Host Nate Bargatze opens Emmys 2025, spoofing television and starting a charity clock

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The 2025 Emmy Awards kicked off with a sketch celebrating “the most powerful medium ever created.”

New Emmy Awards host Nate Bargatze started the show with a funny skit alongside “Saturday Night Live” stars Bowen Yang, Mikey Day, and James Austin Johnson. The skit imagined the invention of television, with Bargatze playing Philo T. Farnsworth, the man credited with pioneering the technology.

Playing the role of Farnsworth, Bargatze spoke passionately about television’s power to both teach and entertain, bringing joy and sadness to viewers. He then described his vision for a wide range of channels catering to every hobby and interest, mentioning examples like those focused on travel, food, and history.

Entertainment & Arts

The comedian, originally from Nashville, shares the guidance he received from previous Emmy hosts and explains his strategy for keeping acceptance speeches concise – all in the name of keeping everyone happy.

The sketch’s most daring joke involved Farnsworth announcing channels for various cultures, specifically mentioning Telemundo for Spanish speakers and BET for Black viewers. When someone asked about a network for white people, Farnsworth pointed to CBS, and an assistant jokingly called it “the Caucasian Broadcast System.” Notably, a question about a network for Asian viewers wasn’t addressed.

Bargatze came back onstage and explained how he’d keep the show on schedule: he’d donate to the Boys & Girls Club for every minute they went over time.

Bargatze explained that for every second a winner speaks over 45 seconds during their acceptance speech, $1,000 will be subtracted from the donation to the Boys & Girls Club. If they speak under 45 seconds, $1,000 will be added back for each second under. He jokingly added that he’s personally covering the costs, so they shouldn’t go overboard.

Before the Emmys, Bargatze told The Times he simply hopes everyone enjoys the show.

He acknowledged feeling hesitant about some of the jokes written for him, specifically those that touched on politics or controversial topics. He said he’d sometimes think, ‘I’m not sure I want to say that.’

Honestly, I get what Nate Bargatze means. He was saying he avoids getting into really divisive topics on stage, and it makes total sense. He could probably *talk* about those issues in a way that a lot of people would agree with, but he doesn’t want to. He feels like some comedians will jump at the chance to share their opinions, and that’s fine for them. But Nate sees himself as the guy who just keeps things light and funny – a break from all the heavy stuff. He thinks what *he* personally believes is irrelevant to his job, which is to entertain and keep the show moving. He just wants to be himself, and I respect that a lot.

The 2025 Emmy Awards show is being broadcast live on CBS.

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2025-09-15 04:01