Emmys’ charity stunt slammed as ‘vile’ by outraged viewers

Emmys 2025 host Nate Bargatze is facing a brutal wave of criticism after his charity stunt at last night’s ceremony appalled viewers.

At the top of the show, the comedian announced that he would donate $100,000 (£73,626) to the Boys & Girls Club of America.

But there was a catch: every winner had 45 seconds for their acceptance speech, with $1,000 (£736) added for every second under the limit, and $1,000 deducted for every second over.

The premise might have sounded clever in the writers’ room, but in practice it was a tone-deaf misfire that turned philanthropy into a kind of live-television punishment game.

As speeches rolled on, the on-screen tally ticked downward, transforming heartfelt moments of gratitude or political statements into moral dilemmas for the audience and the winners