Saturday Night Live made the cold open famous. On Sunday night in Los Angeles, a former SNL host leaned on one of the most popular recent sketches as a cold open (of sorts) to the 77th annual Primetime Emmy Awards program.
Just like SNL, the Emmy Awards program was performed live last night, with thousands of celebrities on hand at the Peacock Theater in downtown LA. The program host was two-time SNL host Nate Bargatze.
Bargatze appeared on stage in a sketch with SNL cast members Mikey Day, James Austin Johnson, and Bowen Yang. The sketch centered on Philo T. Farnsworth the reputed inventor of the television. Playing Farnsworth, Bargatze explains how he has a a dream for how his device will be used.
The sketch was based on a George Washington sketch written by Day and SNL writer Streeter Seidell, featuring Bargatze in Season 49. When Bargatze returned to host in Season 50, the sketch appeared again.
Of hosts who have steered SNL more than once in recent seasons, Bargatze stands out as an emerging fan favorite. Perhaps not since former writer John Mulaney returned to SNL to host has there been a figure who has seemed so well-suited for the gig.
Bargatze guided the Emmy Awards program well, showing off his understated style of comedy, with his droll, slow delivery and wide-eyed countenance. The last 32 months have been huge for Bargatze, with his SNL hosting gigs, a special on Amazon in early 2023 that broke streaming records, a special on Netflix in December of 2024, and now the Emmy ceremony. In 2023 he was named “the nicest man in stand-up” by The Atlantic, and in 2024 he set a record with more than $82 million in gross sales from his standup touring.
The host schedule for the 2025-26 SNl season, the 51st in franchise history, has not been revealed. Typically the producers announce 2-3 hosts ahead of the broadcast schedule. If Bargatze hosts for a third consecutive season he would join a select group to achieve that, which includes Louis C.K., John Goodman, Elliott Gould, Jon Hamm, Tom Hanks, Buck Henry, Lindsay Lohan, Steve Martin, Melissa McCarthy, John Mulaney.
The season debut of SNL 51 is October 4, 2025.
