Named one of the best comedies of all times by Bravo, Time Out, and Empire, and one of the most quotable films of all time by Esquire, Hollywood.com, and Yardbarker, Anchorman is arguably the most popular comedy of the last twenty years. In Kind of a Big Deal- How Anchorman Became the Best-Loved Comedy of the 21st Century, author and comedy historian Saul Austerlitz explores the making of the movie, its status as a legendary comedy. Kind of a Big Deal will be both a narrative history of how Anchorman was developed, written, and cast, and how it launched the careers of future superstars like Will Ferrell, Steve Carrell, and Paul Rudd, also setting the stage for a whole decade of comedy to come and influencing films like The Forty-Year-Old Virgin, Talladega Nights, Knocked Up, Superbad, and so many more. It's also a cultural analysis of the film's significance as a sly commentary on feminism, the media, fragile masculinity, 1970s nostalgia, and more. Featuring brand-new interviews with stars such as Will Ferrell and director Adam McKay, the book will feature both the insider commentary and updated, intelligent commentary that pop culture readers love. And it will also be published just in time for the film's 20th anniversary, a date that will definitely resonate with both publicity outlets and readers. *Vulture's Best Comedy Book of 2023* From the author of Generation Friends, featuring brand-new interviews with Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, a surprising, incisive, and often hilarious book about the film that changed comedy, Anchorman. It's been nearly twenty years since Ron Burgundy burst into movie fans' lives, reminding San Diego to "stay classy" while lampooning a time gone by-although maybe not as far gone as we might think? In Kind of a Big Deal, comedy historian Saul Austerlitz tells the history of how Anchorman was developed, written, and cast, and how it launched the careers of future superstars like Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, and Paul Rudd, also setting the stage for a whole decade of comedy to come and influencing films like The40-Year-Old Virgin, Talladega Nights, Knocked Up, Superbad, and so many more. But Kind of a Big Deal isn't only a celebration of Anchorman-it's also a cultural analysis of the film's significance as a sly commentary on feminism, the media, fragile masculinity, 1970s nostalgia, and more. Featuring brand-new interviews with stars such as Will Ferrell, director Adam McKay, and other key players, the book includes insider commentary alongside updated pop-culture analysis. And it also shares surprising stories and facts- from the film's original conception as a plane crash/cannibal comedy mashup to the surprising, real-life newscaster who inspired the character of Veronica. Overall, this is a celebration of a movie that millions love-but it's also an unsparing look back at what has and hasn't changed, since the 1970s and since 2004. Perfect for fans of the film and anyone who cares about comedy today, Kind of a Big Deal proves that the movie was, and is, exactly that.