By MELISSA WALKER

Staff Writer

Go on, admit it. You secretly have a crush on your local news anchor.

Or you at least get an uncanny thrill out of seeing him in a grocery store.

"Anchorman" exploits the pseudo-celebrity status of local news anchors.

Will Ferrell ("Elf," "Old School") and his sidekicks in the form of the Channel 4 news team, David Koechner ("A Guy Thing"), Steve Carell ("Bruce Almighty") and Paul Rudd ("The Cider House Rules") are hilarious in this comedy.

Koechner played Champ Kind, the "Whammy" sports guy. Koechner embraces the stereotype of the loud and obnoxious sportscaster. However, his character does not evoke as much laughter as his cherished co-workers.

Carell shined as Brick Tamland, "the eye in the sky, head in the clouds" guy, also known as the weatherman.

His character added another level to the already amazing comedic atmosphere each time he appeared on screen.

Brick is the nice guy whose I.Q. is alarmingly low. He is the one that all of the guys take care of, due to his own inadequate capabilities. His persona alone is funny enough to come up in conversation the day following seeing the movie.

Rudd played Brian Fantana, Team Four's man on the street. His playboy qualities give him the upper hand in finding stories on the streets of San Diego.

Ferrell portrays the "legend" of Ron Burgundy, womanizing hot shot news anchor. Burgundy is the man to be during the '70s in San Diego.

Trouble arises when he meets his match, personally and professionally, modern woman Veronica Corningstone, played by Christina Applegate ("Married with Children").

Applegate holds her own as the love interest/obstacle of Ron Burgundy.

She not only means the end of an era for Burgundy, but for a men-monopolized news force as a whole.

Things stir up around the office as the news team realizes that women are now valid players in the competitive world of broadcast journalism.

The guys of the Channel 4 news team scheme to find a way to eliminate Corningstone. Along the way, they each try to make their move.

Even Brick gets in on the action, at the other guy's suggestion.

Each time, Corningstone seems to outwit the guys, not that it is a completely impossible task.

Only one journalist seems to win Corningstone's heart, much to her reluctant heart.

Competition in the professional world plagues Corningstone and Burgundy's romance.

Overall, Applegate complements Ferrell's overwhelming wit by incorporating her more subtle sense of humor.

Director/writer Adam McKay focuses on the natural humor of the talented actors for his first feature film.

Yet, plot is almost an obsolete factor in this movie.

The actors and their signature style are what makes "Anchorman" hilarious.

Wardrobe also adds to the atmosphere. Polyester suits, complete with ruffled collars appear larger than life.

Ferrell's signature suit is burgundy, in honor of his character.

This is just one example of the pains that were taken by cast and crew to ensure that the audience felt as if they were stuck in some sort of time warp while watching the film.

The realistic atmosphere of the movie also reached to the sets. From Burgundy's bachelor pad to the standard '70s news room, the look alone produced laughter.

Chris Parnell ("Saturday Night Live" alum) and Fred Willard ("A Mighty Wind") contribute to the humor as the news team's inadequate producers.

Vince Vaughn ("Old School") serves as Burgundy's main competition in San Diego's league of broadcast journalists.

Ben Stiller and Luke Owens are a few of those who pull a cameo, which add to the already star-studded cast.

Ferrell also showcases his musical side by inserting impromptu sing-a-longs with beloved coworkers.

"Anchorman" falls short of a perfect rating because the action in a few of the scenes seems forced and the humor leaves a bit to be desired.

However, those few moments do not stand out as much as Ferrell's outrageous performance.

Despite the off-beat theme of a '70s news anchor team, the SNL alumni status still shines through.

This movie makes for a great night with friends, thanks to wacky antics of a certain "news icon" from another era.