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San Francisco Chronicle
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Book Review: Nate Bargatze tries to bring his comedy from screen to page with 'Big Dumb Eyes'
It's a rite of passage for all comedians: Work like crazy on the stand-up circuit, hit it big, record live specials for a streaming platform, and then write a book that can never quite measure up to your live act. Consider 'Big Dumb Eyes: Stories from a Simpler Mind' by Nate Bargatze. I laughed so hard I cried during parts of his Netflix special 'Your Friend, Nate Bargatze.' But I can count on two hands the laugh-out-loud moments I experienced as I read 'Big Dumb Eyes.' That's not because Mr. Bargatze isn't funny. Books just aren't the funniest mediums for stand-up comics. Bargatze's live act flows from his droll, self-deprecating delivery. And while he tries right there in the book's subtitle — 'Stories from a Simpler Mind' — the humor just doesn't have the same impact on the page as it does the screen. Bargatze seems to realize this, writing in his introduction that he is 'very on the record about not liking to read books.' Alas, the publisher, and good ol' fashioned capitalism, apparently convinced him that he should write one. All that said, for super fans or anyone who would rather read funny stories than watch Bargatze tell them on TV, 'Big Dumb Eyes' is a quick read. There are even grainy, black and white photos of Bargatze through the years with his family. If you haven't already watched his specials, you'll learn a lot about his upbringing — from the sense of humor and theatrical nature he inherited from his father, the greatest clown and magician to ever work in Old Hickory, Tennessee, to the role his decade-younger sister, Abigail, played in keeping him from being completely self-centered growing up. My favorite chapter, the one with the most LOL moments, is called 'My Sister the Alien' and recounts the time when Nate, his brother Derrick and their dad forgot to bring Abigail home from church one Wednesday night. They all realize when they get home that Abigail isn't with them and dad's first words are 'Do not tell your mother.' When they drive back to the church, Abigail is with a couple, who found her in the church cemetery 'passing from tombstone to tombstone communing with the dead like the devil's phantasm.' Bargatze tells quite a few stories about his wife, Laura, as well, and near the end Laura even chimes in via footnotes, as if she's reading the book along with you. 'Obviously I knew about this, too. Now that I think about it, go ahead and tell Nate. I can't wait to see the look on his face,' reads one after Nate shares how he had to ask his parents to pay for her engagement ring. At the end, in a two-page 'Conclusion,' Nate offers his congrats to readers who make it that far, scolding anyone who got through all 222 pages in one sitting. 'You should probably move around some more. Or sprinkle in some other healthier activities, like watching TV,' he writes. It's good advice. I suggest 'Your Friend, Nate Bargatze.'
Hamilton Spectator
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Book Review: Nate Bargatze tries to bring his comedy from screen to page with ‘Big Dumb Eyes'
It's a rite of passage for all comedians: Work like crazy on the stand-up circuit, hit it big, record live specials for a streaming platform, and then write a book that can never quite measure up to your live act. Consider 'Big Dumb Eyes: Stories from a Simpler Mind' by Nate Bargatze. I laughed so hard I cried during parts of his Netflix special 'Your Friend, Nate Bargatze.' But I can count on two hands the laugh-out-loud moments I experienced as I read 'Big Dumb Eyes.' That's not because Mr. Bargatze isn't funny. Books just aren't the funniest mediums for stand-up comics. Bargatze's live act flows from his droll, self-deprecating delivery. And while he tries right there in the book's subtitle — 'Stories from a Simpler Mind' — the humor just doesn't have the same impact on the page as it does the screen. Bargatze seems to realize this, writing in his introduction that he is 'very on the record about not liking to read books.' Alas, the publisher, and good ol' fashioned capitalism, apparently convinced him that he should write one. All that said, for super fans or anyone who would rather read funny stories than watch Bargatze tell them on TV, 'Big Dumb Eyes' is a quick read. There are even grainy, black and white photos of Bargatze through the years with his family. If you haven't already watched his specials, you'll learn a lot about his upbringing — from the sense of humor and theatrical