Comedian Nate Bargatze is being lauded for reviving an old Saturday Night Live skit for his 2025 Emmys monologue.
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This year, the 46-year-old stand-up, who made his Emmys hosting debut, opened Sunday night’s ceremony alongside SNL stars Bowen Yang, James Austin Johnson, and Mikey Day.
Together, the group riffed on Bartgatze’s “Washington’s Dream” skit that he performed on the sketch comedy series in 2023 and again in 2024. At the time, it was hailed as one of the show’s best sketches in years by fans.
Dressed as inventor Philo T. Farnsworth in a white lab coat and glasses, the comic told the trio as they fiddled with an early iteration of a TV: “Do not get discouraged. What we create here will one day bring the world shows that inform and educate. Shows that make us laugh, and cry!
“And shows about people who, when they go to work, they switch to different people in their brains who only remember what happens at work!,” he continued in reference to Apple TV+’s Severance. “Many people who watch it won’t, either, but by god, it will be on TV.”
Bargatze added: “I dream that, one day, there will be a channel for every interest. The Travel Channel, for travel. The Food Network, for food. And the History Channel.”
He further imagined programming for all, including “Networks like Telemundo, for Spanish speakers. And BET: Black Entertainment Television.”
As for a channel for white people, he quipped, “Why, CBS, of course!” CBS is the home of the Emmys this year. “Yes, the Caucasian Broadcast System,” he joked.
The opening was a major hit with fans of Bargatze and Emmy viewers, who declared it “hilarious” and “genius.”
“Nate Bargatze bringing his SNL skit of past investors predicting the future in hilarious accuracy to the EMMYS is GENIUS lol,” one fan shared on X.
“This opening for the Emmys is hilarious. I am watching just for Nate Bargatze,” a second commented, with a third agreeing, “I love Nate Bargatze. That was hilarious.”
After the first award, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, was handed to Seth Rogen for his performance in Apple TV+’s The Studio, Bargatze returned to the stage to set a strict 45-second limit on acceptance speeches.
He told the crowd that he was donating $100,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, but that $1,000 would be deducted for every second the speeches went over 45 seconds. For every second under the time limit, he would increase his donation by $1,000.
The 77th Emmy Awards, broadcast live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, saw Severance take home several awards in the drama categories, including Britt Lower for Outstanding Lead Actress and Tramell Tillman for Supporting Actor.
Hacks star Jean Smart landed her fourth Lead Actress in a Comedy Series award for her portrayal of Deborah Vance. At the same time, her co-star, Hannah Einbinder, earned her first Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
