Nate Bargatze on SNL: How to watch this week's guest and why he's the 'nicest man in stand-up'
A Nashville native is set to host beloved NBC comedy sketch show "Saturday Night Live" on Oct. 28. Nate Bargatze, who hails from Old Hickory, will be hosting with Foo Fighters as the show's musical guest.
Bargatze got his start with The Second City improv comedy troupe in 2002. Founded in 1959, the comedy institution has fostered some of the biggest names in comedy who have gone on to have illustrious careers at "SNL" including Tina Fey, Bill Hader and Chris Farley.
"Beyond a dream come true," said Bargatze in an Instagram post. "Thank you!!!"
The Nashville native however is no stranger to grand stages. Throughout his career he's performed at Bonnaroo, appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," has been nominated for a Grammy for Best Comedy album and most recently appeared on "Late Night with Seth Meyers."
Here are five things to know about the upcoming host and how to watch Saturday's episode.
What time is 'Saturday Night Live' and how to watch online and on TV
"Saturday Night Live" is broadcast Saturdays on NBC at 10:30 p.m. Central Time. It is also available live on Peacock, the official NBC streaming service. Other streaming services that offer NBC are Fubo.tv and DirecTV, both of which offer free trials. For those with a Hulu subscription, full episodes of "SNL" are available the following day.
Want to watch the show but don't want to pay the monthly subscription or purchase a TV plan? Digital antennas offer access to local channels like NBC for a one-time payment.
How many Nate Bargatze specials are there?
If you'd like to familiarize yourself with Bargatze's material before he takes the "SNL" stage, there are five specials to catch up on:
Nate Bargatze and his father: Entertainment is a family tradition
Bargatze isn't the only entertainer in his family. His father, Stephen Bargatze, is an accomplished magician who also works as a clown and often appears as Nate's opening act.
In November 2019, Stephen accompanied his son as he made he his debut at the Wynn Encore Theater in Las Vegas.
“It's like the crazy dream to play Vegas,” Bargatze told Forbes. “And especially coming from the world of where I've come from with my dad, it's a huge thing. My dad … is on the show with me. … So it will be a very cool thing to do— to have me and him get to do Vegas together. It's gonna be unbelievable."
More: Nate Bargatze: Comedy's newest superstar hails from Old Hickory
Nate Bargatze is going from West Wilson Utility District to Studio 8H
In 2001, Bargatze made a choice that would alter the trajectory of his life. He decided to quit his job in Mt. Juliet reading water meters for West Wilson Utility District and headed to Chicago with a buddy and colleague, Michael Clay.
Despite his lack of comedic experience, Bargatze bet it all. He and Clay loaded up a U-Haul, rented a less-than-desirable apartment and took jobs at a bar. Bargatze enrolled in comedy classes and participated in improv and open mic nights.
Bargatze then relocated to New York, where he would spend seven years perfecting his routines at comedy clubs.
Breaking an attendance record at Bridgestone Arena
When Bargatze daydreamed about success, he envisioned his hometown stage of Bridgestone Arena. On April 15, that dream became a reality when his show “From Old Hickory to Broadway" sold out to an audience of 19,365 fans.
The show broke the venue's attendance record, which was set by Morgan Wallen with 19,292 people just a month earlier.
"I used to daydream about playing @bridgestonearenaofficial when I was younger, but I never imagined this," he said in an Instagram post. "Thank you, Nashville! I love you all."
'The nicest man in stand-up'
In 2021, The Atlantic dubbed Bargatze the "nicest man in stand-up." And rightfully so, Bargatze's comedy routines steer clear of crude or sexual material. He doesn't even swear, mainly because he couldn't imagine doing so in front of his parents, he told Fox in February.
"Still, even now, I'm 43 years old and I still just couldn't do that. So that's how I write. I think I write my comedy to — a lot of it is to make my parents laugh," he said. "I want them to be proud and be like, ‘Oh, come watch my son do comedy,’ and not be offended by it. I just don't have that in me to want to offend someone or make someone feel bad."
Bargatze draws much of his material from his own family and his experience growing up in a Southern, Christian household. Not being allowed to watch certain material in his childhood shaped the the type of comedian he is, he told Fox.
Diana Leyva covers trending news and service for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nate Bargatze on SNL: Why this week's guest is nicest man on stand-up
