Emmys Host Nate Bargatze Responds to Backlash Over Donation Bit

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Even Nate Bargatze knows his 2025 Emmys stunt could have gone better.

When the comedian hosted the CBS ceremony on September 14th, he came up with a playful idea to encourage shorter acceptance speeches. He pledged to donate $100,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, but would subtract money from the donation for every second a speech exceeded 45 seconds. Conversely, he’d *add* to the donation if a speech was kept brief.

Nate admitted on his September 24th podcast, *Nateland*, that many people didn’t respond well to a previous segment involving the Boys and Girls Club, but he explained it came from a genuine and sincere intention.

And while the bit had its critics, the 46-year-old noted that, “Everybody at home loved it.”

Because, as he emphasized, it was well-intended. 

He explained that he just wanted to create a lighthearted and enjoyable experience, and wasn’t focused on pressuring anyone to donate. He simply thought it would be fun to see the funds decrease in a playful way.

Nate clarified that he didn’t intend to exploit the charity. He simply believed it could be a way to shorten speeches while simultaneously benefiting the Boys & Girls Club through fundraising.

He explained that he’d expected a contribution similar to those made by companies like Netflix or Apple – essentially, support for the winning programs.

The podcaster was surprised by 15-year-old winner Owen Cooper’s performance. Nate, during the show, pointed out that points would have been taken off for what Cooper said during his speech about *Adolescence*.

He imagined a scenario where the player could either make a big play or be the deciding factor in a victory, which he felt was a perfect outcome. He hoped this would create a positive atmosphere, focusing on generosity and goodwill towards the young fans in attendance. He wasn’t sure if he’d communicated this vision clearly enough to the team.

The fundraising event ended with a $60,000 shortfall. Nate quickly stepped in, personally pledging $250,000 and securing another $100,000 from CBS, which the Boys & Girls Club greatly appreciated. However, making such a large personal donation was unexpected, even for Nate.

He confessed he hadn’t planned on giving the money. He hadn’t expected to need to, but circumstances changed, and he realized he had no choice. He ended up giving it after all.

Overall, Nate-who has been nominated for an Emmy-was happy with how the stunt turned out. He even found it amusing that it became the biggest source of controversy in his career so far, playfully noting, “It’s actually quite funny that the only thing I’m controversial for is raising $350,000 for the Boys and Girls Club.”

Despite criticism of his performance as host, Nate’s 2025 Emmys ceremony drew the largest audience since 2021, as reported by *Variety*. He considered this a significant achievement, particularly because he doesn’t usually move in mainstream Hollywood circles.

He explained that he felt like an outsider to their established process. He pointed out that the most significant result was an increase in ratings.

For more moments you might have missed from the Emmys, keep reading. 

Pedro Pascal, from *The Last of Us*, and Sam Rockwell, of *The White Lotus*, who are both nominated and friends in real life, seemed genuinely surprised to be where they are today.

Even though Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel compete with their late-night shows, they’ve come together, along with their wives, Evelyn McGee-Colbert and Molly McNearny, to support a common cause.

Stephen Colbert recently won his first Emmy for Outstanding Talk Series for *The Late Show*, which he’s hosted on CBS since 2015. This brings his total Emmy wins to 11. He previously won three Emmys for his writing on *The Daily Show*, four for writing and hosting *The Colbert Report*, two for Outstanding Variety Series, and another for *Stephen Colbert’s Election Night 2020: Democracy’s Last Stand: Building Back America Great Again Better 2020* as an Outstanding Variety Special.

Hobbled by a torn Achilles but strong in spirit, Sterling K. Brown posed for a pic with Tina Fey.

Everyone watched *Last Week Tonight with John Oliver* win the Emmy for Outstanding Variety Series again – it was the show’s 32nd Emmy win in total – but you might have missed what John Oliver said during the show.

John Oliver jokingly told Nate Bargatze, “That’s a lot of money for you!” and added a playful jab about contributing to the swear jar, all to help Bargatze meet a 45-second time limit and fulfill a pledge to donate to the Boys & Girls Club of America.

Britt Lower, who won the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, playfully hinted at the complex secrets of her show, *Severance*, by writing “LET ME OUT” on the back of her acceptance speech.

Comedy stars Seth Rogen, winning his first Emmy for *The Studio*, and Jean Smart, who secured her seventh Emmy with *Hacks*, are tonight’s big winners.

Sheryl Lee Ralph of *Abbot Elementary* considers her husband, Vincent Hughes, her lifelong partner and date.

The White Lotus star Aimee Lou Wood and boyfriend Adam Long looked like the least tragic of couples.

Jake Gyllenhaal made a rare award show appearance with girlfriend Jeanne Cadieu.

While we’re not investigators or making a show about this, everything we’ve seen suggests Selena Gomez and her fiancé, Benny Blanco, are very happy together.

The actress, known for her roles in *Euphoria* and *The White Lotus*, held onto her bright red Oscar de la Renta shawl throughout the awards ceremony.

Lisa and Tayme Thapthimthong, who both appeared in *The White Lotus*, have good reason to be proud of their accomplishments and the paths they took to get there.

With several cast members leaving before season 51, Bowen Yang spoke with Colin Jost and his wife, Scarlett Johansson, who is often a guest on Saturday Night Live.

Harrison Ford, nominated for an Emmy for the first time for his role in *Shrinking*, attended the awards show with his wife, Calista Flockhart.

Michelle Williams and her husband, director Thomas Kail, recently welcomed their third child via surrogate and are likely exhausted, but they still looked incredibly stylish at an event.

Colin Farrell caught up with some cronies while celebrating The Penguin‘s 24 Emmy nominations.

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2025-09-25 22:20