Anchorman is easily one of the most iconic and beloved comedies of the 2000s, with a wide array of iconic moments and hilarious characters that have made it a widely beloved and successful film. While director Adam McKay and lead actor Will Ferrell have had numerous successful collaborations over the years, Anchorman stands out as the most prominent and iconic of their works. The story of the strand and sometimes moronic 1970s news anchor made a mark on audiences worldwide, with one big factor being the film’s iconic dialogue and multitude of quotable lines.
While many comedies of the 2000s can claim the virtue of having numerous quotable moments, there is a fair argument that Anchorman may be the most quotable comedy of the era. Anchorman‘s multitude of quirky characters and absurd moments allowed for a wide number of insanely quotable moments throughout the film. Especially with the film’s 20th anniversary happening this year, there’s no better time than the present to reminisce on the hilarious and iconic quotes within.
20
“I could be wrong, but I believe diversity is an old, old wooden ship that was used during the Civil War era.”
Ron Burgundy
One of the most recurring and hilarious types of jokes that come from Ron Burgundy throughout the film is his combination of seemingly intelligent statements that, upon further inspection, are incredibly idiotic in nature. One of the most memorable of these Ron Burgundy quotes comes early on in the film, during a staff meeting where Veronica is introduced as a new member of the team as a diversity hire. Before she enters the room, Ron ends up answering the question of what diversity actually is, providing this silly and incredibly incorrect answer.
Diversity continues to be an ever-present topic of discussion well after the release of Anchorman, creating an increased comedic value in this quote that has only grown funnier and funnier as time goes on. It’s a simple yet effective joke that plays into Ron’s best attributes as a comedic caricature, combining his egotistical insistence and belief of higher knowledge with a bumbling and comedically wrong answer to an incredibly simple question.
19
“What do you say we go out on a date? Have some chicken, maybe some sex. You know, see what happens?”
Champ Kind
The first of a handful of attempts from the Channel 4 team to hit on and ask Veronica Corningstone out on a date, David Koechner‘s Champ Kind takes a shocking and incredibly direct approach to the task, resulting in this memorable quote. This quote arrives after Champ has already gotten into an awkward and disturbing spot with Veronica, having just used a fake tripping over oneself as a chance to touch Veronica inappropriately. Combined with the shocking content of this request, Champ is quickly punched in his private parts for his brash and unwanted advancements.
Champ’s character is one that is largely defined by his no-nonsense attitude and relative lack of social awareness, two things that are perfectly amplified by this hilarious and painfully awkward quote. It cuts through all of the foreplay and goes right for the clear and obvious motives behind Champ asking out Veronica, creating an almost refreshing sense of honesty, as refreshing as soliciting sexual acts can be. Despite the quote’s more gross underlying content, it makes for a great moment, as well as a hilarious highlight for Champ’s character.
18
“Why did you do this to me, God?! Why?! Couldn’t you have cured a sick child or created a new animal?!
Ron Burgundy
While many of the most popular and acclaimed quotes come from the original Anchorman, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues has its fair share of exceptional quotes as well, with this easily being one of the best. The quote happens when Ron finds himself truly alone, with all of his friends having just left him to his own devices, and he lives a now lonesome life as a blind man in a lighthouse. In typical Ron Burgundy fashion, not only does he call out “why” to god, but he ponders why God couldn’t have done a miracle instead of ruining his life via blindness.
Ron going blind before the final act of Anchorman 2 is a wild unexpected twist that comes with its own wide array of comedic moments, playing up Ron’s self-entitlement and stupidity to an absurd degree. This quote is just a perfect culmination of all the pain and chaos that Ron has caused by being blind, even if the majority of it is his own doing. It isn’t unlike Ron to call out the pains of life and god, with this scene being a cathartic release of anger and rage from the character.
17
“I would like to extend to you, an invitation to the Pants Party”
Brick Tamland
Steve Carell’s comedic and nonsensical portrayal of Brick Tamland has resulted in a wide array of hilarious and iconic moments that play off of the character’s stupidity and inherent innocence toward the world. This quote serves as one of the character’s funniest moments when Brick is convinced to invite Veronica to a “party in his pants” by Brian following his failed attempts at hitting on her. The sequence plays off of the already failed attempts by the rest of the team, combined with Brick’s complete lack of understanding of what he is even asking and Veronica’s resigned disappointment with the situation.
Carell’s line delivery transforms what is nine times out of ten a sleazy and uninteresting pickup line into a hilarious and off-kilter twist on the phase, transforming it into a strange and confusing invitation that in no way has the original’s raunchy nature. Even just the simple notion of a “pants party” is treated with the same innocence and joy as a children’s slumber party, creating that iconic and memorable disconnect that makes Brick such an iconic character.
16
“Who the hell is Julius Caesar? You know I don’t follow the NBA!”
