Comedian Nate Bargatze says he will donate $100,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America after the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards — but only if winners keep their acceptance speeches to 45 seconds or less.
Bargatze, who is hosting the ceremony at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles, told Jimmy Kimmel Live this week that he will reduce the pledge by $1,000 for every second a winner goes over the allotted 45 seconds. "Everybody gets 45 seconds to do all the thank-yous," he said. "So what I came up with is I'm going to donate $100,000 to the Boys & Girls Club… that's what the show's starting at. When everybody uses their 45 seconds, if someone goes over, we take away $1,000 a second every time they go over."
Bargatze, 46, has built his career on a clean, nonprofane comic style and is reported to be worth about £56 million. He acknowledged on Kimmel that cutting off winners could feel awkward given the prestige of the awards, saying he understood that nominees "work hard for the Emmys." The broadcast is scheduled to run about three hours.
The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards air from the Peacock Theater on Monday night. The television academy's nominations list placed the drama Severance at the top with 27 nods, followed by The Studio with 23. The ceremony also includes significant international interest: Netflix's Adolescence led a group of British and Irish contenders and has 13 nominations, including a best supporting actor nod for 15-year-old Owen Cooper, who would become the youngest ever male Emmy winner if he prevails.
Seating placards for the ceremony have drawn attention in pre-show coverage, with reported arrangements showing younger stars given more prominent positions than several longstanding Hollywood names. Reports said those placards placed Sydney Sweeney in a more favorable seat than actors such as Harrison Ford, Christopher Meloni and Jude Law.
Bargatze's offer ties a charity pledge directly to the live pace of the ceremony, a dynamic that could influence how presenters and winners manage their onstage time. The Boys & Girls Clubs of America provides after-school programs and services for children and teens; the donation would be aimed at supporting that work.
The Emmys traditionally allow winners time to acknowledge collaborators, crews and personal supporters, with acceptance speeches often becoming a focal point of the broadcast. Producers of awards shows have tried in various years to tighten runtimes through visible countdowns, timing cues and producers who cut microphones, methods intended to keep telecasts on schedule.
Tonight's telecast also highlights a range of international nominees and potential winners. In addition to Cooper, British nominees include Gary Oldman for Slow Horses, Aimee Lou Wood and Jason Isaacs for The White Lotus, Colin Farrell for The Penguin and Bella Ramsey for The Last of Us. Irish actress Sharon Horgan is nominated for Bad Sisters. Several nominees and attendees were prominent at Los Angeles pre-Emmy events over the weekend.
Bargatze's pledge does not change the academy's rules or formal time allowances, nor does it affect ballots or voting; it is a private offer tied to his hosting appearance. Representatives for the Emmy Awards and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America did not immediately comment on the plan.
The ceremony will determine winners across television categories, while the entertainment industry and viewers watch whether Bargatze's conditional donation has the intended effect on acceptance speeches and on the pace of the broadcast.