As Nate Bargatze gears up to take over one of television’s biggest nights, the comedian hopes to lean on what he knows best to make the Emmys a family-friendly night to remember.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital ahead of Sunday’s 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, the comedian opened up about his hosting strategy, explained how his faith has helped shape his comedy over the years, and shared why he refuses to “shy away” from his Christian upbringing.
“I want it to be a night that’s fun,” the Tennessee native said of hosting the award show. “The comics that [make controversial jokes], they’re great at it and I can’t do what they do. And so I just want this night to be – I hope that it’s just, I don’t know, as relaxing as it can be.”
“I want people at home to also feel that too. I think it’ll make it feel different,” he added. “We will have jokes, we will make fun of shows and stuff, but riding the line where we’re trying not to get too – I don’t want to be too mean. I don’t want to, I would like to be able to, when I see anybody afterward, it’s not uncomfortable.”
Over the past two decades, Bargatze, who has hosted “Saturday Night Live” twice and has a handful of Netflix specials in the books, has often leaned on his Christian upbringing to help shape his comedy.
“You don’t shy away from it. I am a Christian. I do believe I’m being asked to do all these things, and you just feel guided in what you’re trying to do, but you’re trying to bring everybody in to have a great time,” Bargatze told Fox News Digital. “And so it’s not about making it specific.”
“That’s why I don’t get political, because it doesn’t really matter,” he continued. “It doesn’t matter what religion you are. It doesn’t matter what your politics are. I don’t think I need to guide you in any direction. I can tell you who I am. This is why I tend to be that way, and then I steer it in a direction that welcomes everybody. Whether you’re not a Christian or you’re conservative or Democrat or whatever you are, that’s not what this is about.”
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Bargatze said his background inspired his “clean” approach to telling jokes.
“I mean, that’s a big reason. It’s the main reason I’m clean is I never wanted to – I could never imagine my parents being embarrassed to tell someone to come watch me and stuff. So I watch everything I write. I write with them in mind that I don’t want to embarrass them.”
“[My Christian upbringing] always played into how I did comedy,” he added. “I was going to be clean from the beginning. There were times that you could see people, I don’t know, getting political or getting dirty… and they would move and they could pass you career-wise at that moment. And so it was just trusting that I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing. It was hard to do sometimes, but just to stick to it. And now I’m seeing how it’s paid off, and so it’s been great.”
WATCH: EMMY HOST NATE BARGATZE WON’T SHY AWAY FROM FAITH DURING TV’S BIGGEST NIGHT
Bargatze — who recently told CBS Sunday Morning that his comedy career was a “religious calling” — discussed his beliefs and his career in April with The New York Times’ “The Interview” podcast.
“It’s a big belief: I am second to God. Second to your family, second to the audience, second to everybody. You live to serve, so it’s very much a calling in that aspect. But it’s trying to ride that balance where I don’t want anybody that’s not this or that — I just want to make something where all of them can be in the room together. It’s driven by a bigger purpose for me, but everybody has their own things,” he said.
The father of two also found a clever way to give back during the live broadcast.
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Bargatze said he plans to donate $100,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of America. But there’s a catch.
“Hollywood has to help me,” he said. “Not with money, but by keeping their ‘Thank You’ speeches to time.”
“As always, everyone gets 45 seconds to make their speech. For every second they go over, the kids will get $1,000 less. And the kids will be there. And see it. And feel it. So is thanking your second manager worth taking food from a child? I don’t think so, but we’ll see what Hollywood thinks.”
When it comes to television’s biggest night, Bargatze – who was known to be the nation’s highest-grossing comedian last year with “clean” jokes – said he plans to really trust his gut instinct with his hosting duties.
“I mean, you’re talking live on stage in front of people. The hard part is the jokes because I’m not going to get to run the jokes like I would stand up. And so you got to just trust your instincts that you know what jokes are going to work or what jokes you think are going to work.”
“It’s just being aware of everything that’s going on, and it’s really just hoping your preparation of doing comedy for 22 years kicks in and saves me. So we don’t just bomb this thing.”
