By Zach Hagadone
In case you haven’t noticed, the Tuesday, Nov. 5 election is kind of a big deal. But so is Ron Burgundy, the schmoozy-schmaltzy bigshot San Diego TV news anchor played to iconic effect by Will Ferrell in the 2004 comedy Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.
Cast your ballots, then head to the Panida Theater on Nov. 5 for a screening of the film that has launched a thousand memes — and more than a few Halloween costumes. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the $5 showing starts at 7 p.m. Get tickets at panida.org or at the door (300 N. First Ave.).
Though it hardly needs summarizing, Anchorman is a PG-13 satire of the fictional 1970s local TV station KVWN Channel 4, with Burgundy at the center as a local celebrity whose position at the top of the personality driven “action news” ecosystem is shaken by talented newcomer Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), who is — gasp! — a woman.
Burgundy thinks he’s on the fastrack to national fame, but Corningstone is a far better reporter and her rapid rise through the ranks rankles him to the point that he breaks the cardinal rule of “anchorman”-ism: He says something deeply offensive on air.
Pushed to the side after his verbal indiscretion (though his other indiscretions are innumerable), he sees his opportunity to claw his way back to the top of the regional media market with a nutty story unfolding at the San Diego Zoo.
The directorial debut of Adam McKay, and produced by Judd Apatow, Anchorman also introduced the world to the off-kilter KVWN characters of Brian Fantana (the cologne-obsessed sensualist field reporter played by Paul Rudd); borderline-psychopath bro-ham sportscaster Champ Kind (an unhinged David Koechner); and mentally deficient meteorologist Brick Tamland (Steve Carell on the cusp of his defining role as Dunder Mifflin Paper Company boss Michael Scott on the beloved mockumentary The Office).
In league with his wacko colleagues and hot on the zoo story, will Burgundy restore his reputation? Will he again become “kind of a big deal”? Should he? Watch and find out.
Bonus: Wear your “I Voted” sticker and get a discount on beer.
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