FilmWeek Feature: Larry Mantle Interviews Saul Austerlitz About His Book On The Comedy Classic “Anchorman”

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Sep 8, 2023

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FilmWeek Feature: Larry Mantle Interviews Saul Austerlitz About His Book On The Comedy Classic “Anchorman”

Larry Mantle interviews Saul Austerlitz, adjunct professor of writing and comedy history at New York University, to talk about his new book “Kind of a Big Deal: How Anchorman Stayed Classy and Became the most Iconic Comedy of the 21st Century” (August 2023, Penguin Random House).

Will Ferrell and Christina Applegate sit at a large desk infront of a backdrop of a outlined globe. Their characters are news anchors from the 70s. Ferrell wears a red, burgundy suit while Applegate wears a light blue pussy-bow blouse with a grey sweater vest.

Released in 2004, “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” didn’t reach initial critical acclaim, seen as just another run-of-the-mill, raunchy comedy. However, in the years since, the film, directed by Adam McKay and co-written by McKay and the film’s star Will Ferell, has become a beloved staple. You can ask fans and critics alike to quote their favorite lines from the film and many will argue that it is one of the best comedies of the 2000s. Saul Austerlitz, adjunct professor of writing and comedy history at New York University, is one of those people, assigning “Anchorman” as required viewing for his students, using it as an example of good satirical writing and improvisation. Today on FilmWeek, Larry is joined by Austerlitz to talk about his new book “Kind of a Big Deal: How Anchorman Stayed Classy and Became the most Iconic Comedy of the 21st Century” (August 2023, Penguin Random House) and breakdown what makes this movie a pinnacle of comedic filmmaking.

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