Why Comedian Nate Bargatze Keeps It Clean
By Movieguide® Contributor
Clean comedian Nate Bargazte shared what he’s like off camera and why he avoids jokes about heavy topics in an interview with CBS News.
Known as “the nicest man in comedy,” Bargatze has risen to the top by only telling clean jokes. He has continued with this family-friendly content throughout his “Nateland” podcast, which he hosts with fellow comedians Brian Bates, Aaron Weber and Dusty Slay.
Given Bargatze’s unique approach to comedy in an industry epitomized by its crass content, CBS News’ Tony Dokoupil asked Bargatze if it is just an act.
“Do you keep that clean persona throughout your life?” Dokoupil asked. “When you’re sitting at home watching the news with your family is it a little different?”
“No, no, no,” Bargatze responded. “It stays clean. It just feels weird, I mean, you know, I’m not perfect…there can be a difference between hanging out with comics and when I’m at home…where you’re like, oh I’m with normal people now, so you go, ‘I gotta calm it down.’ But over all, it’s just, yeah, who I am.”
Nate Burleson then asked why Bargatze never comments on things in the news.
“You know, a lot of people do it, they do it very well, so you sometimes can be tempted to think you want to, you know you feel like, ‘I want to say something up there, blah, blah, blah,’ but then everybody’s saying something; there’s enough people smarter than me. You don’t need me [to be talking about things]. I just wanna be a break from all of that,” he explained.
Bargatze previously shared that he keeps his comedy clean because he doesn’t want to “disappoint” his parents.
“I just can’t imagine cursing in front of your parents,” he said, according to Fox News. “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. I want them to be proud.”
“It’s how I grew up,” the comedian added, per God TV. “I grew up that way. I come from a Christian family and am Southern Christian, so I wasn’t allowed to watch anything, which I talk about in the special. And so growing up and only watching clean comedians, it was just how I was going to be. And it would feel forced if I was not.”
Bargatze’s desire to honor his parents and God with his talent has certainly paid off as he reaches new peaks in his career. He recently performed at the Bridgestone Arena.
Movieguide® previously reported:
Nate Bargatze’s comedy has exploded in recent years and his plans for what he will do with his expanding platform have only grown larger.
While Bargatze has been a comedian for over 20 years, he didn’t start to become popular until just before the pandemic. Bargatze got into comedy in 2002 when he quit his job as a water meter reader to start taking classes with the improv troupe The Second City. Quickly realizing that improve wasn’t for him, Bargatze began standup comedy, performing at open mics in Chicago for the next two years.
Inspired by the 2004 documentary COMEDIAN, Bargatze moved to New York to continue to work on his craft.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
