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3%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample entries are not allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. Add context to the entries before uncommenting them.
4%%
5%%
6Character sheet for ''Film/AnchormanTheLegendOfRonBurgundy'' and ''Film/Anchorman2TheLegendContinues''.
7
8[[foldercontrol]]
9
10[[folder:Ron Burgundy]]
11
12!!Ron Burgundy
13[[quoteright:312:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ronbergendy_4357.png]]
14!!!'''Played By:''' Creator/WillFerrell
15
16Ronald Joseph Aaron "Ron" Burgundy, a five-time (local) Emmy Award-winning journalist, he is the main anchorman for the KVWN Channel 4 News Team from 1964 to 1977. Always confident and well-dressed, he is ignorant, egotistical, misogynistic, and narcissistic, stating that he believes "diversity" to be some type of "old, old wooden ship used in the Civil War era."
17----
18* AbusiveParents: His father is implied to be one. During an intermission on the Anchorman 2 soundtrack, Ron asks the listens if they like it so far and upon "hearing" them complain the soundtrack is nothing like the film, Ron goes on an angry tirade about how people are so entitled nowadays. Then he says that every year for his birthday, his father gave him a gun part and, at 18 when he finally had a full gun, Ron was kicked out of the house by his father, who said to him, "Now go kill your own dinner!", before adding that that was the way of life and they didn't whine, instead pulling themselves by their bootstraps and going to work (when not drunk, of course). This is implied to be non-canon, so take it with a pinch of salt.
19* TheAlcoholic:
20--> '''Ron Burgundy''': I love scotch. Scotchy, scotch, scotch. Here it goes down, down into my belly...
21* {{Angrish}}: Devolves into this in moments of extreme rage and/or grief.
22* AntiHero: He's a egotistical sexist who bullies Veronica, but he does have a heart and spends much of the movie growing out of it.
23* BadLiar: Inverted. He's bad at ''telling the truth'', making it sound like a flimsy attempt at lying.
24---> '''Ron''': -stammers- I tried to hang myself? Because my life's a mess? And I saw no other option?
25---> '''Freddy''': I...think you're telling the truth, but why're you saying it like you're lying?
26---> '''Ron''': It was a call for help? But it didn't work because I'm too heavy and the ceiling lamp broke? Something like that?
27* BeardOfSorrow: Grows one after getting fired and Baxter [[spoiler: is punted]].
28%% Doesn't explain what the reaction is.
29* BerserkButton: Don’t ''ever'' say his hair bad or call it stupid in front of his face. When Veronica does this, his eyes fill with fire and he hurls her over a desk!
30* BigNo: After the bad man [[spoiler:punts his best friend off of a bridge.]] He does ''not'' take it well.
31* BunnyEarsLawyer: He's a good anchorman, and that's it.
32* CainAndAbel: With Wes Mantooth, as revealed in a deleted scene from the original film that discloses they are half-brothers.
33* CharacterDevelopment: Becomes less of a jerk in the sequel.
34* CloudCuckooLander: Although not to the extent of Brick.
35* CringeComedy: Ron is a master of this, mostly driven by his SmallNameBigEgo. Whether it's his propensity to NoIndoorVoice, pressing on with his point regardless of how many people are telling him to stop talking, or the fact he'll read anything on the teleprompter without questioning it, Ron will find a way to make you wince (particularly in the sequel).
36* DrivenToSuicide: PlayedForLaughs in the second movie when he's fired from Sea World.
37---> '''Ron''': I'm going the way of the ancient samurai, who when dishonored would [[KnowNothingKnowItAll hang themselves... from a fluorescent light.]]
38* {{Flanderization}}: Even more of a LargeHam and ManChild than usual in the sequel.
39* GeniusDitz: Completely inept in social situations and matters of trivia but he's got a pretty wide collection of accolades for his on-air work.
40* HeroicBSOD: He has one in each film.
41** [[spoiler:When an angry biker kicks his beloved dog off the side of a bridge, Ron is emotionally devastated and arrives late to work, raising Veronica's ratings while damaging his own.]]
42** [[spoiler:In the sequel, Ron has an accident that renders him blind, forcing him to live in isolation. Alone with his misery.]]
43* ItsAllAboutMe: "I'm kind of a big deal".
44* JerkassHasAPoint: Self-absorbed as Ron usually is, in the sequel when [[spoiler:he finds out Veronica has been erasing messages from his doctor about treating his blindness, he does have a point when he brings up that being able to see again doesn't mean he wouldn't still love his family.]]
45* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: At the end of both movies. For all his narcissism, Ron does in fact have a heart. He just gets too absorbed in his own world at times and fails to appreciate what he really has. He legitimately cares about his team, loves his dog to death, and learns the value of family with Veronica and his son, Walter.
