Nate Bargatze Subtracts From Donation After Long Emmys Speech

Your friend Nate Bargatze walks the walk.

The host of the 2025 Emmys played the role of a good-naturedly confused average person throughout the show, but he was serious about enforcing the 45-second time limit for acceptance speeches – there would be consequences for going over.

He pledged to donate $100,000 to the Boys & Girls Club, but with a twist: for every second a star held their pose too long, he’d reduce the donation by $1,000. Conversely, if a star finished quickly, he’d add $1,000 to the donation for each second they finished under time.

The show immediately launched into his plan, starting with Seth Rogen winning Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. This win happened right before the monologue and was presented by Stephen Colbert, who received a standing ovation as he hosted the Late Show for the last time.

Bargatze joked, ‘I feel terrible – he had no idea this was happening.’ He playfully wondered what the person had done, asking if they’d gone over or under the limit. When someone confirmed ‘under,’ he exclaimed with relief, ‘Okay, great!’ He then continued, ‘I’m the one paying for this, so please, everyone just be honest and do the right thing – a little over or under is fine, just be fair.’

And for a moment, the tally stood at $106,000 thanks to Rogen’s brevity. But not for long…

Katherine LaNasa from *The Pitt* paused before accepting her award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, bringing the total raised to $98,000.

Bargatze joked about the pricey wave display. He addressed concerns from viewers wondering if the presenters would be penalized for participating, clarifying that they wouldn’t be. He explained that only those who had worked the hardest to be there would face any consequences, and added that as the host, he wasn’t involved in tracking the financial details.

The 46-year-old comedian began his show at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on September 14th with a skit based on his popular portrayal of George Washington on *Saturday Night Live*. (Check out all the best looks from the 2025 Emmys red carpet.)

He portrayed Philo T. Farnsworth, the inventor of television, a man known for overthinking even basic questions – like what kind of programs would air on a channel like The Learning Channel.

And who will the real stars of TV be?

He criticized the current obsession with true crime shows, pointing out they often focus on actual murderers.

And who will watch? “Your wife, my wife, everyone’s wives.”

It’s funny because it’s true.

Nate Bargatze hosted the Emmys for the first time and was also nominated for two awards for his 2024 Netflix special, *Your Friend, Nate Bargatze*. He was up for Outstanding Variety Special and Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special, but both awards went to other programs: *Conan O’Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor* and *SNL 50: The Anniversary Special*. These wins were announced at the Creative Arts Emmys on September 8th.

Before the event, he announced his intention to limit the length of acceptance speeches. Appearing on *Jimmy Kimmel Live*, he explained that if everyone shortened their speeches, it would significantly reduce costs-potentially down to around $10,000. He joked that those who spoke longer would be responsible for the difference.

Check out the celebrities and how quickly they prepped for the 2025 Emmys red carpet – some in under a minute!