Nate Bargatze Gives Hilarious Take on the Development of Television in Emmys Opening

Nate Bargatze opened the 2025 Emmys with a hilarious take on the development of television.

Nate played television inventor Philo T. Farnsworth, who was joined by underlings portrayed by “Saturday Night Live” cast members Bowen Yang, Mikey Day and James Austin Johnson.

The sketch paid homage to Nate’s popular George Washington skit on “Saturday Night Live.”

As Farnsworth, he shared with them his dream for the future of television, as he listed off some funny, but true facts about the medium.

Farnsworth tells them, “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!”

Referring to “Severance,” the most nominated show of the year, he went on, “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! Many people who watch it won’t, either, but by God, it will be on TV.”

The inventor continued, “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… for aliens.”

Poking fun at the Learning Channel (TLC), he said it provide content on, “Hoarders. People who eat couch cushions. ‘Dr. Pimple Popper.’ All of our fun stuff.”

Farnsworth wanted TV channels to be inclusive, “Networks like Telemundo, for Spanish speakers. And BET: Black Entertainment Television.”

When asked about television for white people, he declared, “Why, CBS, of course!." And James' character replies, "Yes, the Caucasian Broadcast System!”

He called streaming channels “a new way for companies to lose money,” and joked that the biggest streaming stars are “murderers.” Who would want to watch murderers? 

Farnsworth quipped, “Your wife, my wife, everyone’s wife.”

He also made fun of the Emmy categories, saying, “There will be awards for all types of shows. Gripping dramas, like ‘The Pitt,’ a heartbreaking look at the emotional toll of trauma,” adding, “And laugh-out-loud comedies like ‘The Bear,’ a heartbreaking look at the emotional toll of trauma.”

When one of the men asks if the Emmy nominees will have the “most viewers,” he reveals “not even close,” saying, “most people will watch football and ‘Yellowstone.’”

Afterward, Nate returned to the stage as himself to introduce a new concept for keeping speeches under 45 seconds.

Bargatze explained that he would donate $100,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of America, however, for every second a winner went over their 45 seconds he would deduct $1,000. For every second a winner came in under 45 seconds, he would add back a $1,000.

The comedian joked, “Don’t go crazy, though. Because I’m paying for this, so don’t — like, some of you go over a little, some go under, do the right thing.”

Ahead of the award show, “Extra” caught up with Nate, show shared, “I want it to be a fun night… I don't really plan to come at someone hard or make it really uncomfortable, and I just want a pleasant, pleasant night.”

He added, “We definitely have jokes about the TV shows, so we're not above that… A lot of the big shows, we have some stuff planned.”