{"id":158860,"date":"2025-09-15T16:56:09","date_gmt":"2025-09-15T16:56:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/158860\/"},"modified":"2025-09-15T16:56:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-15T16:56:09","slug":"emmy-producers-on-nate-bargatze-boys-girls-club-donations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/158860\/","title":{"rendered":"Emmy Producers on Nate Bargatze, Boys & Girls Club Donations"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tIf you\u2019re at least looking at the length of this year\u2019s Emmy Awards, Sunday night\u2019s running gag about the Boys & Girls Clubs was a success. That\u2019s the word from Jesse Collins Entertainment<\/a> producers Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon and Jennae Rouzan-Clay, all of whom spoke with reports just minutes after the show wrapped at downtown Los Angeles\u2019 Peacock Theatre.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe show wasn\u2019t that long, so it worked,\u201d said Rouzan-Clay \u2014 and she\u2019s not wrong, The Emmys<\/a> ended at around 8:02 p.m. PT\/11:02 p.m. ET. At one point during the show, the winners were so good in adhering to keeping their speeches short that the Emmys was actually running short.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cHalfway through we were hovering around just like, a minute to two minutes over, and then it just started to spread a little bit,\u201d Collins said. \u201cIt was just kind of ebbed and flowed all night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe idea of bringing the Boys & Girls Clubs into the Emmy mix came from host Nate Bargatze<\/a>, and from there, the Emmys were all in. The idea: Bargatze would kick off the night by ponying up $100,000 for the charity. And then, he would subtract $1,000 for every second speeches went long \u2014 and add $1,000 for every second winners ended before the allotted 45-second time for thank yous. By the end of the night, the deficit was enormous \u2014 but CBS still contributed $100,000, with another $250,000 from Bargatze himself.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI think it worked out well,\u201d Collins said. \u201cI mean, look, they came in expecting $100,000 and they ended with $350,000. So I think it was a win-win for the Boys & Girls Club.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAt the start of the evening, winners were taking Bargatze\u2019s plan to heed and keeping their speeches relatively short; finally, by later in the evening, those thank yous were getting longer and folks on stage simply promised to add their own money to the pot. \u201cI felt like most people spoke from the heart, and the people that had longer speeches still had longer speeches, and the people that had shorter ones kind of made moments of it, or maybe it was because they won multiple times,\u201d Harmon said. \u201cBut I didn\u2019t get the sense that somebody held something in because of that\u2026 There was a balance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tNate Bargatze (Sonja Flemming\/CBS)
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCBS<\/p>\n

\n\tHere are some of the other burning questions from Sunday night\u2019s Emmys:<\/p>\n

\n\tEric Dane dropped out as a presenter at the last minute, scrapping the producers\u2019 plans for a reference to the 20th anniversary of \u201cGrey\u2019s Anatomy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAs originally announced, Dane and fellow \u201cGrey\u2019s Anatomy\u201d alum Jesse Williams were set to present the Emmy for directing for a drama series together. But Dane, who announced in April that he has been diagnosed with ALS<\/a>, ultimately wasn\u2019t able to attend. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI don\u2019t know the details of that,\u201d Collins said. \u201cI just was told that he wasn\u2019t able to make it. And fortunately, Jesse was able to present by himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe original plan for Dane and Williams wasn\u2019t elaborate; they were simply going to acknowledge the \u201cGrey\u2019s\u201d anniversary. Without Dane, the producers decided to scrap the reference. \u201cThere wasn\u2019t a set or anything, though,\u201d Rouzan-Clay said. \u201cIt was just a celebration with the two of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tHost Nate Bargatze, Bowen Yang, James Austin Johnson and Mikey Day (Sonja Flemming\/CBS)
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCBS<\/p>\n

\n\tThe opening \u201cPhilo T. Farnsworth\u201d sketch, reminiscent of Bargatze\u2019s \u201cGeorge Washington\u201d skits on \u201cSaturday Night Live,\u201d was written by the show\u2019s Mikey Day and Streeter Seidell. Given the \u201cSNL\u201d-ness of it (cast members Day, James Austin Johnson and Bowen Yang appeared with Bargatze), it was also approved by \u201cSNL\u201d exec producer Lorne Michaels.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe sketch came together \u201cprobably three, four weeks ago,\u201d Collins said. \u201cIt was great to be able to do that. And Lorne blessed it so that we could do it. We loved the flip on it, the George Washington tone, but the way they did it was brilliant.<\/p>\n

\n\tAfter the sketch was created, the decision was made not to have Bargatze do a traditional monologue opener.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cOnce\u00a0 we locked in on the sketch that became the monologue,\u201d Collins said. \u201cThen he was in character. He wasn\u2019t Nate at that point. So then it was a quick change after the award, and then it was more of a welcome to the show.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAdded Harmon: \u201cAnd explaining the Boys & Girls Club piece.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThere were no major set pieces or segments that were scrapped for time this year.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cNate had some stuff that was in his back pocket that he wound up not using,\u201d Collins said. \u201cBut I think those were more creative choices.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tBargatze\u2019s denim joke \u2014 told while introducing presenter Sydney Sweeney \u2014 was indeed a reference to the recent controversy over her American Eagle denim campaign.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cYes, that was his joke toward that,\u201d Collins confirmed.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tStephen Colbert
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCBS<\/p>\n

