“Life was so much simpler in pre-video days when everyone refused invitations because the 'Forsyte Saga' was on. Now we all just have a long list of unwatched shows, all of which, it seems, our friends are raving about. I feel as outdated as if I wore a Fair Isle sweater, ate Pot Noodle and had a two-bar electric fire in the sitting room.” IfsFeelsLongTwoShowsSeemsRoomsFireSittingFairsListsBarsVideoPotElectricInvitationsSweatersSagaOutdatedIsleNoodles Author:Simon Hoggart
“The British are the last national group who can be insulted by Hollywood without any comeback. These days if you depict Italians as gangsters, Saudis as terrorists or Mexicans as violent drug dealers you'll never hear the end of it. But as still the largest - and possibly the richest - ethnic group in the States, the British just have to take it.” IfsStillsEndsStatesLastsGroupsDrugHollywoodBritishTerroristViolentThese DaysComebackDealerGangstersSaudisInsultedDrug DealersEthnic Groups Author:Simon Hoggart
“When you visit a foreign city you are in it, but not of it, separated by a glass wall. Once, while a student, I was getting dressed in my ground-floor room when a family of Italians crossed the grass to watch, as if I were laid on for their amusement and instruction.” IfsRoomsCitiesWatchesStudentsWallGlassesGrassInstructionAmusementGetting Dressed Author:Simon Hoggart
“If you read the 'Daily Mail,' you would imagine that the British middle classes lead lives of unremitting misery.” IfsClassImagineMiddleMiseryBritishMiddle ClassMailImagine ThatDaily Mail Author:Simon Hoggart
“I also learned to play Fruit Ninja on an iPad. It is quite hypnotic, and I hope one day to get past 100 points. I remembered that David Cameron admits to being an addict. I wonder if it helps him in his work. 'Great, just destroyed a pineapple! Reminds me, shall we send those grenades to the Syrian rebels?'” IfsPlayHelpingPastWonderOne DayFruitDestroyedRememberedRebelAddictIpadsCameronNinjaGrenadeHypnoticPineapples Author:Simon Hoggart
“When I was collecting material for a political gossip column, and someone said something interesting, I would wait for them to add, "and I don't want to read that in your magazine!" In which case I wouldn't use it. But if they didn't remember to say it, I'd nip off to the loo, write the story up, come back and change the subject.” IfsWantWritingSaidStoriesUseRememberPoliticalWaitingInterestingCasesSubjectsMaterialsAddMagazinesGossipCollectingColumnsSomething Interesting Author:Simon Hoggart
“Until now their line has been that the Tories are incapable of doing anything about poverty, and aren't interested in doing it in the first place. By contrast, Labour says, we are also incapable of doing anything about poverty, but would dearly love to do something. If we knew what.” IfsFirstsHas BeensLinesPovertyLabourContrastIncapable Author:Simon Hoggart
“America loves the representation of its heroes to be not just larger than life, but stupendously, awesomely bigger than anything else. If blue whales built statues to each other they'd be smaller then these.” IfsAmericaHeroBuiltBiggerBlueLegacyRepresentationStatuesWhalesLarger Than Life Author:Simon Hoggart
