Original artwork, not a still
Go fuck yourself, San Diego.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
The joke is the sudden collapse of a pompous man's most polished ritual: Ron's sign-off is meant to be his gift to the city, and it turns into an on-air obscenity he did not write. Fans still quote it as a pure punchline of a trusted routine blowing up in public, and it is the film's most-remembered gag next to the 'stay classy' catchphrase it twists.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Anchorman: The Legend of Ron BurgundyShow the scene
In Anchorman (2004), set in 1970s San Diego, Ron Burgundy signs off every Channel 4 broadcast with "You stay classy, San Diego." After a feud with new co-anchor Veronica Corningstone, who is told that Ron will read anything on the teleprompter, she sneaks into the station and rewrites his closing line as revenge. The next day Ron, who reads whatever is put in front of him without checking, ends the broadcast with the filthy version, live. An angry mob gathers outside the studio and station boss Ed Harken has to fire him. Veronica later confesses, and Ron spends the next act miserable and unemployed.
Sources (2)
- Wikipedia: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron BurgundyPlotReference checked
- Wikiquote: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron BurgundyRon Burgundy sectionReference checked
Context reviewed
