Paramount can’t claim Will Ferrell didn’t go the extra mile to promote his upcoming sequel Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. The comedian has been popping up in character in the strangest locations… none more strange than Bismarck, North Dakota, where he helped co-anchor the weekend news on KXMB (with no real explanation). Watch the full 30-minute telecast above, courtesy of EW.com.
Ferrell actually plays it straight, reporting on a fire at a neighborhood Sam’s Club and tossing it to a puff piece about holiday travel. What’s so odd is that no one initially acknowledges the fact that a fictional anchorman is suddenly sitting at a news desk in North Dakota, relying facts to undoubtedly confused audience members at home. How many people do you think stared at the television screen for a full 10 minutes asking, "Is that actually Will Ferrell?"
You can’t blame people for being confused. Earlier this year, a sportscaster in Boise, Idaho did an entire broadcast in character as Burgundy. Perhaps this is where Ferrell got the idea?
These, of course, would be coupled with all of the outside-the-box promotional concepts Paramount has cooked up on behalf of the Anchorman sequel, from a Scotch-flavored ice cream to those Dodge Durango commercials with Ferrell berating ballet dancers or teasing a horse.
Also, this isn’t nearly the first time Ferrell has taken Burgundy out for a spin outside the confines of an Anchorman movie. Did you ever see the character audition for SportsCenter on ESPN?
So, awareness is high for Anchorman 2, which begins screening for critics and preview audiences soon. As we reported, the movie will open in theaters two days earlier than planned. Until then, keep an eye on your local newscast, because you never know when Ron Burgundy might replace your favorite anchor for the night.
