Celebrating 20 Years: The Untold Story of Anchorman

Will Ferrell in Anchorman

It’s been 20 years since Ron Burgundy first appeared on the screen urging viewers to "stay classy."

Film comedy historian Saul Austerlitz joins the show to discuss his new book Kind of a Big Deal: How Anchorman Stayed Classy and Became the Most Iconic Comedy of the Twenty-First Century, which celebrates this classic movie.

Austerlitz shares the inside story of how Anchorman came to be, how it was written and cast, and how it ultimately launched the careers of future superstars like Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, and Paul Rudd. More than just a hilarious comedy, the film was actually a decade ahead of its time, taking digs at toxic masculinity and MeToo sexism. You will be surprised at some of the tidbits Austerlitz uncovered in his research on the film.