'Anchorman' is Still Hilarious When Youre an Adult

Long before Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy was released, the phrase "glass case of emotion" meant nothing and there wasn't a soul who wanted to smell like Sex Panther. To say that Anchorman changed the world is a vast understatement. More than a decade ago Adam McKay created a film that would become one of the most-quoted movies of all time and a modern comedy classic. Ron Burgundy is up there with Clark Griswold and Carl Spackler in the realm of iconic comedy characters. For all of its outlandishness, Anchorman really is an important film — everyone you know has seen it and there are few who don't love it. It's in our cultural lexicon, and we're all the classier for it.

When Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy was released, I was 17 and getting ready to enter my senior year of high school. I remember seeing the movie with my close friend Sheila and we laughed so hard and so often that someone in front of us turned around and said, "You know not everything he says is THAT funny." To which we both responded, "Uh, yes it is," and then went back to seizing in laughter.

There are few movies I can remember laughing so hard the first time around, and since its release, I have probably seen it 20 times... at least. So does it still hold up when you're 28? Well it's been a little while since I last watched it, so let's find out...

1. There Are A Lot Of Sad Truths About Women In The Film

In the opening, a voice-over states, “This was an age when only men were allowed to read the news," which is actually painfully accurate. Anchorman takes place in the 1970s, which is the decade in which Barbara Walters revolutionized the place of women in the news industry. She became the first woman to ever co-anchor network news in 1974 on the Today show and in 1976 she became the first woman to co-anchor an evening news program. The attitudes Veronica Corningstone faced, though satirical, aren't far from reality.

2. This Movie Is Clearly A Fountain Of Youth

Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Christina Applegate, David Koechner, and Steve Carrell have barely aged a bit.

3. I'm Pretty Sure Ron Burgundy Is Will Ferrell's Neil Diamond, But Drunker

Amiright? I'm right.

4. TALKING BABIES ARE THE WORST

Why did you do this to me Adam McKay, WHY!?

5. I Still Can't Jump Into A Pool Without Doing This

Admit it, you do it too.

6. There Are Definitely Some Jokes That Would Not Fly Today

Like the time Brick says later doctors would find him to be, "Mentally retarded," or that time when Ed tells his son to put the gun down and let the marching band go. Nooooope.

7. There Are Actually Some Jokes That I Missed

I laughed the hardest at David Kochner saying, "don't know what to name it" after his sh*itting a squirrel bit.

8. Ron Burgundy Is That Guy Who Can't Get Over College

"We've been coming to the same party for 12 years and that is in no way depressing."

9. This Should Be A PSA To Dudes At Bars: You Are Not Subtle

Ever.

10. This Scene Just About Sums Up White Male Privilege

"Ron, are you paying attention?"

"Nope."

11. And This Is What About Half Of The Supreme Looks Like When Debating Women's Issues

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE YELLING ABOUT!" — Old white politicians on reproductive rights.

12. Veronica Corningstone May Have Influenced My Budding Feminism

“The only way to win, is to be the best.” Damn straight.

13. Ron Burgundy Clearly Struggles With Toxic Masculinity

"You sound like a gay." Sigh.

14. If Champ Wasn't Such A Creep, This Actually Sounds Perfect

My kind of date.

15. I’d Still Fall For Paul Rudd Even If He Smelled Like Pure Gasoline

And that is a scientific fact!

16. Hey! I Never Noticed That Judd Apatow Cameo!

That would be him saying, "What is that? Smells like a turd covered in burnt hair."

17. This is Still My Favorite Part Of The Movie

PANDA WATCH!

18. Ron Burgundy Gave Us Duke Silver

The jazz flute made way for:

You sexy, jazzy pioneers!

19. What Guys Think They Should Be Like Vs. What They Are Actually Like

They wanna know what love is!

20. Nowadays, Cat Fashion Shows Are Career Goals

It's Internet gold, Veronica! Plus a Seth Rogen bonus.

21. This Should Have Been Left Out Of The Movie

C'mon Ron, I wanna be on your side, but this is just gross.

22. Some Scenes Have Really Lost their LOL Factor

This got me so hard the first time I saw it because I wasn't expecting it. But now...

23. The Sequel Really Ruined This, Too

I didn't see the Newsteam fight coming the first time around and the cameos were so bonkers. It was just too... predictable in The Legend Continues.

24. This is How I Feel All Summer Long

UGH.

25. I've Seen Will Ferrell's Meltdown Somewhere Else Before

Ah yes, here.

26. Steve Carrell Still Steals This Movie

Sweet, sweet Brick.

27. So What Did I Learn?

Anchorman gets away with a lot because the humor punches up, rather than down about 95% of the time. What made this movie so special was that nothing like it had been seen in a long, long time. It's chaotic slapstick that's smarter than frat boy dick joke humor. It is a film that is very self-aware in its stupidity. I also believe there was something pure and in-the-moment about Anchorman. The sequel was such a disappointment because it was trying too hard to recreate something that was really original. I may not laugh as hard at Anchorman now, but I can still appreciate it for what it is and how many movies and comedians it has influenced... and I can still quote the hell out of it. Final rating: Super duper! Neato, gang!

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