Nate Bargatze says he never planned to donate $250,000 of his own cash to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America after the 2025 Emmys. Speaking on his Nateland podcast this week, the host confirmed that the ongoing bit was intended as a positive thing.

“It came from a real place of heart,” he said. “I wasn’t trying to put anyone on the spot. I wasn’t trying to make someone donate money. But in my head I kind of thought, ‘Make it fun.'”

Bargatze said the bit originated after CBS asked him to come up with a way to keep the acceptance speeches short. He said CBS was “very happy” with the idea, as was “everyone at home.” He acknowledged that many of the critics didn’t feel the same way. He also didn’t assume that he would be the one on the hook to donate the money.

“I wasn’t trying to ov

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