The 2025 Emmy Awards are getting completely reamed for its “diabolical” donation counter that took away $1,000 each time a winner went over their allocated time during their speeches.
On Monday, celebrities gathered at the swanky Los Angeles Peacock Theatre for the 77th Emmy Awards.
But before the trophies could be passed out, Emmy Awards host Nate Bargatze revealed that he would be donating $100,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of America — a nonprofit organisation that provides after-school activities for kids.
However, if winners went over their speech by 45 seconds, money would be taken away from Bargatze’s donation. But if a winner went under the allocated time, money would return to the donation pot.
“Every second you go over, we take away $1,000 from the Boys & Girls Club,” Bargatze warned the audience.
“I’m not taking it away. It’s you, if you want to thank your agent and your fifth agent and all this kind of stuff.”
“If you do 20 seconds and you leave 25 seconds on, then we’re adding $25,000 to the Boys & Girls Club.
“I want to give money to the Boys & Girls Club, (but) this is my money. Go over a little bit. Let’s not be insane. It could get out of control. I’ll be sweating that, if for some reason we find out they just all become super, super nice Sunday night.”
The comedian also noted that children from the Boys & Girls Club were present at the award, adding extra pressure on winners and their speeches.
Fans React To Emmy Awards Donation Counter
As the Emmys went on, viewers called out the timer, describing it as “diabolical” and “tacky”, while others made fun of the bit with memes.
The boys and girls club money counter thing lowkey highkey not funny and is fucked as hell actually!!
— Eddie Dillinger: Evan in 27 days (@kaisalterboy) September 15, 2025
This whole Boys and Girls Club bit feels like the baseball scene in the Succession pilot
— Маделейн . (@normalmadeline) September 15, 2025
This Bargatze bit is terrible even when they inevitably give more money to the Boys & Girls club.
— Mike Wolf (@MikeTWolf) September 15, 2025
Someone has their first Emmy win ever and then a graphic shows up to represent how much they took away from charity. Hilarious.
the Boys and Girls club bit doesn't work, respectfully, because every presenter gets to take their sweet time presenting their lame bit of copy while the actual winners are more concerned with not robbing children rather than enjoying their moment. a fail
— Chris Murphy (@christress) September 15, 2025
The boys and girls club when they receive their donation #Emmys pic.twitter.com/Oam60M8AOT
— andy (@andrimountains) September 15, 2025
The Boys & Girls Club of America live donation counter has to be the most DIABOLICAL move in a live award show.. 🫠 #Emmys pic.twitter.com/fXuz6NxpyS
— Sammie Jaimez (@SammieJaimez) September 15, 2025
the emmy’s taking money out of their boys and girls club donation everytime an acceptance speech goes over 45 seconds….this is diabolical
— felipe (@imfelipe_mp3) September 15, 2025
This boys and girls club taking money away bit is so tacky
— aspiring gothic romance heroine (@divers2015) September 15, 2025
While there were a select few celebrities who DID run over time, prompting the money counter to appear behind them on a jumbotron, Bargatze’s final donation total went up $250,000, resulting in a $350,000 donation.
Hope to god this Hunger Games shit never happens again!
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