The “Newseum” in Washington is, like it sounds, a museum about journalism. Unlike most DC museums, it’s not free (or taxpayer-funded). It costs $21.95 for an adult to see exhibits like a reconstruction of the late NBC host Tim Russert’s office.
Since this doesn’t sound like a hot tourist destination, they’re now putting on the shamelessly Will-Ferrell- movie-promoting “Anchorman: The Exhibit” in a deal with Paramount Pictures. Get a load of the rationalizations in the Washington Post’s Express tabloid:
The exhibit arrives a month before “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” hits theaters, A collection of items from the sequel will join the exhibit around the film’s Dec. 20 release...
“We’ve got plenty of serious stories we tell, but museums can have a sense of humor, too,” says Cathy Trost, the Newseum’s vice president of exhibits and programs. “Laughter is sometimes the best way to learn.”
“In any parody there’s some truth,” Trost says. “And in the 1970s, there really were eyewitness news teams that wore matching polyester blazers and had big hair. More importantly, the anchor chair was often for men only and women did have to fight sexism to get to the top.”
“There’s room for pop culture in the museum,” Trost says. “The objects on display in ‘Anchorman’ are artifacts of pop culture, just like Dorothy’s slippers or Archie Bunker’s chair.”
Trost failed to add, “We couldn’t exactly get dozens of tourists to pony up $20 to find out more about David Broder.”
