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Late Friday, Brad Pitt's publicist executed a classic, "issue a press release and run like hell for the safety of the weekend" PR maneuver, dropping this bomb about her client's decision to hyphenate Angelina Jolie's growing refugee brood:

A legal petition seeking to change the names of the children to Zahara Jolie-Pitt and Maddox Jolie-Pitt was filed Friday in Los Angeles, publicist Cindy Guagenti said in a written statement to The Associated Press.

"We are confirming that Brad Pitt is in the process of becoming the adoptive father of both children," the statement said. "No further comment is being made."

Rumors of an off-screen relationship between the stars of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" have been circulating for a year. Pitt accompanied Jolie to Ethiopia in July to pick up Zahara, now about 10 months old.

What else do Pitt and Jolie need to do for the media to stop buying into their coy refusal to admit they're a couple? Pitt's already publicly helped Jolie withdraw a baby from the Ethiopian orphan bank, taught her son how be a stuntman, and pretended to be interested in whatever's going on in Pakistan. Perhaps they're waiting for the People spread revealing Jolie's latest tattoo, I am totally having sex with this woman. Love, Brad Pitt PS—Lots of sex! PPS—Hi Maddox and Zah! Daddy loves you!, before committing to the reality of their relationship.