Ron Burgundy
Paralleling the “diversity” line from the original Anchorman, Anchorman 2 manages to one-up the classic with this absurd remark revolving around Julius Caesar, the legendary emperor of Rome. The line comes from Ron after Veronica compares him to the emperor following Ron’s anger and refusal for Veronica to accept a promotion during the film’s opening act. Not understanding the historical reference, Ron believes that the name “Julius Caesar” must easily be referring to a player in the NBA, creating this hilarious and nonsensical quote.
The short and simple quote immediately shows that Anchorman 2 isn’t just repeating and paralleling what worked in the original film, but proves itself by giving a hilarious twist on concepts from the original film. It helps show that Ron, Veronica, and the rest of the Anchorman world hasn’t changed one bit in the 9 years since the original film and that Anchorman 2 is prosed to be yet another quote filled comedy classic.
15
“This is definitely a man’s world, but while they’re laughing and grab-assing, I’m chasing down leads and practicing my non-regional diction.”
Veronica Corningstone
Acting as more of the straight woman to the chaotic and bumbling Channel 4 news team, Christina Applegate as Veronica Corningstone doesn’t get nearly as many iconic or quotable lines as the rest of the cast, yet in one of her first lines, immediately establishes her strengths and the zeitgeist of the film. After getting firsthand experience of witnessing the sexist and misogynist comments and actions by the rest of the Channel 4 news team, Veronica has this effective inner monologue, showing that these same old comments won’t stop her and her goals of success.
This quote stays true and consistent well after it is initially stated in the film’s first act, as it cuts to the core of Veronica’s no-nonsense and hard-hitting attitude towards work and self-determination. Even outside the context of the film, this quote and Veronica by extension, act as an effective rallying cry, dismantling the warped perspectives of this era, showing competence and strength even when faced with a hostile working environment.
14
“I can always guess how many jelly beans are in a jelly bean jar, even if I’m wrong”
Brick Tamland
Brick’s childlike innocence and stupidity that he brings into the world make him a catalyst for many exceptional quotes in both Anchorman films, with this quote easily being his best in Anchorman 2. It comes about as a part of his unexpected infatuation that he grows towards coworker Chani (Kristen Wiig), whose awkward mannerisms make her out to be the perfect match for Brick. Brick says this quote as a fun fact about himself, clearly saying it as if it were impressive, instead of something that applies to everyone.
The greatest aspect of this quote is that, from an initial glance, it almost seems as if it’s something actually impressive and an unbelievable feat. However, just like most other things that Brick says, once you actually think about the quote for more than a second, it becomes apparent the inherent comedy and stupidity that comes from this so-called feat. It makes for one of many great moments between Brick and Chani during the film, as one of the most underrated comedic highlights of the film.
13
“I’m expressing my inner anguish through the majesty of song!”
Ron Burgundy
This quote comes from when Ron is seen moping and wallowing in regret and self-destructive tendencies at a bar, following his firing from the news anchor position and being fully replaced by Veronica. As he sings away his sorrows in an array of moronic and confusing drunken lyrics, a bartender, played by Danny Trejo, tells him to keep it down as to stop disturbing the other bar regulars. It is at this point that Ron says the hilarious quote, giving a surprisingly sophisticated response to what was simply murmurs and nonsense mumbles to himself.
While the film has a lot of great moments and quotes from this low point in Ron’s life, this stands out as one of the true highlights thanks to the anger and vocally annoyed delivery from Ferrell. He does a great job of expressing the combined depravity and sorrow that Ron is facing at this point in his life, while also not straying away from the stupidity and egotistical nature that got him here in the first place.
12
“It’s so damn hot. Milk was a bad choice.”
Ron Burgundy
This quote comes from when Ron is seemingly at his lowest point, having been fired from the studio and wandering the streets of San Diego without a purpose. During this time, he sees his former coworkers walking along, who refuse to acknowledge him because of orders from higher up. As if to make the entire situation that much worse, Ron proclaims just how hot it is outside, and that a full carton of milk was a clear incorrect choice when it came to outdoor beverage choice.
On top of the clear absurdity and inherent comedy that comes from the line “milk was a bad choice”, the greatest part of this line comes from the reading done by Ferrell. Ferrell reads the line in the most comedically effective way possible, fully leaning into the desperation and sadness of Ron at this choice, only furthering the comedy of the entire situation as a whole. It’s a line that works greatly outside the context of the scene and reminds audiences everywhere to not drink milk as a way to cool themselves down.
11
“Do you know what they call bats? Chicken of the Cave.”
