The Emmys invent an anti-thank-you tactic

The 2025 Emmy Awards will be remembered for three reasons: the Ozempic results of many of the guest stars, the applause for Stephen Colbert, and an idea that could be a revelation around the world. Host Nate Bargatze proposed a tactic to avoid the endless and unbearable thank-yous from the winners. The comedian announced a donation of $100,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of America, an American nonprofit organization that provides after-school programs and safe spaces for minors after school hours. The audience applauded fervently, and then Bargatze announced the second part: the thank-yous should be limited to 45 seconds. And for every second that went over that time, he would subtract $1,000 from the amount. And, in turn, he would add $1,000 more for every second they saved from the agreed-upon time. "Give a short speech and post the rest of the thank-yous on social media," he advised. Therefore, excessive prominence became an act of selfishness that harmed those most in need, and shorter speeches were a sign of social conscience.

When one of the night's winners went on for too long, an on-screen scoreboard showed the precipitous drop in the figure. The $100,000 starting point was gradually reduced, which had a tragic effect: the rapid loss of money made the thanks seem even more unnecessary. After Owen Cooper's speech, the young actor starring inAdolescence, the economic counter had fallen to $24,000. But an indulgent Bargatze, seeing that the fifteen-year-old's performance was well worth it, made up for the loss by putting the money (supposedly) out of his own pocket. And he added the $36,000 that had just flown in. Two and a half hours after the gala began, of those initial $100,000, only $52,000 remained. Bargatze even showed off a boy and a girl who were part of the charity program to try to soften the hearts of those present. And not even that. It was one running gag Funny and heartbreaking, because it had a self-critical component to the gala and the courage to introduce a sensitive topic with an irreverent and frivolous tone. The privileged cream of the crop of American television making the social welfare fund for children go down. At the end of the gala, as expected, the scoreboard was in the red. A tragic figure that, in a comical and biting way, painted a cruel portrait of the insensitivity of the show business. Bargatze, to fix the solidarity catastrophe, added $350,000 to the final score as a gesture of fair play to thank the organization for being part of the game. It's clear that the idea was more symbolic than effective, but we hope the joke serves to raise awareness among future galas around the world and potential award winners of the need to show compassion to the audience when it comes to thanking them.