Murdoch pie-thrower has ‘respect’ for Wendi
The man who threw a plate of shaving foam at Rupert Murdoch tells Channel 4 News he knew it was the right thing to do and that he has “much respect” for Wendi Deng for fighting back.
Jonathan May-Bowles, known as Jonnie Marbles, was watched by a worldwide audience of millions as he threw a shaving-foam pie at Rupert Murdoch during a select committee hearing.
The News Corporation boss and his son, James Murdoch, were being questioned by MPs about the phone-hacking scandal.
The session was coming to a close when Mr May-Bowles lunged towards Murdoch senior and covered him in shaving foam.
He told Channel 4 News he was “shocked” that he was not prevented from getting to the media tycoon.
“I knew it was the right thing to do … I’m a very polite person in ordinary life and it was quite a rude thing I was doing so I felt quite embarrassed about it.”
May-Bowles described the select committee as “almost completely toothless”.
He added: “What I did took up about ten minutes of time, they extended the hearing and the extent to which people are saying it ruined our chance to hold the Murdochs to account is a bit silly really.”
The hearing was briefly suspended while Rupert Murdoch was given a chance to clean up and Mr May-Bowles was apprehended by police.
The incident catapulted Mr Murdoch’s wife, Wendi Deng, into the media spotlight.
Captured on camera and broadcast to millions, Wendi Deng leapt from her seat and brought her open palm down hard on Jonathan May-Bowles head before picking up the paper plate and trying to push it back into the man’s face.
As video of the attack circulated worldwide, chatter spread across the internet hailing Deng’s actions.
Mr May-Bowles said: “Wendi Deng pushed someone else out of the way and leapt across the desk and hit me.
“I’m not going to say anything negative about that, much respect to her for doing that, it was quite incredible.
“She hit me once and then picked up the plate and threw it back at me – pie-ing the pie-er is quite a thing to do!”
