In addition to pasting the actual text you are also pasting embeded font, in the case of copying from let's say a web browser to MS Outlook you are also including the HTML font and style tags. The easiest thing I found to do is to first paste the text into notepad or any program that does not use enriched text and then copy that from notepad into Outlook or Wordpad. This shoud not change the font and use the current font that you have in Outlook or Wordpad.

1) I used to solve that problem by pasting first my text in a Notepad window, and from there a new copy paste to Wordpad. See also this other answer: http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/768421 2) Today, I finally found another answer to this question. An easy way to avoid this problem in the first place is to use edit/"paste special"/"unformatted text" instead of using CTRL+V or edit/paste to paste text. This works in Wordpad and in Outlook. This makes the paste operation a little longer but you don't need that supplementary Notepad window any more. I am going to use this in the future, it looks quite practical. 3) In a MS Office Programm like Outlook or Word (but not in Wordpad), it would also be possible to use a macro. And as the use of a macro from the menu is also complicated, to create a shortcut for the macro. In the following example, the default behavior is changed as to always insert unformatted text by CTRL+V. This could be very interesting for some users, but I don't think I am going to do this. I prefer not to replace the default behavior. Here how it works: "In this article, I'll show you how to create a simple macro that replaces the default behavior of the CTRL+V keyboard shortcut so that it pastes the text without the formatting." "To create the macro to cut and paste without formatting Start Word. On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Macros to display the Macros dialog box. In the Macro name box, type PasteUnformattedText. Make sure that All active templates and documents is displayed in the Macros in list, and then click Create. The Microsoft Visual Basic® Editor is displayed. Note If you need to learn about the Visual Basic Editor, see the Power User Corner column Managing Macros with the Visual Basic Editor. Directly above the End Sub statement in the PasteUnformattedText subroutine, type the following line of code: Selection.PasteSpecial DataType:=wdPasteText On the File menu, click Close and Return to Microsoft Word." "To run the macro each time you press CTRL+V On the Tools menu, click Customize. Click the Keyboard button. Make sure the Save changes in box displays Normal.dot. In the Categories list, click Macros. In the Macros list, click PasteUnformattedText. Click in the Press new shortcut key box, press and hold the CTRL key, and then press and hold the V key at the same time. The Press new shortcut key box displays Ctrl+V. Click Assign. Click Close and then click Close again." Source and further information: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/HA010429611033.aspx