46%%* KentBrockmanNews
47%%* LadyKillerInLove: With Veronica.
48%%* LargeHam: Even more so in the sequel.
49%%* TheLeader
50%%* ManChild: Especially in the sequel.
51* {{Narcissist}}: Right from the opening scene.
52-->'''Ron Burgundy''': Hmmm, I look good. Like, real good. Hey everyone! Come and see how good I look!
53* NotHelpingYourCase: Lampshaded in the unrated version of the first film. When he denies to Veronica that [[spoiler:the F word was in his dictionary]], he says "fuck" four times almost in quick succession, then yells a fifth "fuck" when he apparently realizes how many times he had just said "fuck" in the space of less than a minute.
54-->'''Ron Burgundy''': Don't you know I would never say the word "fuck"? I would fucking never fucking ever say that! Don't you know I would never say "fuck"? ''...FUCK!''
55* PoliticallyIncorrectHero: He is sexist and somewhat racist, especially when a woman or minority becomes an anchor.
56%%* {{Pornstache}}
57* PrecisionFStrike: A plot-relevant one in the first film.
58-->'''Ron Burgundy''': And I'm Ron Burgundy. Go fuck yourself, San Diego.
59* RagingStiffie
60-->'''Veronica Corningstone''': Mr. Burgundy, you have a massive erection.
61* SharpDressedMan: He wears ''"suits so fine they made [[Music/FrankSinatra Sinatra]] look like a hobo."''
62* ShirtlessScene: When showing off his Guns to Veronica.
63* SigningOffCatchPhrase: ''"You stay classy, San Diego."''
64* SpeaksFluentAnimal: He manages to have actual conversations with his dog. Just not in Spanish.
65* {{Squee}}: When he meets [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext the Ghost of Stonewall Jackson]].
66-->'''Ron:''' Let's not downplay that's the Ghost of Stonewall Jackson!
67* TookALevelInKindness: Becomes much kinder and humble after the events of the first film, though he does briefly become a jerk as a side effect of going "ratings crazy."
68* UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist: Less so in the sequel.
69* UnusualEuphemism: He's goin' to Pleasure Town.
70
71[[/folder]]
72
73[[folder:Brick Tamland]]
74
75!!Brick Tamland
76[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/db1119e4_af89_46aa_afab_33e7d77f988f.jpeg]]
77!!!'''Played By:''' Creator/SteveCarell
78
79The weatherman for the KVWN news team, he has a habit of providing unrequested or irrelevant information. Tamland is good hearted and loyal but not very bright, having an I.Q. of 48, making him "mentally retarded". Brick is an innocent led astray by the rest of the group.
80----
81* AchievementsInIgnorance: Brick was somehow able to get his hands on a hand grenade shortly before the big newscaster battle in the first film without even knowing how he managed to do so. Taken even further in the second movie where he somehow got a gun from the future.
82* BewareTheNiceOnes: Even a sweet imbecile like him has his limits. During the news brawl, he managed to procure a grenade and ''kill'' someone in self-defense with a trident. Also, he shouted at a woman who was harassing Chani.
83%%* BewareTheQuietOnes
84* BigBrotherInstinct: The rest of the KVWN news team is very protective of Brick. When Ron yells at him, both Brian and Champ are outraged and leave Ron on the spot.
85** Something similar happens in the sequel, when he begins talking about his shadow and Linda yells at him; [[https://youtu.be/qQ_mHQt88ls?t=128 he subsequently gets scared and hides behind the couch]].
86* BunnyEarsLawyer: He is a good weatherman, but that's about it.
87** In one of the alternate "where are they now?" endings, it's revealed that he becomes an amazing member of the police bomb squad, famous for his nerves of steel... because he doesn't realize he's working with explosives.
88* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: To say Brick doesn't have a fair grasp on what's normal would be a bit of an understatement.
89* TheDitz:
90-->'''Brick:''' A doctor told me that I have an I.Q. of 48 and am what some people call "mentally retarded".
91* DumbIsGood: Dumb as a, well, brick, but he's the only reporter who doesn't do anything sleazy or misogynistic.
92** He does attempt to invite Veronica to a "party in his pants", but bungles the question; she correctly assumes he was simply following advice Brian told him, then politely tells him no. Brick is unfazed. (This also implies Veronica's figured out that Brick isn't all there.)
93* EmbarrassingMiddleName: Courtney, but considering that most things Brick says don't even make sense...
94* ExtremeOmnivore: "Yeah, I ate a big red candle."
