are Rihanna, Bon Jovi and Nicki Minaj.

The world’s biggest record label aims to make the album available by the end of the week, although the lineup of artists has yet to be fully finalized. Proceeds will go to the Japanese Red Cross, a spokesperson for the group said on Monday. “We are doing it only digitally because it is faster, and this will be a worldwide release,” he added.

Key to the album’s success will be finding more major acts willing to waive royalties for songs that appear on the record. Lady Gaga, part of the Universal stable, may be one of the stars tapped to contribute to the album, having already raised money for the victims of Japan’s recent natural disasters by selling a special wristband. Reuters

‘Worst song ever’

WASHINGTON—A California teenager’s song that has been mercilessly panned by music critics has topped 30 million views on YouTube and rocketed up Apple’s iTunes charts.

“Friday,” sung by 13-year-old Rebecca Black, was uploaded to YouTube last month by LA-based Ark Music Factory, hired by the girl’s parents to produce it for their daughter.

The video attracted scant attention until a popular comedian linked to it on his blog 10 days ago saying, “Songwriting Isn’t for Everyone.”

“I think I have talent on some level,” Black told ABC’s “Good Morning America.” AFP