Why This Clean Comedian Wants to Make Family Movies
By Movieguide® Contributor
Renowned comedian Nate Bargatze has big visions of bringing his clean comedy style to Hollywood.
“I’ve always just done stand-up. I want to be able to create movies that hopefully the whole family can come out to,” Bargatze told Parade. “I was never great at auditioning for other people’s movies. So I kind of figured I would have to just make my own.”
Bargatze already has one film underway called THE BREADWINNER but says he’d also love to star in a remake of 1966’s THE GHOST AND MR. CHICKEN.
“I love Don Knotts. I don’t think I could do what Don Knotts does.” He joked, “They would probably still go with Don Knotts, to be honest.”
“Even though I traveled back in time, they would go, ‘Nonetheless, we’re going to stick with Don Knotts.’ But you know, that’s the stuff that I loved,” he continued. “It was just super fun and silly.”
The comedian recently finished his first book, “Big Dumb Eyes: Stories From a Simpler Mind.” It releases May 6.
“It was very fun. It’s nothing heavy,” Bargatze told Parade. “It’s just telling stories that have happened to me, stuff that sometimes doesn’t always work in stand-up. I read Paul Reiser’s book when I first started comedy, and I remember really laughing at it. I was just reading it in his rhythm and his voice and I liked it so much.”
READ MORE: CLEAN COMEDIAN JUMPS FROM STAGE TO SCREEN IN THE BREADWINNER
Bargatze recently starred in CBS’s NATE BARGATZE’S NASHVILLE CHRISTMAS, which aired on CBS Dec. 19. With a mixture of monologue, videos and skits, Bargatze provided a variety of avenues for laughter in the special.
He made fun of the commercialization of Christmas in the special’s nativity skit:
“Bargatze appears as Gabriel in a blonde, curly wig and massive wings to proclaim, “Let this day be called Christmas and let it be celebrated by gathering of family. By doing goodwill in his name and by putting a big pine tree in your house.”
“And that tree will be decorated with glitter and glass ornaments, the angel added. ‘And garbage that your kids made at school. Construction paper covered in glitter and glue.’
Day’s Joseph asks, “How does a pine tree decorated with glass balls and garbage celebrate the birth of Jesus?”
Bargatze’s Gabriel replies, “I don’t know.”
He goes on to talk about how the people will celebrate by singing joyous songs. “Songs about Jesus?” Padilla’s Mary asks. “A few boring ones, yes. There will be lots of songs, but most of them won’t be about what’s happening here. They will be about snow and snow-related activities.”
Bargatze also had a Netflix special release on Dec. 24, called YOUR FRIEND, NATE BARGATZE.
He joked that his specials bring families together: “I don’t want your family fighting. There’s plenty of times you’re going to be fighting, so I can be your one hour you don’t fight.”
READ MORE: NATE BARGATZE’S LATEST STAND-UP SPECIAL ARRIVES JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS
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