95* {{Flanderization}}: In the first film, he was simply silly and under-intelligence compared to his friends, but in the second film, he borders on barely being able to function in society.
96* TheFool: As mentioned above, Brick is simply too stupid to realize that many of the things he does, such as riding a bear, are potentially dangerous.
97* GeniusDitz: As staggeringly stupid as he is, Harken admits that Brick is actually a pretty decent weatherman. The WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue also notes that he eventually manages to become a high-ranking advisor to UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush, seemingly indicating that he's got a knack for politics.
98* TheHeart: The nicest member of the Channel Four News Team and, in a way, the one that holds them all together. He is also a peace-keeping member of the group.
99%%* HiddenDepths
100* KarmaHoudini: Gets no punishment for killing a man with a trident.
101* KindheartedSimpleton: It's no surprise to anyone that Brick's heart is ''much'' bigger than his brain.
102* LameComeback: To Wes Mantooth insulting the suits the team are wearing.
103-->''"Hey. Where did you get those clothes? The toilet store?"''
104** That said, Wes Mantooth still gets pissed about it if only because the rest of his team made no attempt to volley back.
105--->'''Wes''': Even the guy who doesn't think said something!
106* LargeHam: Mostly in the second film.
107* LethallyStupid: Intentional or not, he actually kills somebody in the newscaster skirmish.
108* {{Manchild}}: He's clearly unable to handle adult situations, not grasping the perverted intent behind Brian's "party in your pants" invitation, nor that his murder of a man with a trident could have legal consequences until Ron spelled it out.
109* MeaningfulName: His name is "Brick" and he's "dumb as a brick."
110* NiceGuy: He's got nothing goin' on upstairs, but he's a genial guy with a good heart.
111* NoodleImplement: He somehow got hold of a gun from the future, and laughs when questioned where he got it.
112* NotNowWereTooBusyCryingOverYou: Cries over ''himself''.
113* OfficialCouple: With [[DistaffCounterpart Chani]] at the end of the second film.
114* TokenGoodTeammate: He's the only member of the news team who isn't self-absorbed or misogynistic. Then again, he's probably too stupid to be misogynistic...
115* TookALevelInDumbass: Somehow he comes off even dumber in ''Anchorman 2''.
116* YoungerThanTheyLook: Brick notes in one point in ''Anchorman 2'' that he's 19, which would have made him a ''teenager'' during the events of the first film. Considering this is Brick, though, this should be taken with a grain of salt. [[note]]For example, he can't be 19 and also have commanded the others in Vietnam.[[/note]]
117
118[[/folder]]
119
120[[folder:Brian Fantana]]
121
122!!Brian Fantana
123[[quoteright:312:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/0998c185_122f_4054_92d2_36e8c01afc71.jpeg]]
124!!!'''Played By:''' Creator/PaulRudd
125
126The stylish and over-sexed field reporter for KVWN news. He is arrogant, narcissistic, and overestimates his personal qualities.
127----
128* BottledCool: Sex Panther, by Odeon. It has pieces of real panther in it... so you ''know'' it's good.
129** Not to mention that he uses it as a weapon in the second film during the real newscaster battle, choking the Canadian News Team.
130* CasanovaWannabe: Debatable. As charming as Brian presents himself, we never really see how effective his charms are when it comes to women. The sole exception is Veronica, who was too repulsed by his choice of Cologne.
131* CombatPragmatist: Amongst all the crazy weapons everyone else brings to the newscaster brawl, Brian brings a gun. Admittedly, he doesn't do much with it, but points for trying.
132* GeniusDitz: Much like Ron himself he's a complete idiot in the common sense ("I'm not a wine guy but I know you're supposed to keep it warm") but is actually very good at his job. In the second film, he made a fortune as the world's best cat photographer and later did an investigative journalism expose on Koala Airlines that everyone agreed was of great quality.
133* HandsomeLech: Hits on every attractive woman around and has seven illegitimate children.
134%%* TheLancer: To Ron.
135* LovableSexManiac: His defining characteristic.
136%%* {{Narcissist}}
137* OnlySaneMan: His fondness for odd colognes aside, Brian is clearly the sanest of the Channel Four News Team.
138* {{Pornstache}}: To go along with his personality.
139* TheStarscream: In the [[AllThereInTheManual DVD production notes]], it's said that while he's loyal to Ron, he'd be "secretly thrilled" if anything happened to him and Brian would become lead anchor. This isn't evident in any of the movies, though.
140* WackyAmericansHaveWackyNames: His private parts.
141--> "I know what you're thinking. And the answer is yes, I do have a nickname for my penis. It's called The Octagon. But I've also nicknamed my testes. The left one is James Westfall, and the right one is Dr. Kenneth Noisewater."
