Rupert Murdoch began by saying it was ‘the most humble day of my life’.
He ended it covered in a shaving foam ‘custard pie’ after a protester stormed the room where he was giving evidence to MPs – receiving a slap from Mr Murdoch’s wife, Wendi, for his pains.
The protester – identified as ‘comedian’ Jonnie Marbles – was arrested. Mr Murdoch reappeared shortly afterwards, in shirt-sleeves. Mr Murdoch’s immaculately-tailored jacket will survive his ordeal. His reputation will not.
For this was not the all-powerful media mogul of popular imagination. This was a visibly shrunken 80-year-old man, who hesitated and stumbled over his answers and seemed genuinely ignorant of how the News of the World – the jewel in his newspaper crown – had been run.
This was a man lain low. The MPs, who had seen colleagues cower before him and court his favour, enjoyed their revenge.
Mr Murdoch denied knowledge of – and blame for – the hacking scandal which has engulfed his empire. He said he had been ‘let down’ by people he ‘trusted'’. He said he had been ‘clearly’ misled.
Several times his son James – chairman of his father’s newspaper business – tried to help him answer. The MPs were having none of it. Tom Watson, the inquisitor-in-chief, insisted on hearing from Mr Murdoch himself.
Mr Murdoch said he had not been told of out-of-court settlements to hacking victims. He said he seldom spoke to the editor of the News of the World and had ‘perhaps lost sight’ of what was happening at the paper.
It was difficult not to believe him when he said, with a confused scowl, he had ‘never heard of’ former News of the World chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck. For this kind of admission didn’t protect him from the toxic stench around the paper; it simply made him look out-of-touch.
James Murdoch had plenty to say – although not much that cast light on what had happened. He seemed uncomfortable and occasionally evasive, denying having ‘direct knowledge’ of events at the News of the World.
Later, a contrite-looking Rebekah Brooks – former chief executive of News International and an ex-editor of the News of the World – insisted she was repeatedly told by staff that allegations of phone hacking were untrue. It was only during a civil damages case by actress Sienna Miller last year that she realised how serious the situation was, she said. There was no knockout blow. But the hunter has well and truly become the hunted.
Those howling for the dismantling of the Murdoch empire were furious that Mr Marbles stunt might have stolen the headlines with his juvenile prank. They need not have worried.
A pie in the face of a faltering 80-year-old man. Not big, not clever - but as a metaphor, not entirely wrong.
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in paper scissors stone does pie beat shoe?
Foam... that will really have hurt him. Tut
Throwing things at an 80 year old is not acceptable. Leave it to the law courts now.
I don't like alot of what the Murdoch empire produces but as a guest of the Houses of Parliment, it is unacceptable to see an 80 year old assaulted anywhere.
Only foam. Oh dear, what whimps we British are!
What a waste of good shaving foam!
Please borrow my hedge trimmer next time :O(
What an idiot!
Security and Organisation of the event was top notch then. Typical. Were people searched by security before going in. "What's this then?" "A paper plate sir, I've brought my lunch with me". And what's this? A tube of cream sir, part of my lunch".. Tomorrow morning copper or sergeant at arms staffer looks in mirror and asks the image "have I got common sense to suspect a demonstrative act?"
This might well have had the opposite effect to that intended. The shocking attack on an 84 year old man has brought him a lot of sympathy, and distracted attention from his appearance before the committee.
In addition the security has shown itself to be totally incompetent (not the Police again was it?) this could have been much much worse.
A stupid stunt which was carried out in the worst place it could have been, if it had been done at the door then it might have been a little different, but it was effectively done in court and he could now be charged not only with assault but contempt of parliament.
What an appaling breech of security.It was a foam pie but could have been a knife i depair of the politics of someone who thinks its acceptable to assault an 80 year old man.
This has to be a world first - HANDCUFFED FOR CUSTARD PIE'ING SOMEONE. Whatever next, arrested for dancing perhaps ?
Foam pie thrown,clown prosecution service informed!!
80 year old man. If I was his bodyguard, the perpetrator would spend the next week shifting through his own body waste looking for his front teeth to emerge.
Bet they dont make it stick.
Perfect Simpsons episode , as chief wigham saves Burns from Crusty in pieliament. You couldnt make it up.
Sounds like he had a close shave!
Now that the anarchists and Socialist Worker storm troopers have become involved,it is becoming clear as to what is going on! The Marxists and Milliband view it as a victory over the right of center establishment and what they want out of newspapers in future are versions of Pravda. OK,the NOW was at fault over the hacking but the Left are really making a meal of it! The MPs are loving it because it is revenge for their expenses fiddles being exposed. I feel sorry for the two police chiefs who have resigned because I think that they are decent men,unlike Ian Blair--Tony's pet poodle!
There are many comments of sympathy for a man who has employed and protected the people that have without thought interfered with a police investigation by hacking phones and deleted messages without a second thought of consiquence and who have also soiled precious moments between people who have never given reason for his squallid little news paper to interfear in their lives. With soft sympathetic attitudes like many of you " his an old man "type in society this maggot will get off the hook and some other mug will take the fall. Security seems to have been quite weak, imagine if someone he has really upset had got close to him today, he could have seriously been hurt. The point is he his lucky it was only a shaving foam and I'm glad someone went to the trouble of making a pount. Sadly that does'nt happen enough in this country anymore. Don't let this incident mask what this is about.
To attack an 80 year old is disgusting. You may or may not like Rupert Murdoch and I don't know him personally so am not in a position to judge but you just don't attack an old man.
Hi son showed remarkable restraint because if somebody had a pop at my 80 year Great Uncle for example or my 80 year old neighbour then they would have been forcibly restrained in the strongest manner by me.
This was shown live accross the world and it was compelling and just as it was getting to the nitty gritty in comes an oaf who does this. Great show to the world Britain. We say that we are trying to make Afghanistan secure yet can't stop an 80 year old being attacked in a parlimentary building by this left wing journo/comedian!
It surprises me to say it but my sympathy goes to Murdoch and this probably did him a whole lot of good.
The master media mogul couldn't have planned it better himslef.
A close shave
What is the country coming to, when a man giving evidence to a select committee is subjected to a vicious attack by an attention seeking loon? Some of the comments on here are childish and do not appear to show any concern for the awful event. I do despair - it makes me ashamed to be British!
Only a friend, trying to gain sympathy for the old rogue, or an idiot would think this trick a good idea.
looks like same level of security at this hearing as what there was around his dodgy newspaper im pretty sure the foam pie wasnt as hurtfull as some of the phone hacking that went on in milly dowlers family lives for instance
Yes it's all well and good to laugh at these lunatic antics but the actions of this clown helped the Murdochs to deflect the spotlight away from them and their corrupt empire. This corruption has been going on for years but a good number of people, all with something to hide, have tried to bury it. Remember Robert Calvi- 'God's banker' initially called a suicide and subsequently proved to be another form of death, Dr David Kelly whistle blower on the lack of WMDs initially called a suicide and now Sean Hoare, whistle blower to the NOTW hacking case initially hinted at being a suicide. .There are dark forces at work but, with clowns like this pie thrower, will we ever get to the truth?
Bet Murdoch paid him!!!!!
I know coz I foam-hacked Murdock's mobile.