Champ Kind
Repetition is a surefire way for a quote to become deeply iconic and memorable within the context of a comedy, especially when it comes to a standout original gag in a sequel such as this quote from Champ. While Champ Kind had his fair share of quotes and funny moments from the original film, this wild and strange perspective on the edibility of bats is easily the character’s funniest moment in both Anchorman films. Champ proclaims to Ron that bats are actually referred to as the “Chicken of the Cave”, after having to tell him that his chicken restaurant sells fried bats instead of chicken.
The absurdity and comedy that comes from fried bats is already comical enough to make this a standout sequence from the early parts of the film, yet this quote from Champ cements it as one of the best moments of Anchorman 2. Both Champ’s earnest telling of this quote combined with Ron’s shock and disarray at what he’s hearing add to the comedy of the scene, paid off with a bat flying through the restaurant moments later. The line even gets a callback in the subsequent scene, as Champ refers to cats as “Chicken of the Railyard”, much to Ron’s annoyance.
10
“Rule number one: No touching of the hair or face.”
Ron Burgundy
This quote comes in the leading up to one of the most iconic sequences in the film, the massive fight scene between all the different news station teams. As more and more celebrity cameos enter the fray and join the fight with their own news teams, Ron declares the rules of the fight, ironically being only a single yet simple rule. Since all of these news anchors work on television and need their good looks on camera, it makes sense that the hair or face would be off-limits, but it still adds to the absurdity of the scene as a whole.
There’s a lot of comedy that comes from this quote, from the fact that it’s the only rule in what would seem like a larger list of rules to the disconnect between hair and face being off-limits but full-on murder and dismemberment being allowed. The quote plays a major part in making this sequence easily one of the most iconic and beloved of the entire film, one that was so beloved that it was given its own high-stakes sequel in Anchorman 2.
9
“I’m going to punch you in the ovary, that’s what I’m gonna do.”
Ron Burgundy
One of the most blatantly crass and unexpected lines in the movie, this quote is one of the jokes that makes inherent comedy from the structure and confines of live local news coverage. The line comes after Ron and Veronica have signed off, but are still on the air, and while their mics have been cut from the recording, they take turns massively insulting each other while muted on the air. The lines increase in aggressiveness and anger, concluding in Ron’s statement and threat of violence against Veronica, despite talking in an unassuming and calm voice.
While crass and juvenile lines are far from new territory in a raunchy 2000s comedy such as Anchorman, it’s the reading and tone in which this line is said that makes it so iconic. It acts as a perfect cap off to several lines said nonchalantly despite their crude nature, acting as a strange and confusing statement that comes off as more hilarious from its blanket and unassuming delivery. The quote paints a great picture of the style of comedy that Anchorman is, riffing on the staples of broadcast news with a nice coating of absurd raunchy humor.
8
“I love Scotch. Scotchy Scotch Scotch. Here it goes down. Down into my belly…”
Ron Burgundy
A simple yet effective line that takes place during the opening credits’ montage of the film, Ron’s blatant love of the style of whisky is made blatantly apparent through this line. This line serves as one of many ways for the audience to immediately understand the type of character Ron is and paint a picture of his nature, drinking mere seconds before going on air. Especially as a part of the opening credits, this is one of the first massive quotable lines to be heard during the film.
The line is relatively simplistic yet works tremendously in practice, both in the context of the film, and outside of it. There’s simply something quite enjoyable and humorous to be found in just how much Ron loves his alcoholic beverage of choice, a love for the drink that can’t help but be shared with those around him, as well as the audience. Especially for those who also like to partake in a glass of scotch from time to time, this quote rings true and stays hilarious on every rewatch.
7
“I’m kind of a big deal. People know me. I’m very important. I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany.”
Ron Burgundy
A quote that comes from the first interaction between Ron and Veronica, Ron’s massive ego and legendary status among his peers is challenged when he meets Veronica, who has no idea who he even is. He is baffled by the very concept of someone having not heard of him, and feeling challenged by this notion, goes on to list off seemingly impressive statements about himself in an attempt to impress and wow her.
The great mixture of failing calmness, desperation, and attempting to come up with another positive aspect of himself truly makes this quote and sequence one of the best in the first act of the film. The scene as a whole acts as a great precursor to the major plot of the film and the rivalry between Ron and Veronica going forward, with many instances of foreshadowing happening throughout the scene. The inherent comedy of this sequence and the absurdity of the quote as a whole help Anchorman become easily one of the most rewatchable movies of all time.
6
“With the things I’ve done in my life, oh, I know I’m going to burn in hell. So I sure as shit ain’t afraid to burn here on earth.”
Wes Mantooth
While Vince Vaughn‘s Wes Mantooth is one of the core villainous characters of the original Anchorman, the character never truly had a legendary quote to call his own until this badass line in the final act of Anchorman 2. The quote comes as Ron and his crew have seemingly just escaped the legendary battle scene, just to be stopped by Jack Lime looking to get his revenge. This is all until Wes and the original villain crew arrive, adding to the chaos of the battle and creating a deadly ultimatum of fire if Lime doesn’t let Ron and friends go.
