ENTERTAINMENT2025 Emmys Host Nate Bargatze Criticized for 'Corny' Opening Sketch: 'That Monologue Was Very Painful'
The 2025 Emmys host, Nate Bargatze, received mixed reviews for his 'Saturday Night Live'-inspired opening monologue.
Sept. 14 2025, Published 10:12 p.m. ET
The 2025 Emmys host, Nate Bargatze, didn't receive the best reviews for his opening monologue.
The comedian kicked off the 77th annual show on Sunday, September 14, by reviving his viral Saturday Night Live sketch alongside the NBC series' stars Bowen Yang, Mikey Day and Austin Johnson.
Nate Bargatze's Emmys Monologue
Social media users criticized Nate Bargatze's opening sketch for the 2025 Emmys.
Instead of portraying George Washington, Bargatze played Philo T. Farnsworth, the inventor of television, and playfully took jabs at shows like Severance for being confusing and The Bear for being nominated in the comedy category instead of drama.
Several social media users dissed the bit, with one person writing, "Bro emmy’s wtf is this corny opening monologue."
"I like Nate Bargatze but I am not sure hosting is his type of thing. That was a very painful monologue," said another individual. "At least he didn't get political so there is that."
"#Emmys2025 not a fan of Nate Bargatze’s opening. Monologue was ehhh!" agreed a third.
Critics Diss the Comedian's Skit
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The comedian's sketch was inspired by a bit he did when hosting 'Saturday Night Live.'
At the same time, there were some people who cracked up at the sketch.
"So funny! Just like the SNL skit he was in when he hosted the show," one viewer noted, while another tweeted, "Loved the opening stint, so good."
The stand-up comic hosted SNL once in 2023 and again in 2024, with the latter gig featuring the sketch he revamped.
The comedian hosted 'SNL' in 2023 and 2024.
A few days before the awards show, Bargatze revealed what viewers could expect from his big night.
"We will make jokes, so I’m going to fit along with what award shows do and make fun of the situation — but I’ll make fun of myself as well," he . "We can do it in a good, fun way. I want the night to just be fun and silly and keep it moving. Let’s be exciting. And let’s be entertainment for the people at home watching. That’s what we are."
The star said he doesn't make jokes that would 'embarrass' his parents.
"You have a bunch of different comedians, and you have ones that push the envelopes and ones that don’t. I just ride down the middle," he said of his style.
“You try to stay true to yourself. I’m very close to my family. That’s why [with] my standup material, I never wanted to embarrass my parents. I didn’t want them to be like, ‘Oh, I can’t believe he’s saying that,'" Bargatze explained. "I just was very conscious of that. When I write my material, I’m writing it thinking of my parents in mind. And then you’re not writing it for everybody — you’re writing it for a very specific person."