nature he inherited from his father, the greatest clown and magician to ever work in Old Hickory, Tennessee, to the role his decade-younger sister, Abigail, played in keeping him from being completely self-centered growing up. My favorite chapter, the one with the most LOL moments, is called 'My Sister the Alien' and recounts the time when Nate, his brother Derrick and their dad forgot to bring Abigail home from church one Wednesday night. They all realize when they get home that Abigail isn't with them and dad's first words are 'Do not tell your mother.' When they drive back to the church, Abigail is with a couple, who found her in the church cemetery 'passing from tombstone to tombstone communing with the dead like the devil's phantasm.' Bargatze tells quite a few stories about his wife, Laura, as well, and near the end Laura even chimes in via footnotes, as if she's reading the book along with you. 'Obviously I knew about this, too. Now that I think about it, go ahead and tell Nate. I can't wait to see the look on his face,' reads one after Nate shares how he had to ask his parents to pay for her engagement ring. At the end, in a two-page 'Conclusion,' Nate offers his congrats to readers who make it that far, scolding anyone who got through all 222 pages in one sitting. 'You should probably move around some more. Or sprinkle in some other healthier activities, like watching TV,' he writes. It's good advice. I suggest 'Your Friend, Nate Bargatze.' ___ AP book reviews:
Winnipeg Free Press
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Book Review: Nate Bargatze tries to bring his comedy from screen to page with ‘Big Dumb Eyes'
It's a rite of passage for all comedians: Work like crazy on the stand-up circuit, hit it big, record live specials for a streaming platform, and then write a book that can never quite measure up to your live act. Consider 'Big Dumb Eyes: Stories from a Simpler Mind' by Nate Bargatze. I laughed so hard I cried during parts of his Netflix special 'Your Friend, Nate Bargatze.' But I can count on two hands the laugh-out-loud moments I experienced as I read 'Big Dumb Eyes.' That's not because Mr. Bargatze isn't funny. Books just aren't the funniest mediums for stand-up comics. Bargatze's live act flows from his droll, self-deprecating delivery. And while he tries right there in the book's subtitle — 'Stories from a Simpler Mind' — the humor just doesn't have the same impact on the page as it does the screen. Bargatze seems to realize this, writing in his introduction that he is 'very on the record about not liking to read books.' Alas, the publisher, and good ol' fashioned capitalism, apparently convinced him that he should write one. All that said, for super fans or anyone who would rather read funny stories than watch Bargatze tell them on TV, 'Big Dumb Eyes' is a quick read. There are even grainy, black and white photos of Bargatze through the years with his family. If you haven't already watched his specials, you'll learn a lot about his upbringing — from the sense of humor and theatrical nature he inherited from his father, the greatest clown and magician to ever work in Old Hickory, Tennessee, to the role his decade-younger sister, Abigail, played in keeping him from being completely self-centered growing up. My favorite chapter, the one with the most LOL moments, is called 'My Sister the Alien' and recounts the time when Nate, his brother Derrick and their dad forgot to bring Abigail home from church one Wednesday night. They all realize when they get home that Abigail isn't with them and dad's first words are 'Do not tell your mother.' When they drive back to the church, Abigail is with a couple, who found her in the church cemetery 'passing from tombstone to tombstone communing with the dead like the devil's phantasm.' Bargatze tells quite a few stories about his wife, Laura, as well, and near the end Laura even chimes in via footnotes, as if she's reading the book along with you. 'Obviously I knew about this, too. Now that I think about it, go ahead and tell Nate. I can't wait to see the look on his face,' reads one after Nate shares how he had to ask his parents to pay for her engagement ring. At the end, in a two-page 'Conclusion,' Nate offers his congrats to readers who make it that far, scolding anyone who got through all 222 pages in one sitting. 'You should probably move around some more. Or sprinkle in some other healthier activities, like watching TV,' he writes. It's good advice. I suggest 'Your Friend, Nate Bargatze.' Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. ___ AP book reviews:
Associated Press
