{"product_id":"kind-of-a-big-deal-saul-austerlitz-9780593186848","title":"Kind of a Big Deal: How Anchorman Stayed Classy and Became the Most Iconic Comedy of the Twenty-First Century","description":"\u003cb\u003e*\u003ci\u003eVulture\u003c\/i\u003e's Best Comedy Book of 2023* \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eFrom the author of \u003ci\u003eGeneration Friends, \u003c\/i\u003efeaturing brand-new interviews with Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, a surprising, incisive, and often hilarious book about the film that changed comedy, \u003ci\u003eAnchorman.\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e 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 \u003ci\u003eKind of a Big Deal\u003c\/i\u003e, comedy historian Saul Austerlitz tells the history of how \u003ci\u003eAnchorman\u003c\/i\u003e 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 \u003ci\u003eThe 40-Year-Old Virgin, Talladega Nights, Knocked Up, Superbad\u003c\/i\u003e, and so many more. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e But \u003ci\u003eKind of a Big Deal\u003c\/i\u003e isn't only a celebration of \u003ci\u003eAnchorman\u003c\/i\u003e--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. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e 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, \u003ci\u003eKind of a Big Deal \u003c\/i\u003eproves that the movie was, and is, exactly that.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Saul Austerlitz\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0593186842\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780593186848\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Dutton\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 08\/22\/2023\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 320\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.15lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.25h x 6.35w x 1.13d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 06\/05\/2023\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e 07\/01\/2023 pg. 69\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 08\/01\/2023\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e 08\/01\/2023 pg. 12","brand":"Saul Austerlitz","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":44133177098495,"sku":"9780593186848","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_0ff6f995-4302-4134-a586-2db53f1818e9.jpg?v=1687484537","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/kind-of-a-big-deal-saul-austerlitz-9780593186848","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}