0866 HKSAR Name of the Day

Wendi Deng, mainland-born wife of Rupert Murdoch

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Name Category: Rare


Updated (see end of post)

Forget the term Tiger Mum, Wendi has shown herself to be a Tiger Wife (or Lioness) when it comes to defending her aging partner.

Wendi Deng physically defends Murdoch snr, while Murdoch jnr has been attempting to verbally defend his father during the Parliamentary Committee Hearing. Pic Reuters.

Reference

'Most humble (pie) day of my life'

Repentant News Corp chief Rupert Murdoch and son James apologise during questions from British lawmakers at hearing disrupted by pie thrower
PHONE-HACKING SCANDAL
Agencies in London
Jul 20, 2011

It was a humble day for News Corp chairman and chief executive Rupert Murdoch and his son yesterday at a hearing where lawmakers questioned their role in a phone-hacking scandal that has embroiled some of Britain's top politicians, police and journalists.

As the grilling began, the elder Murdoch at first seemed repentant, banging his hands on the table and saying, "This is the most humble day of my life."

But the parliamentary committee hearing was disrupted when a protester rushed at Murdoch as he gave testimony, setting off a scuffle and spattering him with what appeared to be white foam in a foil pie dish.

The man in a check shirt approached from the left and attacked the elder Murdoch with the plate. The 80-year-old News Corp chief's Chinese-born wife Wendi Deng leaped up to defend her husband and slapped the assailant, who was dragged off by police.

The attacker refused to give his name when asked by reporters. "I'm sure Mister Murdoch will see the irony, but I cannot comment on an ongoing police investigation," he said.

The Guardian newspaper and Sky News named the attacker as Jonnie Marbles, a comedian. In a message on his Twitter account before the incident, he said: "It is a far better thing that I do now than I have ever done before."

After a 10-minute suspension, Murdoch resumed his testimony, without his suit jacket. The testimony offered a remarkable spectacle of one of the world's most powerful media magnates under the harsh spotlight of public scrutiny, sometimes seeming unfamiliar with the matters raised by the panel and frequently denying knowledge of them. He often insisted that no one at the company had been "willfully blind".

Before the pie incident, he became increasingly flustered when committee members peppered him with questions, often turning to James, chairman of News Corp's European and Asian arm, for answers.

Rupert Murdoch said he was "shocked, appalled and ashamed" at the hacking of the phone of a murdered schoolgirl by his now-shuttered News of the World tabloid.

James Murdoch repeatedly apologised for the scandal, telling British lawmakers that "these actions do not live up to the standards our company aspires to".

He also said he was not told that his firm paid big sums - £700,000 (HK$899.9 million) in one case - to settle lawsuits by phone-hacking victims. He said his father became aware of the settlement "in 2009 after a newspaper report. It was a confidential settlement".

After three hours of testimony from the Murdochs, committee members apologised for the assault. Opposition lawmaker Tom Watson finished by saying: "Mr Murdoch, your wife has a very good left hook."

It was then former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks' turn at the hearing. She told lawmakers she intended to answer their questions as openly as possible, while remaining mindful of ongoing criminal investigations. She was arrested on Sunday, but freed on bail.

The New York Times, Associated Press, Agence France-Presse

Update

A tiger wife springs into action (SCMP; paywall)

HOW WE SEE IT

Jul 21, 2011

Rarely has a single volleyball blow had such an impact.

Described variously as a right hook to the head, a volleyball spike or an old-fashioned clip around the ear, Wendi Deng Murdoch's actions in literally leaping to her husband's defence in the British parliament saved the day for the embattled Murdoch clan.

During some three hours of humbling testimony, News Corporation tycoon Rupert Murdoch appeared out of the loop and his son, James, out of his depth.

Only the 42-year-old Deng, shooting daggers throughout while seated behind her 80-year-old husband, came out of the affair well.

When, towards the end of the grilling, Murdoch's assailant pounced with pie made of foam, Deng moved faster than anyone in the room, leaving both British bobbies and a flustered James floundering in her wake.

It is just as well she played volleyball in her younger days in Guangzhou. One shudders to think what might have happened if she had mastered the darker martial arts.

Her actions, of course, had a broader impact. They provided a useful diversion from what was otherwise a pretty bleak day at the office for Murdoch and son.

Contrite, and at times emotional, Murdoch senior nonetheless refused to take responsibility for the actions of his journalists or the private detectives contracted to his newspapers.

Murdoch Jnr, meanwhile, confirmed the controversial payment of private legal fees to staff convicted and disgraced at the start of the scandal.

As stunning as Deng's actions were, it will take a great deal more than a single act of resolute defence to save the Murdoch empire as its troubles mount on both sides of the Atlantic.