142
143[[/folder]]
144
145[[folder:Champ Kind]]
146
147!!Champion 'Champ' Kind
148[[quoteright:312:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/0a215e91_a168_48b6_90b4_83485580ea8b.jpeg]]
149!!!'''Played By:''' Creator/DavidKoechner
150
151The KVWN sportscaster, he seems to have hidden feelings for Ron Burgundy (which implies that Champ may be a closeted homosexual). He is the most chauvinistic member of the news team.
152----
153* AllLoveIsUnrequited:
154** For Ron. He's heavily implied (short of outright saying) that he's in love with Ron.
155** "Wake up Ron Burgundy" makes this explicit, with an OverlyLongGag of him proclaiming his love for Ron, but the canonicity of said movie is questionable.
156* ArmouredClosetGay: Not only is it implied he has an unrequited thing for Ron, but in the WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue, [[spoiler:he is said to have been accused of sexual harassment by Terry Bradshaw.]]
157%%* TheBigGuy
158%%* HiddenDepths
159* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: He's a racist, a chauvinist, and a loudmouth, but genuinely does care for Ron and the rest of the news team.
160* ModernMajorGeneral: The second movie and Ron Burgundy's autobiography make it clear that he doesn't actually know anything about sports.
161* StrawMisogynist: Comes off as this in ''Anchorman 2''; When Brian tells the group that he gave [[Series/TheBradyBunch Florence Henderson]] crabs, he claims it's ''her'' fault [[DoubleStandard "for being a randy gal"]]. And when Linda dares Ron to hit her, he urges Ron to do it, saying it's "what men have done for thousands of years".
162
163[[/folder]]
164
165[[folder:Veronica Corningstone]]
166
167!!Veronica Corningstone
168[[quoteright:312:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/76081b8b_549a_4614_b1e6_1b9a501046ef.jpeg]]
169!!!'''Played By:''' Creator/ChristinaApplegate
170
171From Asheville, North Carolina, she is ambitious to become a network anchor and wants to be taken seriously in the male-dominated newsroom.
172----
173* BelligerentSexualTension: Big time with Ron. To the point that the two of them casually exchange physical threats during panel credits.
174* BigNo: After [[spoiler:Ron is fired, she shoots off a few of these.]]
175* DefrostingIceQueen: With Ron. She explicitly states that any possible relationship between them is to be professional and nothing more. Ron agrees, takes her out for a few drinks, and the two eventually end up making love.
176* HighPoweredCareerWoman: Veronica is beautiful, ambitious, and ruthless in her pursuit to establish herself in the traditionally male-dominated and highly sexist world of televised news anchoring. So much so that she [[AmbitionIsEvil sabotages Ron's teleprompter to get him to swear live on-air and get him fired]], all so she can get him out of the way to be the face of the channel. Notably, she [[DefrostingIceQueen softens towards Ron]] over the course of the film as the two date and in the [[Film/Anchorman2TheLegendContinues sequel]], she is [[CareerVersusFamily far less career and ambition-focused now that she has a family]] with Ron. In fact, she [[spoiler:once again sabotages Ron's life in that film]], but this time it's to keep him focused on being a good father.
177%%* MsFanservice
178* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: In both films, she realizes that she crossed a line with Ron.
179** In the first film, Veronica sabotages the telepromter in an act of revenge against Ron, [[spoiler:making him recite, "Go fuck yourself, San Diego". This ends up costing him his job, his friends, and his reputation.]] Veronica comes to regret this almost immediately.
180** In the second film, she deletes messages to Ron [[spoiler:regarding a surgery to fix his eyes]] out of fear that he would ditch all the progress they made as a family.
181%%* NotSoAboveItAll
182* PoliticallyIncorrectHero: At one point she insults Ron by telling him that "jazz flute is for little fairy boys".
183* PrecisionFStrike: In the R-rated version of the second film, it's her turn to swear live on television when Ron tries to kiss her during a WBC broadcast early on.
184-->'''Veronica Corningstone''': ''[offended]'' Fuck's sake!
185* TookALevelInKindness: In the sequel, Veronica is much less focused on her career and more about raising her family. [[spoiler: When Ron is blinded,]] she and her son move in with him to help him overcome his challenges and be a family again.
186* WellIntentionedExtremist: In both films, Veronica's actions are questionable, but ultimately well-meaning.
187[[/folder]]
188
189[[folder:KVWN Staff]]
190!!Edward 'Ed' Harken
191!!!'''Played By:''' Creator/FredWillard
192
193The news director of KVWN.
194----
195%%* DaChief: Of KVWN.
