LOS ANGELES – Nate Bargatze, who hosted this year’s Emmy Awards, kicked off Sunday’s event with a series of jokes targeting the television industry.
The ceremony began with a skit featuring “Saturday Night Live” performers Mikey Day, Bowen Yang, and James Austin Johnson, joined by Bargatze, portraying TV inventor Philo T. Farnsworth. As Farnsworth, Bargatze humorously speculated about the future of television, earning laughter from the audience.
“We envision a world where the most talented artists create compelling stories of remarkable beauty that people will watch on their phones while they’re on the toilet,” Bargatze quipped.
Bargatze, a 46-year-old comedian from Tennessee renowned for his amiable comedy style, was an unconventional choice for host. Many were curious about his approach to this high-profile role.
Bargatze joked that 77th award ceremony is “not a big one, like 75 or 80, but it’s the one that gave me.”
“A lot of people wonder why I’m hosting,” Bargatze admitted. “I’m a stand-up comedian. I haven’t had a lot of Hollywood success, but things are going well outside of it.”
In the opening sketch resembling Bargatze’s well-known “SNL” depiction of George Washington, he described the future of television as Farnsworth. He humorously suggested that The Learning Channel would feature shows about “hoarders, people who eat couch cushions, Dr. Pimple Popper,” as its staple programs.
Bargatze went on to mention that there would be Black Entertainment Television. When asked if there will be a network for white people, he replied, “Why, CBS of course.”
Bargatze said streaming will be “a new way for companies to lose money.” Streaming services, he said, will create their own stars, who will be “real-life murderers, mostly.”
Yang’s character assumed “the viewer pays the fee, so there are no ads,” to which Bargatze joked, “if only it were that simple.” When Johnson said that is unfair to the consumer, prompting Bargatze chastised him that, “We don’t say that out loud. Get out. Go sit in the back with the people who are probably going to lose anyway.”
The Emmys don’t have a routine host, unlike other major awards shows like the Oscars, which has Conan O’Brien returning in 2026 and Nikki Glaser returning to host the Golden Globes. The last four Emmys have been hosted by Eugene and Dan Levy, Anthony Anderson, Kenan Thompson and Cedric the Entertainer.
“My parts will be dumb and silly,” Bargatze told “Entertainment Tonight” on the red carpet ahead of the show.
Bargatze, who wrapped up three shows in Denver on Saturday and Friday ahead of the award ceremony, has emerged as one of the most popular stand-up comedians today. He sold more than 1.2 million tickets in 2024, according to Pollstar and has released three Netflix specials, including December’s “Your Friend, Nate Bargatze” and has hosted “Saturday Night Live.”
Bargatze also dreamed up a creative way to ensure winners keep their acceptance speeches under the 45 second limit. The comedian pledged to donate $100,000 to the Boys and Girls Club. He said he would deduct $1,000 for every second a winner goes over the allotted time and will add the same amount for every second under.
Seth Rogen’s acceptance speech for the first category announced, lead actor in a comedy series, was under the allotted time, which bumped the donation to $106,000.
“Don’t go crazy though cause like, I am paying for this,” Bargatze said.
By the end of the show’s first hour, the total had plummeted to $74,000.
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