"Have you seen Sharon in accounts? Fat? Her holiday snaps must have been taken by the Hubble telescope."
"What about Andy in marketing - sweat patches like dinner plates. His poor wife must need a full protective body suit."
"Have you seen this picture of Mariah Carey? Her fake boobs are so lopsided she could use them as water wings."
If the above sounds like a typical chat in your office then don't worry, you needn't feel any pangs of guilt because new research claims bitching is good for you.
The study, published in the June edition of the journal Personal Relationships, found that people bond by sharing "negative gossip" about others, indeed "it promotes closeness and friendship".
It would be too easy to bitch about this research. It seems another example of academics stating the bleedin' obvious, as it doesn't take a PhD to work out that people who share similar views are likely to get on.
And it isn't the first time studies have shown gossip can have positive effects. A Guardian-sponsored study found that listening to gossip could help you get a job. While it is also claimed celebrity gossip can improve your self-esteem and help you come to terms with life's hardships.
Well I guess that all explains Julie Burchill's success. But do you have any examples of positive outcomes from slagging people off?
