Emmys Viewers Criticize ‘Dreadful’ Money Countdown: ‘This Is Rough'
Talk about putting your money where your mouth is.
Nate Bargatze incited a backlash when he hosted the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 14 and introduced a gimmick to keep the acceptance speeches short.
The comedian, who hosted the show for the first time, announced during his opening monologue that he would be donating $100,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. But there was a catch.
“Every second you go over 45 seconds, we will deduct $1,000 away from the Boys and Girls Club,” he said, as the audience laughed.
“I know. I know. That’s tough. It’s hard. That’s tough. It’s brutal,” he continued. “What are you going to do, though? I can’t change it. This is a game I made up, and these are the rules.”
To be fair, Bargatze said $1,000 per second will be added for each second the winners go under 45 seconds. He wound up making several more jokes about the clock as the night wore on.
Many fans on X were not thrilled with the stunt.
“Imagine winning an Emmy and instead of flashing a timer countdown they’re flashing this at you instead, no wonder so many speeches are getting frazzled when they can see the counter going down while they’re on stage!” one person captioned a brief video that featured a countdown of a loss of money.
Nate Bargatze hosting the Emmy Awards on Sept. 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA.
“The speech countdown thing is stupid, don’t tell the winners to cut down their acceptance speeches tell the presenters to stop with the long-ass monologues before they even get to who won. it’s cringy, not funny, and a big waste of time,” another person wrote.
“The okay, I’m over the money countdown, the winners should be allowed to give their speech and the presenters need to cut down on their bits,” another fed-up viewer wrote.
“I don’t think this money countdown is doing what the #Emmys wants it to do,” someone else commented. “It’s so funny how the celebrities don’t care and are just taking money from the Boys and Girls Club of America. He’s gonna give the 100K anyway because he seems like a nice guy. But this is rough.”
“The #Emmys taking away money from their donation to the Boys & Girls Club every time somebody goes over the designated time given for their acceptance speech is actually so diabolical. I’m screaming,” lamented one viewer.
“Finding the #Emmys countdown timer pretty awful. Taking away from charity before money is given. Sorry — it won’t solve speeches (which people like to watch). Just dreadful,” complained another person.
"All the people who don’t like the money countdown on the #Emmys is severely misunderstanding the comedy; and a limit on acceptance speech time is the only way you hand out this many awards and get the show finished in the same week," another wrote.
The Boys and Girls Clubs of America were also among those who supported the effort.
“Saying thank you in 45 seconds or less just won’t do,” the organization shared on X. “From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU, @natebargatze, for including the Club Kids in such an unforgettable night. Your generosity and jokes made it magic; and we’re beyond grateful to be part of it.”
As the show ended, Bargatze clarified just how much money would be donated.
“CBS is going to add $100,000. I will give $250,000. It takes us to $350,000 for the Boys & Girls Club. Thank you guys so much for being out here!” he said.
