quotes of the week

When you think of Ozzy Osborne biting the head off a live chicken, or The Who smashing up their guitars on stage, it was no big deal.

Music industry executive on reports of Liam Gallagher spitting and swearing at his audience

We have bigger fish to fry and the Kurds are not very big fish.

Senior US official, on being asked why his government had done nothing to stop the Kurdish civil war before Saddam invaded

We wouldn't want to say something three years out of date like "Christmas is wicked".

Member of Church of England team that drew up posters referring to Christmas as "bad hair day"

They have the characteristics of psychopaths, but without the criminal intent.

Lisa Marshall, psychologist, on the subject of politicians

If a man is asked in, he must not assume that he has the green light for sex, although a woman who does this should not be surprised if he thinks he does.

Extract from forthcoming Debrett's updated guide to modern etiquette