Emmys host Nate Bargatze never saw ‘Succession’: ‘No one watched it in the grand scheme of things’

This year’s Emmys host Nate Bargatze hasn’t seen Succession, and he doesn’t think you did either.

In a new cover story for Esquire, the comedian was discussing his dreams of becoming a new sort of Walt Disney type for the average joe, when he brought up the state of entertainment today, saying, “I don’t think anybody’s even trying to make stuff for everybody.”

To make his point, Bargatze brought up the Emmys juggernaut Succession, HBO’s satirical black dramedy about the uber wealthy but extremely dysfunctional Roy family. “I did not watch Succession,” he told the outlet. “I know it’s the greatest show ever to exist. I’m not a moron. Everybody understands it’s the greatest show in the world. I want to watch it. This has nothing to do with the show. But no one watched it in the grand scheme of things.”

As the outlet pointed out, Succession was a critical and awards season success throughout its four-season run. Each season received rave reviews from critics, and it was nominated for and won many awards, including 75 Primetime Emmys nods (19 wins). It’s highest-watched episode was its finale, with 2.9 million viewers.

But, per Bargatze, that’s not quite the same as having a true must-watch show, where a family gathers around their TV to watch together like they would in the past.

“Everybody has lives, everybody has kids, everybody has stuff to go do,” he said. “They don’t want to sit and worship your art. There’s got to be a balance of appreciating Succession and appreciating King of Queens. Those worlds have to exist together. Now you have too many Successions. There’s nothing that’s a palate cleanser.”

“You know what?” he added. “Maybe the Successions are a little bit easier to make because you’re making it for such a specific audience. You get the runway to make it for five, six years because it’s cool. What if no one watches? It doesn’t matter.”

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Bargatze cited King of Queens; Everybody Loves Raymond; Home Alone; and Planes, Trains, and Automobiles as examples of entertainment that everyone does watch. “Those are the ones you go back to,” he said. “Those are the ones that are hard to make.”

Bargatze will be making his award show hosting debut as the emcee for the 77th Emmy Awards when it airs live on Sept. 14. He has big shoes to fill: The 46-year-old stand-up star is taking the reins from father-son duo Dan and Eugene Levy, who helmed last year’s ceremony.