Nate Bargatze made a solemn vow to steer clear of politics during his debut as the host of the Emmys—and he kept his word on Sunday night. The stand-up comedian, stepping onto television's grandest stage for the first time, maintained a light, inoffensive, and smoothly paced atmosphere, though it took him some time to hit his stride.
Bargatze appeared visibly nervous at the outset of the CBS telecast. Fortunately, he had a clever trick up his sleeve: a recurring gag about enforcing a strict 45-second limit on acceptance speeches. This provided just the right amount of structure—and a sprinkling of well-timed zingers—to keep the evening flowing seamlessly.
Currently on the road with his Big Dumb Eyes World Tour, Bargatze may not have delivered the knockout one-two punch of a seasoned pro like Jimmy Kimmel, who has earned acclaim for his past hosting duties. Nonetheless, he still managed to elicit some chuckles—and not just because of his denim tuxedo.
Here are a few of his most unforgettable lines:
"Most people will opt for football and 'Yellowstone'" over the shows nominated at the Emmys, a nod to the disconnect between popular taste and critical acclaim.
The show kicked off with a sketch featuring Bargatze as Philo T. Farnsworth, the "father of television," alongside Saturday Night Live cast members Bowen Yang, Mikey Day, and James Austin Johnson. It was a reimagined take on his own SNL sketch, "Washington’s Dream," tailored for the Emmys. The segment poked fun at the current state of modern TV, including how the History Channel now features shows about aliens, the Learning Channel offers "no learning" (just hoarders and Dr. Pimple Popper), and streaming is a "new way for companies to lose money" with shows starring "real-life murderers mostly."
"I can’t change it. This is a game I made up, and these are the rules."
At the beginning of the show, Bargatze announced he would donate $100,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America—with a catch. He warned the night’s winners that if their acceptance speeches exceeded the 45-second mark, he would deduct money from the donation. The audience was visibly taken aback by the stakes, and Bargatze admitted the rules were "tough" and "brutal." However, he added that money could also be earned back if another winner delivered a particularly concise speech. Elevating the stakes even further, children benefiting from the charity were seated in the audience.
"That was a show called 'Adolescence' that did that to adolescents."
While some stars, like big winner Seth Rogen (The Studio) and Outstanding Scripted Variety Series winner John Oliver, deliberately kept their speech times down, not everyone played along. After a particularly lengthy speech by Adolescence star Stephen Graham, which reduced the donation total, Bargatze delivered a deadpan jab that earned laughs from the crowd.
"So the in memoriam went a little long."
Bargatze quipped that even the tribute to television stars who had passed away over the past year had run over time—a joke, of course, as it hadn’t—which landed perfectly with the audience.
"I honestly probably wouldn’t be here hosting if it wasn’t for you. Thank you very much for that."
When SNL50: The Anniversary Special won Outstanding Live Variety Special, Bargatze took a moment to thank the show’s executive producer, Lorne Michaels, for giving him the opportunity to host the sketch show in both 2023 and 2024—opportunities that helped pave the way for his Emmys hosting gig, for better or worse.
"I can’t imagine ever doing this again."
At the end of the show, as the donation pot had taken a hit from long-winded speeches, Bargatze reassured the audience that all was not lost. CBS would be donating an additional $100,000 to the charity, and he would contribute another $250,000, bringing the total to $350,000. Judging by his final words, it seems he may have just hosted his first—and possibly last—Emmys.