While Wes only has this singular scene within Anchorman 2, he creates such a massive impression at the end of what was already considered the clear highlight of the film that it easily makes up for his absence. The quote is brimming with a cold and unfeeling demeanor, feeling as if it was ripped straight from an action film, and having Ron immediately problaim about the badass-ness of the line after it’s said.
5
“I’m in a glass case of emotion!”
Ron Burgundy
The perfect quote for dealing with unbearable amounts of sadness and pain, Ron proclaims this comical quote when failing to proclaim his recent loss over the phone in a payphone booth. He is quickly overwhelmed with his emotions, dropping the phone and seemingly finding himself trapped in the glass payphone. When friend Brian Fantana asks where he is, as the station is about to put Veronica on the air in his place, Ron proclaims his location, saying that he is in a glass case of emotion.
Especially for a character who is so often seen through the lens of joy and self-pride, seeing Ron in such a pained and self-destructive state comes across as incredibly comical to the audience. This is thanks in no part to the stand-out comedic performance from Ferrell, who can make a scene of otherwise pain and anguish into pure comedy, with this quote even further amplifying the comedic tone. It’s frankly the perfect quote for anyone who has so much sadness yet feels trapped in their own glass case of emotion.
4
“You stay classy, San Diego. I’m Ron Burgundy.”
Ron Burgundy
The classic line that Ron ends every news broadcast with, this quote provides the perfect sense of class and elegance that is required of a TV anchor, as well as the complete opposite of his more crass nature. It’s a quote that has become iconic, most notably in the world of Anchorman itself, as all the viewers and fans of Ron Burgundy greatly appreciate and love Ron’s signature calling-off sign. It’s also a quote that finds itself to be repeated often throughout the film, as well as even playing a major part in the plot.
Easily one of the most iconic quotes in the film, the quote may just be the one that most people think of when they consider Anchorman and the legacy of the character of Ron Burgundy as a whole. While there frankly isn’t a lot to the quote itself, simply being a standard end card, its repetition throughout the film and importance to the main character launches it into the stratosphere of iconography for the film.
3
“I love lamp.”
Brick Tamland
Brick Tamland is easily one of the most iconic and beloved side characters in Anchorman, with an array of his own iconic and comical quotes throughout the film. However, easily the most iconic and beloved of said quotes is “I love lamp”, a proclamation that comes when the rest of the news crew is talking to Ron about the meaning of Love itself. Brick begins wildly, saying that he loves everything in the room, including the carpet, the desk, and, of course, the lamp.
The simplistic stupidity of Brick is perfectly encapsulated within “I love lamp,” a quote that is both so short and so funny that it’s easily repeatable to the point of attaining a mass iconic status. The scene and quote also reached mass popularity thanks to the defining “random humor” that was defining the early days of the internet at the time of the film’s release. A quick and seemingly nonsensical quote of “I love lamp” quickly attained a life of its own, thanks to just how comical of a sequence it was, on top of Carell’s great comedic line reading.
2
“60 percent of the time, it works every time.”
Brian Fantana
Paul Rudd’s Brian Fantana is a character greatly defined by his ironic suave demeanor, using a variety of colognes to pick up women with his sex appeal. He relays this iconic quote when showing off his most powerful cologne, titled ‘sex panther’, to Ron, with plans to use the cologne to hit on Veronica, the new woman in the office. After making the wild claim that 60 percent of the time, the cologne works every time, Ron proclaims that this doesn’t make sense. However, this doesn’t stop Brian from using the cologne, which ends up being disgusting to everyone in the office.
The bold and proud moniker in which Rudd proclaims the completely idiotic statement of “60 percent of the time, it works every time” easily makes this one of the most hilarious quotes in the entire film. It’s a quote that works wonders outside the context of the original scene, flourishing thanks to the pure stupidity yet absolute confidence that comes from the statement in itself, seemingly always coming across as hilarious and ironic.
1
“Boy, that escalated quickly!”
Ron Burgundy
Taking place immediately after the massive blood-soaked battle between all the news stations, Ron makes a quick and to-the-point statement about just how quickly things got out of hand. It makes for a great return to the more grounded newsroom realism of the main story, especially after the film took a sharp turn for the chaotic and violent for a singular scene. It’s almost as if the film itself is confused about how things got out of hand, with the quick shift back to normalcy creating even more comedy than the actual brawl itself.
While many quotes in Anchorman can be attributed to having their branches and levels of icon status outside the confines of the original film, this quote may just be the biggest and most notable example of such a phenomenon. The quote’s simple and adaptable nature to apply to any number of massively escalating scenarios has made it a massively popular meme and shareable GIF, perfect for using when a situation has gotten out of hand.
