Murdoch Kid's Godfather: Tony Blair

Which could be problematic, given phone-hacking scandal
By Polly Davis Doig,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 5, 2011 8:41 AM CDT
Murdoch Kid's Godfather: Tony Blair
Former British prime minister Tony Blair gives an address to business and political leaders in Sydney on July 29, 2011.   (Getty Images)

Wendi Deng Murdoch may be no one to trifle with when there's a foam pie involved, but octogenarian hubby Rupert is probably wishing she had shut her piehole on this one: Seems that during an interview with Vogue, Mrs. Murdoch let slide that former British PM Tony Blair is the godfather of one of their young daughters—pretty cool if you're 9-year-old Grace Murdoch, but highly embarrassing if you're her News Corp CEO dad, whose recent phone-hacking scandal revealed just how cozy British media are with politicians.

The Murdochs' two young daughters were baptized last year on the banks of the Jordan; at that time, Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman were listed as godparents, and no mention was made of Blair. A News Corp rep, however, confirms that he is the godfather; the Vogue article refers to him as one of Wendi Murdoch's "closest friends." Blair is declining to comment, but the Telegraph notes that the Blair-Murdoch bond could explain the former PM's relative silence during the phone-hacking scandal. (More Rupert Murdoch stories.)

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