Hollywood On Productions: Janet Donovan & Brendan Kownacki
“What’s your first memory of making people laugh?” Ann Hornaday asked Will Ferrell at The Newseum honoring the exhibition of Anchorman.
Ann Hornaday and Will Ferrell
“Well,” Ferrell replied, “this is going to sound weird, but I literally remember looking at the doctor who delivered me and uh, I kinda gave him him a wink and he just burst out laughing. So, I would say an hour old.”
This was just one of many comedic moments with the twosome. Hornaday is the film critic for The Washington Post.
No one is really sure how the Anchorman phenomena began, probably not even Ferrell himself. The original film is some nine years old and the sequel is due out in December. While an exaggerated imitation of both a newsroom and the anchors is the focus, Ferrell’s character of Ron Burgundy does indeed bring home some truths to an otherwise comedic experience: The challenges that women faced in the newsrooms in the 1970s and the exaggerated self importance of the anchors.
The Newseum, in partnership with Paramount Pictures, presented “Anchorman: The Exhibit,” featuring props, costumes and footage from the 2004 hit comedy. More than 60 costumes and props from the movie are on display including fictional newscaster Ron Burgundy’s “I’M #1” license plate, jazz flute and mustache brush.
Guests were invited to explore the exhibit where waiters playfully donned mustaches and served up drinks and “Scotchy Scotch Scotch” butterscotch ice cream made by Ben & Jerry’s in honor of the occasion. We hear there’s even a Scotch named “Great Odin’s Raven Special Reserve,” after Burgundy.
The exhibit also includes a re-creation of the KVWN-TV anchor desk and news set where visitors can pose for photo ops. The Newseum’s signature “Be a TV Reporter ” experience – where budding reporters can step in front of the camera – features an introduction by none other than Ron Burgundy himself.
Some guests tried it out while others like MSNBC’S Chuck Todd sat it out because “That’s what I do all day.”
Keeping it classy!
The Legend continues:
