Nate Bargatze Makes Dig at Sydney Sweeney Jeans Scandal at Emmys 2025

Sydney Sweeney‘s jeans controversy just got the Emmys treatment.

During the 2025 Emmy Awards, Nate Bargatze made a joke about an American Eagle ad campaign featuring the star of *Euphoria*. The ad had previously received criticism for allegedly promoting eugenics, and Bargatze also used his appearance to showcase a particular fashion style.

The comedian jokingly pointed out his unusual outfit – a tuxedo paired with blue jeans. He seemed flustered, forgetting what he was going to say about a cummerbund, before quickly moving on to introduce the next guest. “Please welcome two-time Emmy nominee Sydney Sweeney!”

Sydney Sweeney stunned in a custom red satin gown by Oscar de la Renta as she took the stage to present the Emmy for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie. The award went to Owen Cooper from *Adolescence*. She didn’t acknowledge a joke made by host Nate Bargatze during her appearance. (See more photos of celebrities at the 2025 Emmys and a complete list of winners here.)

Sydney Sweeney‘s jeans controversy just got the Emmys treatment.

During his hosting of the 2025 Emmy Awards, Nate Bargatze made a joke referencing an American Eagle ad featuring the star of *Euphoria*. The ad had previously received criticism, with some accusing it of promoting eugenics.

The comedian jokingly mentioned his unusual outfit – a tuxedo paired with blue jeans – while onstage on September 14th. He seemed flustered, forgetting what he was going to say about a cummerbund, then quickly moved on to introduce two-time Emmy nominee Sydney Sweeney.

Oh my gosh, did you SEE her?! She floated onto the stage in this absolutely breathtaking, custom red satin Oscar de la Renta gown – totally strapless, can you believe it? And even after Nate Bargatze made that little joke about denim, she just *glided* past it, didn’t even acknowledge him. She’s just… perfect. I’m obsessed!

Sweeney, who hasn’t publicly addressed the recent controversy, continued with the awards show, presenting the Emmy for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie to Owen Cooper for his work on *Adolescence*. You can find more photos from the 2025 Emmys and a complete list of winners elsewhere.

The 15-year-old actor achieved a historic feat, becoming the youngest male to ever receive an award at the yearly event.

In a recent interview with *Vanity Fair*, the 28-year-old explained they were there to promote their new film, *Christy*, a biography about boxer Christy Martin, and to support everyone who worked on it. They made it clear they weren’t interested in discussing fashion choices, specifically jeans.

She added, “The movie’s about Christy, and that’s what I’ll be there to talk about.”

American Eagle is continuing to strongly support its work with Sydney Sweeney and is planning even more collaborations with her in the future.

According to Chief Marketing Officer Craig Brommers, the marketing campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney – specifically the line ‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ – will continue. He stated during the company’s Q2 earnings call on September 3rd that Sweeney will remain a part of their marketing efforts, and they plan to add new components to the campaign in the coming months.

See more photos of Sweeney and other stars at the 2025 Emmy Awards.

The actor shared during his acceptance speech that when he began taking drama classes a few years ago, he never imagined he’d be in the US, let alone where he was that night. He said the experience proved that with focus, listening, and a willingness to try new things, anything is possible. He encouraged everyone to not be afraid of embarrassment, because anything can be achieved.

See more photos of Cooper, Sweeney and other stars at the 2025 Emmy Awards.