I started the Emmys delighted as host Nate Bargatze opened with a live skit alongside SNL cast members Bowen Yang, Mikey Day, and James Austin Johnson. Was the skit as tight as it could’ve been? No, but I was still entertained by the big swing. So it was a real disappointment as the night unfolded that Bargatze’s $100K donation to charity bit — wherein he deducted $1,000 from the pot for every second a winner exceeded their allotted 45 seconds of acceptance speech — was the only other bit he had prepared. The whole rest of the evening from him was one note of that one joke, and it became increasingly annoying because A) it was pretty clear that Bargatze/CBS would end the night with a substantial donation regardless, and B) the biggest time waster of the night was Bargatze’s unhurried checking in on the tally! Ok, rant over. One winner who took the spirit of the time challenge in good cheer was perennial Emmy winner John Oliver, who sped-recited his thanks faster than an auctioneer on coke:
John Oliver has no issues speaking his mind.
While accepting Last Week Tonight With John Oliver’s trophy for Outstanding Variety Series at the 2025 Emmy Awards Sept. 14, the comedian playfully took aim at the show’s host Nate Bargatze, who had implemented a strategy of deducting money from his charitable donation to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America for every speech that exceeded the 45 second allotment.
After John quickly thanked a short list of people—including his wife Kate Norley and their two sons—he alluded to how much money he added to the donation pot (which Nate had promised for short speeches) by shouting expletives that were bleeped during the CBS broadcast.
“F–k you Nate Bargatze, that is a lot of money for you,” John quipped from stage, “and you can add a f–k to the swear jar as well.”
While the moment was cause for laughter among the crowd, it’s certainly not John’s first run-in with bleeping from broadcast censorship. At last year’s ceremony, the audio from the talk show host’s speech was cut out during a heartfelt moment.
“I also wanna thank—this is gonna be very silly—our dog,” John said while accepting his trophy. “We had the most fantastic dog and she was at our wedding and she got us through the pandemic. She was with us through two pregnancies and…”
But as he began his sentimental moment, soft send-off music started playing, which is when he reacted with a bleeped, “F–k you! I feel like Sarah McLachlan right now.”
After the comic relief, John added more seriously, “We had to say goodbye to her. She was an amazing dog and this isn’t just for her, it’s for all dogs. All dogs. You are very good girls and very good boys. You all deserve a treat. Play me off now!”
This is John Oliver, of course he’s gonna drop f— bombs! And when you’ve won eleventy-hundred Emmys like Oliver has — half of them for writing! — I think you’ve earned the right to uttereth the language of your choice in your thank yous. This rapid-fire acceptance speech was the first of two wins for Oliver & Co. on Sunday: they won Best Scripted Variety Series against the only other nominee SNL (a feat they’ve pulled off three years in a row now after previously dominating the Talk Series category), and then won Writing for a Scripted Variety Series. Both wins were richly deserved, as always, yet I found myself especially relieved this year each time Last Week Tonight’s name was called. Oliver has always been upfront about the tense relationship he and his writers have with the HBO lawyers, but he’s been even more candid lately about how much he thinks the (repeated) Emmy wins protect them from HBO exerting more control. So basically, should the day ever come that Last Week Tonight loses a top prize, I’ll be in a full blown panic that the show as we know and love it is over. (And no, it is not at all overly dramatic to care this much about this show.)
PS — In addition to adding money to the donation for the kids, Oliver was one of the few winners I noticed who extended the kindness of acknowledging/shaking hands with the kids who were there to escort people off stage. Others I saw do this were Tramell Tillman, Stephen Graham, and Noah Wyle.
This is not censored so it’s NSFW or around kids:
I unabashedly LOVE John Oliver and I adore his show. It makes you think while you laugh. I cried a bit at his speech last year, as we’d recently lost our Golden Doodle, and yes, he was a very Good Boy.
Like John said this year, I don’t know how much longer we will have shows like his on air, with broadcast studios bending the knee to Fascist Felon 47’s Crime Cabal. But, I’m watching John and Colbert until the screen turns blank.
Me too!
Agree with your entire comment.
I love the talk show hosts, like John Oliver, who are still speaking out. We need people like them so badly right now.