LOS ANGELES – Nate Bargatze‘s hosting debut at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards ‌on ‍Sunday proved a steady⁣ hand guiding a ceremony that‍ balanced celebratory moments with ⁤pointed acknowledgements of current⁤ events. The comedian navigated the three-hour show at the ⁤Peacock Theater ‍with a down-to-earth style, even incorporating a running gag stemming from his pre-show pledge to donate $100,000 ​to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures for every⁣ minute the show ran over time – ultimately contributing a total of $350,000.

The evening wasn’t solely focused on lightheartedness. Academy Chair and CEO ⁢Cris Abrego used his platform to address recent political challenges to public broadcasting, stating, “Congress had voted to defund it and silence yet another cultural institution.” He emphasized ⁢the unifying power of storytelling, notably “in times of cultural regression,” and championed shows that challenge the status quo, declaring, “In a moment like this, neutrality is not enough… Culture does not come from the top down, it rises from⁤ the bottom up.”

Highlights included a warmly received ​reunion of “Everybody ⁢Loves Raymond” stars ray Romano ‍and Brad‌ Garrett,who presented the award for comedy series. Jennifer Coolidge’s presentation of the award for supporting actress in a comedy was particularly memorable,delivering⁤ a rambling,characteristically offbeat monologue about a role she’d played – “I played a horny grandmother having a colonoscopy during a power outage and I had to play a lot of levels” – and lamenting her removal ⁣from a group⁤ chat with fellow nominees.

Hannah Einbinder won the ​award for supporting actress in a comedy‍ series for ⁢”Hacks.” While Bargatze’s charity gimmick initially created pressure‍ for concise ⁣acceptance speeches,​ the show eventually settled⁤ into a natural rythm, with ⁢winners delivering ⁢heartfelt remarks.