196* DemotedToExtra: In the sequel, he has little screen time, with brief appearances during Brick's "funeral" scene, and watching the former Channel Four News Team on air.
197%%* ThoseTwoGuys: With Garth in the sequel.
198* WellDoneSonGuy: His relationship with his son seems to be... complex.
199
200!!Garth Holliday
201!!!'''Played By:''' Creator/ChrisParnell
202
203Ed's assistant at KVWN. Ron Burgundy is his hero. The news team frequently ignore him, even though his main job at the station appears to be keeping them out of trouble.
204----
205%%* DemotedToExtra: Just like Harken in the sequel.
206%%* ThoseTwoGuys: With Harken in the sequel.
207
208!!Helen
209!!!'''Played By:''' Creator/KathrynHahn
210[[/folder]]
211
212[[folder:Other Characters]]
213!!Baxter
214!!!'''Played By:''' Peanut
215
216Ron's beloved dog. Burgundy's relationship with is almost one of equality. Burgundy and are able to hold conversations, with apparently being able to speak Spanish as well as English.
217----
218* BigDamnHeroes: To Ron in the second movie when [[spoiler: Doby tries to kill him]].
219* CanineCompanion: To Ron, through thick and thin.
220%%* HeroicDog
221%%* MadeOfIron
222* MoralityPet: Arguably to Ron. Before he met Veronica, Baxter was probably the only individual Ron loved as much as himself.
223* OlderThanTheyLook: According to deleted scenes, he's older than ''26''. And ''not'' in dog years either.
224* ShoutOut: Ron likely named him after Ted Baxter, the bumbling anchorman character on ''Series/TheMaryTylerMooreShow'', which was airing during the events of the movie.
225* UndyingLoyalty: No matter what stupid situations Ron puts himself in, Baxter will always be by his side. (Hasn’t stopped him from wondering why, tho.)
226
227!!Wes Mantooth
228!!!'''Played By:''' Creator/VinceVaughn
229
230The lead anchor of the competing KQHS Channel 9 Evening News Team and Burgundy's main rival.
231----
232* BadassBoast: Makes one when [[spoiler:he goes to save Ron in the sequel, after him and his news team pour gasoline under Jack Lime's feet.]]
233--> '''Wes:''' 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.
234--> '''Ron:''' That's the most badass thing I've ever heard!
235* BerserkButton: NEVER bring his mother into an argument, because he will ''always'' lose his shit as he espouses that Dorothy Mantooth is a saint.
236* BigDamnHeroes: [[DeusExMachina Arrives just in time]] to save [[spoiler: Ron's life during the showdown in the second movie.]]
237* CardCarryingVillain: He proudly tells Jack Lime in the sequel that he knows he's going to burn in Hell for his sins one day.
238%%* Deadpan Snarker
239%% * DemotedTo Extra: In the second film.
240* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Taunts Ron and the News Team, especially after Veronica comes in. He does love his mom, and does respect Ron as a journalist, [[spoiler: and even saves his life]].
241* MommasBoy: Wes loves his mom very much and never takes kindly to anyone badmouthing her.
242%%* TheRival: To Ron.
243* SharpDressedMan: Like the other anchors, he's well-dressed...for his time.
244* WorthyOpponent: He utterly hates Ron, but deeply respects him as a colleague.
245** TookALevelInKindness: In the sequel, he goes from saying he despises Ron to saying they just "don't always agree on everything".
246
247!!Jack Lime
248!!!'''Played By:''' Creator/JamesMarsden
249
250The biggest name (and paid) reporter at GNN, and the anchorman in the prime time slot.
251----
252* TheBet: Makes a bet with Ron early in the film that he can get better ratings than him. [[spoiler:He loses, and is forced to legally change his name to Jack Lame for the remainder of the film.]]
253* EmbarrassingLastName: [[spoiler:As a result of losing his bet with Ron he legally changes his name to Jack Lame. It gets worse later on with Dick Phuck.]]
254* {{Jerkass}}: Almost notable immediately after his introduction is that he's a [[SmugSnake smug ass]] that's totally full of himself. [[spoiler: He also causes Ron's blindness near the end of the film so he can usurp his position at GNN.]]
255* PretentiousPronunciation: [[spoiler:After being forced to change his name to Jack Lame, [[LoopholeAbuse he tries to get around it]] by telling people it's pronounced "Lamé". Naturally Ron is unhappy with this loophole and later forces him to change his name again to Dick Phuck.]]
256* TheRival: To Ron in the sequel, similar to Wes in the first movie.
257* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: To Wes Mantooth.
258* WalkingSpoiler: It's hard to talk about him much without spoiling a good chunk of the film.

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