The 2025 Emmys are nearly upon us, and while we can only hope that the various attending celebrities remember their steamers, those of us watching from home have a different preoccupation entirely to worry about: determining how this year’s host, comedian Nate Bargatze, fares on the Peacock Theater stage.
While it will sure be hard to top last year’s Emmys emcees, father-and-son duo Eugene and Dan Levy, Bargatze—a Nashville-born stand-up who got his start at Chicago’s Second City and Jim Rauth’s Comedy College—definitely has the chops to at least pull off a successful opening monologue. He’s also a two-time Emmy nominee himself this year, for his work in his 2024 stand-up special Your Friend, Nate Bargatze.
But what, exactly, should those unfamiliar with his work expect from his first go hosting a major awards show? Will the vibe be friendly or roast-y? Is he a song-and-dance man, or will he play it all pretty straight? We can’t know for sure until Sunday night—but a survey of his output so far may offer some hints. Below, five performances of Bargatze’s to watch (or revisit) ahead of the 2025 Emmy Awards.
