Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · September 15, 2025 · Entertainment

Nate Bargatze's Emmy Monologue: A 'Cringe' Showdown with Critics!

Emmys host Nate Bargatze left the audience in stitches with his clever tactic to keep the speeches from going overtime - but one industry veteran was not amused

EXCLUSIVE: Nate Bargatze's Emmy Hosting Fiasco - The Cringe-Worthy Performance That Left Viewers Speechless

The 2025 Emmy Awards ceremony, hosted by comedian Nate Bargatze, turned out to be a disaster of epic proportions. The usually lighthearted and entertaining evening was marred by Bargatze's lackluster hosting skills, leaving viewers cringing in their seats.

As the lights dimmed at the Dolby Theatre, Bargatze took center stage, donning a hesitant smile that seemed to scream "I'm not sure what I'm doing here." The crowd, expecting a witty and engaging monologue, was instead greeted by a awkward attempt at comedy. Bargatze's jokes fell flat, with some viewers groaning in unison.

The Big Bang Theory producer Bill Prady was decidedly unimpressed; (from left) Simon Helberg, Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Jim Parsons and Kunal Nayyar are pictured on the show

But things only got worse from there. Bargatze's 'cold open' skit, a revival of his Saturday Night Live days, bombed spectacularly. Playing the inventor of television, he took aim at streamers, calling them "a new way for companies to lose money." The joke was met with a deafening silence, leaving many wondering if anyone had actually laughed.

The cringe factor reached new heights when Bargatze introduced his 'innovative' hosting concept - deducting $1,000 from the Boys and Girls Club of America's donation tally every second a winner's speech went over 45 seconds. The idea was met with outrage on social media, with many calling it "gross" and "stupid."

Viewers Speak Out

The game became a running joke through the show, such as when Hacks star Hannah Einbinder went overtime and said: 'I'll pay the difference, sorry!'

As the show progressed, viewers took to social media to express their disappointment and frustration with Bargatze's hosting skills. Bill Prady, producer of The Big Bang Theory, tweeted: "The Boys and Girls Club bit on #Emmys is just awful and uncomfortable and they should bail on it @TheEmmys."

"Showcasing a tote board ticking down while people thank the people who helped them is just cringe," he continued.

Others weren't so kind. One viewer quipped, "Nate Bargatze coming on every five minutes just to be like 'All right, well… hm… the money is down womp hmmmm well all right?' #emmys." Another wrote: "The whole ‘dwindling donation’ thing for winner speeches going over is gross and stupid. I watch for the speeches, not this bulls*."

John Oliver, however, was clearly fed up of the arrangement, rushing through his speech and then snapping: 'F*** you Nate Bargatze, that is a lot of money for you'

But not everyone was against Bargatze's hosting style. A few fans defended him on social media, with one writing: "Legitimately think Nate Bargatze is the funniest person alive right now." Another chimed in: "The brilliance of Nate Bargatze starting at $100k & money being added or subtracted is that it makes me want to watch The Emmys to see who goes over or under. And I never watch Award Shows."

Some Winners' Speeches Were Longer Than Others

Despite the controversy surrounding Bargatze's hosting, some winners were gracious enough to keep their speeches brief. Owen Cooper, 15, charmed the audience with a heartfelt speech that ran overtime. In response, Bargatze sweetly offered to pay for the losses incurred to the donation.

Adolescence child star Owen Cooper, 15, charmed the audience with a speech that ran overtime, and in response Nate sweetly offered to pay for the losses incurred to the donation

The Winners' List

As the evening wore on, the awards were handed out to some well-deserving winners. Here are the major winners of the night:

  • Best Drama Series: Andor
  • Best Limited or Anthology Series: Adolescence
  • Best Television Movie: Rebel Ridge
  • Best Reality Competition Program: The Traitors
  • Best Actor in a Drama Series: Noah Wyle for The Pitt
  • Best Actress in a Comedy Series: Jean Smart for Hacks
  • Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Seth Rogen for The Studio

A Night to Forget

As the curtains closed on the 2025 Emmy Awards ceremony, it was clear that Nate Bargatze's hosting stint would be one for the books. While some viewers defended his efforts, many more were left cringing at the lack of humor and awkwardness that permeated the evening.

The 2025 Emmy Awards will go down in history as a night to forget, a testament to the power of bad hosting and questionable creative decisions.

'The Boys and Girls Club bit on the #Emmys is just awful and uncomfortable and they should bail on it @TheEmmys,' Bill Prady wrote on X, formerly Twitter

Before the monologue, Nate joined Saturday Night Live stars Bowen Yang (left), Mikey Day (right) and Austin Johnson in a revival of their skit from that show about the invention of TV

A number of viewers were repulsed by the gag, such as one who groused on X: 'The whole ¿dwindling donation¿ thing for winner speeches going over is gross and stupid'

Others, however, defended him, such as one who wrote during the show: 'Legitimately think Nate Bargatze is the funniest person alive right now'