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Book Review: Nate Bargatze tries to bring his comedy from screen to page with 'Big Dumb Eyes'
It's a rite of passage for all comedians: Work like crazy on the stand-up circuit, hit it big, record live specials for a streaming platform, and then write a book that can never quite measure up to your live act. Consider 'Big Dumb Eyes: Stories from a Simpler Mind' by Nate Bargatze. I laughed so hard I cried during parts of his Netflix special 'Your Friend, Nate Bargatze.' But I can count on two hands the laugh-out-loud moments I experienced as I read 'Big Dumb Eyes.' That's not because Mr. Bargatze isn't funny. Books just aren't the funniest mediums for stand-up comics. Bargatze's live act flows from his droll, self-deprecating delivery. And while he tries right there in the book's subtitle — 'Stories from a Simpler Mind' — the humor just doesn't have the same impact on the page as it does the screen. Bargatze seems to realize this, writing in his introduction that he is 'very on the record about not liking to read books.' Alas, the publisher, and good ol' fashioned capitalism, apparently convinced him that he should write one. All that said, for super fans or anyone who would rather read funny stories than watch Bargatze tell them on TV, 'Big Dumb Eyes' is a quick read. There are even grainy, black and white photos of Bargatze through the years with his family. If you haven't already watched his specials, you'll learn a lot about his upbringing — from the sense of humor and theatrical nature he inherited from his father, the greatest clown and magician to ever work in Old Hickory, Tennessee, to the role his decade-younger sister, Abigail, played in keeping him from being completely self-centered growing up. My favorite chapter, the one with the most LOL moments, is called 'My Sister the Alien' and recounts the time when Nate, his brother Derrick and their dad forgot to bring Abigail home from church one Wednesday night. They all realize when they get home that Abigail isn't with them and dad's first words are 'Do not tell your mother.' When they drive back to the church, Abigail is with a couple, who found her in the church cemetery 'passing from tombstone to tombstone communing with the dead like the devil's phantasm.' Bargatze tells quite a few stories about his wife, Laura, as well, and near the end Laura even chimes in via footnotes, as if she's reading the book along with you. 'Obviously I knew about this, too. Now that I think about it, go ahead and tell Nate. I can't wait to see the look on his face,' reads one after Nate shares how he had to ask his parents to pay for her engagement ring. At the end, in a two-page 'Conclusion,' Nate offers his congrats to readers who make it that far, scolding anyone who got through all 222 pages in one sitting. 'You should probably move around some more. Or sprinkle in some other healthier activities, like watching TV,' he writes. It's good advice. I suggest 'Your Friend, Nate Bargatze.' ___ AP book reviews:
Express Tribune
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Nate Bargatze to host 2025 Emmy Awards live on CBS and Paramount+
Stand-up comedian Nate Bargatze has been announced as the host of the 77th Annual Emmy Awards, set to air live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 14, 2025. The prestigious event will be broadcast at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS and will also stream live and on-demand via Paramount+. Bargatze, known for his clean and relatable humor, expressed his excitement: 'It's a huge honor to be asked to host such an iconic awards show. I'm beyond excited to work with CBS to create a night families can enjoy together.' This isn't his first time collaborating with the network. He previously headlined the 2024 holiday special 'Nate Bargatze's Nashville Christmas', which aired from the Grand Ole Opry. Television Academy chair Cris Abrego praised the selection, saying, 'Nate is one of the hottest comics in the business. His unique brand of comedy resonates with multi-generational audiences.' Bargatze had a massive 2024, selling over 1.2 million tickets and becoming the top-earning comedian globally, according to Pollstar. He's released six stand-up specials, with his latest, 'Your Friend, Nate Bargatze,' debuting on Netflix. He also earned a Grammy nomination for 'The Greatest Average American' and has hosted Saturday Night Live twice. Nominations for the 2025 Emmy Awards will be announced on July 15, with the Creative Arts Emmy Awards taking place on September 6 and 7. Fans can expect a night full of laughs and celebration as Bargatze brings his signature humor to TV's biggest night.
