10 Funniest Moments From The Anchorman Movies, Ranked

Both Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues feature some iconic moments, most of which are remembered for comedic reasons. The first Anchorman was one of the most quotable movies of the 00s and remains a cult classic today. The second movie followed in the footsteps of its predecessor, and although not quite as revered as the first, still serves very well as a natural sequel. The Anchorman movies also birthed one of many iconic Will Ferrell characters, Ron Burgundy.

The first Anchorman was released in 2004, with Anchorman 2 following nine years later in 2013. All the original cast returned to continue the tale of Ron Burgundy. The franchise became a breeding ground for superstardom, with actors like Steve Carell moving on to lead The Office after the first movie. In addition, Paul Rudd was cast in the lead role of the MCU’s Ant-Man two years after the release of Anchorman 2. Will Ferrell’s movie career also continued to flourish as a result of his role as Ron Burgundy, with the character arguably becoming his seminal role. Both Anchorman films are two of the most rewatchable Will Ferrell movies.

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10 The Jazz Flute Rendition

Anchorman: Ron Burgundy feigns unpreparedness before impressing his date

A jazz bar can be a romantic setting, as Ron Burgundy knew when he took Veronica Coringstone out for drinks. To push things over the edge, he performs an energetic flute solo that was clearly pre-arranged. While offering false objections and pulling said flute from his sleeve, Ron quickly acquiesces to the host’s request to play for the rest of the bar’s patrons. The routine is chaotic, with Ron’s performance taking him all over the venue, including the restrooms. It’s not often that a jazz flute solo is paired with something as dramatic as pyrotechnics, but it’s also not surprising coming from a man like Ron Burgundy.

9 The Australian Accent Barrier

Anchorman 2: The Channel 4 News team struggles to understand their boss

The leader of the Global News Network, Kench Allenby, has a comedically thick Australian accent during his introductory speech. The barrier is so severe that Ron and company can’t keep up with Allenby as he voices how pleased he is with the launch of GNN. Ron is characteristically brash, and after a brief search for someone to translate for him, openly tells Allenby, “We can’t quite understand you,” causing the GNN boss to make a concerted effort to enunciate as he speaks. Although Allenby is using intentionally parodic Australian slang, he’s otherwise easy to comprehend, making the reaction of Ron and the others even funnier.

8 Ron’s Mind-Reading Paranoia

Anchorman 2: The title character fails to understand what a psychologist does

Ron tends to go with his first thought when it comes to something he doesn’t understand, and he’s clearly unsure of what the role of a psychologist entails. When he meets Gary, the lover of Ron’s ex-wife, Ron assumes that the man has psychic abilities. To test his theory, Ron tries to land a punch out of the blue and blames Gary’s agility on being able to read minds. Although Ron is clearly wrong about the definition of a psychologist, it’s hilariously revealed later in the movie that Gary does actually have psychic powers.

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7 Brick Tamland Speaking At His Own Funeral

Anchorman 2: Steve Carell’s character isn’t very bright

Most of Brick’s funniest Anchorman quotes come in the first movie, but the sequel also delivers some of his best moments. During his funeral scene, the audience learns that Brick lacks basic personal information like a home address, social security number, and even a birthday. The mystery deepens when the ceremony’s speaker is revealed to be Brick himself, alive and well. Brick starts morose about his own “demise,” before being guided through a series of intense emotions by his News Team colleagues and arriving at the realization that he’s not dead after all. The scene is a perfect encapsulation of just how unusual Brick Tamland is.

6 Sex Panther’s Confusing Statistics

Anchorman: Math isn’t Brian’s strong suit

Paul Rudd’s Anchorman character is something of a womanizer. As such, he has a collection of colognes that he claims contribute to his success with the ladies. While preparing to make his move on Veronica, Brian opts for the “Sex Panther” cologne. Supporting his choice, Rudd’s moustachioed character states that, “60% of the time, it works every time.” The statement immediately hits the ear wrong and is flagged as nonsensical by Ron. Brian’s attempt to woo his new colleague fails, meaning the incident must have fallen into the 40% of incidents when Sex Panther doesn’t work every time.

5 Brian Fantana’s Condom Collection

Anchorman 2: Another of Brian’s collections is revealed when Brick is in need

There are a few times the second Anchorman tries to recreate gags from the first, but they don’t all work quite as well. The condom scene is one of the exceptions. The writers took all the elements of what made the Sex Panther scene so funny and doubled down on the formula. The condoms suggested to Brick by Brian have brilliant names, such as “The Hooded Guest” and “The Rigid Ghost.” Each prophylactic comes with an unfortunate attribute that stems from its name, such as being made of denim. Most unfortunately, “The Po’ Boy” is “covered in Cajun spices.”

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4 The News Team Bursting Into Afternoon Delight

Anchorman: Ron’s musical representation of love has become an iconic scene

Will Ferrell movies often feature the actor doing his own singing, but few performances are as well executed as the a cappella four-piece harmony with his co-stars in Anchorman. When Ron’s colleagues want to know what it’s like to be in love, he bursts into a solo rendition of Starlight Vocal Band’s, “Afternoon Delight.” It’s a recital that quickly becomes a group performance. The unexpected nature of the scene makes it equally comedic as it is impressive, and it’s no surprise it’s one of the most-remembered moments of either Anchorman movie. The “Afternoon Delight” scene is also one of the most iconic musical moments from non-musical movies.

3 Brick Inviting Veronica To The Party In His Pants

Anchorman: Steve Carell’s character butchers the line in glorious fashion

Of all the characters to be tasked with pulling a prank, Brick is probably the least qualified. This is demonstrated by his attempt to deliver a line to Veronica given to him by Ron. Veronica eventually has to decode the implied line herself, as Brick incorrectly says, “I would like to extend to you an invitation to the pants party,” which is incredibly formal wording for inappropriate workplace banter, but elevates the comedy of the scene even more.

2 Ron Burgundy Meeting Linda’s Family

Anchorman 2: Will Ferrell’s character doesn’t hear himself at times

The Anchorman movies don’t often make use of cringe humor, but when they do, they do it just as well as any other film. Ron’s attempt to fit in with Linda’s family is a toe-curling endeavor. His misguided misappropriation of Black culture leads to an atmosphere of open disdain and Linda’s intense embarrassment. Just as it seems Ron’s behavior couldn’t become any more offensive, he doubles down on his attempt to assimilate, leading to even more comedically uncomfortable dialogue and body language.

1 Ron Not Understanding What Blindness Is

Anchorman 2: His unfortunate circumstances bring about some unlikely laughs

Ron Burgundy’s blind spell brings about the funniest sequence in either of the Anchorman movies. While the fact he’s lost his sight isn’t amusing, his blaming his condition for avoidable mistakes leads to some of the best Will Ferrell dialogue. For instance, Ron claims to have gulped “half a bottle of ketchup“ before realizing it wasn’t wine, as well as decanting it beforehand. Even his attempts at “self-love” have reportedly gone awry, with Ron claiming to have rubbed his shin for twenty minutes in a state of frustration.

The reactions from the rest of the Channel 4 News Team are perfectly reasonable, looking on confused and questioning Ron about his mistakes. Ron, wanting only to wallow in self-pity, wants to hear none of it and insists that all of his woes have been caused by his loss of sight. The finishing touch to the scene comes in the form of all the visual gags, such as flowers in the oven and a dishwasher being used as a fireplace. Everything in the exchange comes together to create the best moment in either Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy or Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues​​​​​.