\n\tStephen Colbert was chosen as the night\u2019s first presenter \u2014 handing out the lead actor in a comedy Emmy \u2014 to kick the show off with a powerful moment. And it worked: The entire Peacock Theatre gave Colbert a standing ovation.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cHe deserved that,\u201d said Harmon. Added Collins: \u201cWe all felt like it was a moment for him to walk out on that stage, to be the first award. And we were just glad that he was willing to do it. We felt like it would be a moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAnd Rouzan-Clay said it was \u201ca nice wrap-around at the end,\u201d when Colbert gave a rousing speech as the talk show winner.<\/p>\n

\n\tThis year\u2019s Emmys also opened with two big awards \u2014 right after Colbert and the comedy lead actor category, Jennifer Coolidge handed out the lead actress in a comedy series Emmy.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWe wanted to give Colbert an award with some weight to it, and then Jen Coolidge, and just like we had such great presenters that we were like, let\u2019s do it,\u201d Collins said. Added<\/p>\n

\n\tRouzan-Clay: \u201cAlso you want to keep your audience intrigued and engaged, too, from the beginning and then throughout. So you don\u2019t want to front load it or have everything at the back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Jesse Collins Entertainment team admits it was a bit unusual to be producing the Emmys when they were up for variety special (live) with two nominations (for \u201cBeyonc\u00e9 Bowl\u201d and the Super Bowl Halftime).<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cIt is interesting when you\u2019re up for something and it\u2019s live, and you\u2019re sitting there, like, \u2018what\u2019s going to happen?\u2019\u201d Harmon said.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe category, of course, ultimately went to \u201cSNL50: The Anniversary Special.\u201d \u201cLorne Michaels is an icon, obviously,\u201d Collins said. \u201cWhat he\u2019s done with \u2018SNL,\u2019 it\u2019s a great ending to the \u2018SNL 50\u2019 story.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tBeyonc\u00e9\u2019s publicist was in the audience, but it was never quite clear whether Beyonc\u00e9 and Jay-Z would attend the Emmys themselves.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWe figured it out when they weren\u2019t in the seats,\u201d Collins said. \u201c\u2019 Oh, you guys aren\u2019t coming!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tReba McEntire with Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman of Little Big Town (Sonja Flemming\/CBS)
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCBS<\/p>\n

\n\tThis year\u2019s mix of reunions and tributes began with securing a segment devoted to \u201cThe Golden Girls.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWe led with \u2018Golden Girls,\u2019\u201d Rouzan-Clay said. \u201cThat was a big one. As soon as we realized it was 40 years to the day that the show was coming on, we knew we had to do \u2018Golden Girls.\u2019 And I think \u2018Law and Order\u2019 was actually the last one to come together. But we sort of set out with the ones we wanted to hit, and then we went after them. \u2018Gilmore Girls\u2019 was one of the ones that people are most excited about. So that was fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tReba McEntire, who led the singalong of \u201cThe Golden Girls\u201d theme song, suggested bringing on Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman of Little Big Town.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe thing about that song is it\u2019s a country song, and we had a lot of help from Reba on casting it,\u201d Collins told \u201cEntertainment Tonight.\u201d \u201cAnd she loves those ladies. And we were like, Let\u2019s just use the trio.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tJeff Probst (Sonja Flemming\/CBS)
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCBS<\/p>\n

\n\tThe \u201cSurvivor\u201d tribute featured real props from the show, courtesy host Jeff Probst.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cJeff gave us props!\u201d Collins said. The cutouts of Michaels and John Oliver, as part of a \u201ctribal council\u201d for who would win the scripted variety category, was a surprise to both contenders, however. \u201cWe went rogue, just on that one,\u201d Rouzan-Clay said. Added Collins: \u201cWe\u2019re just like, let\u2019s just roll. Let\u2019s not ask. We\u2019ll apologize after!\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tHarmon was at the Vatican just hours before the Emmys, producing the \u201cGrace for the World\u201d \u00a0live concert event for Disney+ at St. Peter\u2019s Square co-directed by Pharrell Williams and Andrea Bocelli.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cIt was on Disney+, and first concert ever in St. Peter\u2019s Square at the Vatican,\u201d Harmon said. \u201cWe had John Legend, Andrea Bocelli, Pharrell, Jennifer Hudson, a ton of people. The big part was the drones. There were 3000 drones over the Vatican. It\u2019s a really, really incredible show. We got on a plane 6 a.m. the next morning, landed here and came straight over. And here we are! I\u2019m gonna sleep really well tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tCollins and company won\u2019t find out for a while whether they\u2019ll be back to produce the Emmys for a fourth consecutive time \u2014 next year on NBC.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cUsually they take meetings in the spring,\u201d Collins said. \u201cSo that\u2019s when we would go in and make our pitch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tNext up, Jesse Collins Entertainment will once again be a part of the Super Bowl halftime show producing team. But no, they\u2019re not ready to share any details \u2014 including if Taylor Swift might indeed be the performer.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI don\u2019t even know who\u2019s playing!\u201d Collins quipped.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If you\u2019re at least looking at the length of this year\u2019s Emmy Awards, Sunday night\u2019s running gag about…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":158861,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[10549,88,96864,3784],"class_list":{"0":"post-158860","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entertainment","8":"tag-emmys","9":"tag-entertainment","10":"tag-jesse-collins-entertainment","11":"tag-nate-bargatze"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/158860","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=158860"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/158860\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/158861"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=158860"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=158860"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=158860"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}