Age, Biography, and Wiki
Nate Bargatze was born on March 25, 1979. He began his career in comedy in the early 2000s, performing in Chicago and New York comedy clubs. His unique style, influenced by his Tennessee upbringing, has made him one of the most respected figures in the comedy world. Bargatze's biography is marked by his humble beginnings, which he often humorously references in his stand-up routines.
| Occupation | Stand-up Comedians |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 25 March 1979 |
| Age | 46 Years |
| Birth Place | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Aries |
| Country | U.S |
Height, Weight & Measurements
While specific details about Nate Bargatze's height and weight are not widely documented, his stage presence is characterized by his calm demeanor and distinctive voice.
Bargatze hosted Saturday Night Live for the first time on October 28, 2023, and for a second time on October 5, 2024. In those appearances, he attracted attention for his portrayal of George Washington in sketches that mock the American language and system of measurements. Also in 2024, he performed at the Netflix Is a Joke Festival at the Hollywood Bowl. Bargatze said hosting SNL led to a "giant, giant leap" in his career. He was the highest-grossing comic in 2024 according to Pollstar. He topped Billboard's Boxscore ranking of the highest-grossing comedy tours, with $82.2 million gross income from 1.1 million tickets sold across his 148 shows, setting a new record for largest one-year gross by a comedy performer in Boxscore history. Bargatze returned to Netflix to release his next special, titled Your Friend, Nate Bargatze, which premiered on Christmas Eve 2024.
| Height | |
| Weight | |
| Body Measurements | |
| Eye Color | |
| Hair Color |
Dating & Relationship Status
Nate Bargatze is married to Laura Bargatze (née Johnson), and they have two children together. His family life often serves as material for his comedy specials, showcasing his ability to turn everyday experiences into humorous tales.
Raised in a devoutly religious Christian household, Bargatze is one of three children. His father practiced magic tricks with him while growing up, and Bargatze stated he performed in skits with his church group, beginning when he "was around 11". He attended DuPont Elementary in Old Hickory, Tennessee until fourth grade, when he transferred to Donelson Christian Academy (DCA) in Nashville, where his father had a day job as a history teacher. He competed in track and field at DCA and tried out for the basketball and golf teams, but was cut from both. He graduated in 1997.
Bargatze then attended Volunteer State Community College in nearby Gallatin for a year. During this time, he had various jobs, such as working in construction, manning a cellphone kiosk at Walmart, and delivering furniture. He enrolled in Western Kentucky University, but flunked each of his courses and dropped out. He also had a stint working at Applebee's and later landed a job as a meter-reader for a water company in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. He was a fan of The Bob & Tom Show, a radio program which often hosted comedians, and it inspired him to become a comedian himself. One of his fellow meter-readers, Michael Clay, also had an ambition to become a comedian, and together they decided to quit their jobs and both pursue a career in comedy. Bargatze's parents were supportive of his decision and attended his first open mic event.
Bargatze decided to move to Los Angeles in 2012, taking inspiration from Jerry Weintraub’s quote "as soon as you feel comfortable that's when it's time to start over". He released his first comedy album, Yelled At By A Clown, in 2012 on Aspecialthing Records. It was on the Billboard Top Ten Comedy Charts for two weeks, peaking at No. 2. Bargatze received effusive praise from Marc Maron, and appeared on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast in 2012. He was booked on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon in 2013. He also was part of Jimmy Fallon's Clean Cut Comedy Tour that year. Speaking of his participation in the tour and his choice to be a clean comedian, Bargatze said: "I grew up watching clean comedy. Starting out, I wanted my parents to come watch me. I still think that way, even though I’m a parent now. I’m a clean comic, but I don’t really want people to notice it. ... A good compliment for me would be, 'I didn’t even notice that you were clean.' That’s my goal."
In 2014, Bargatze developed a deal with NBC Universal to create a sitcom based on his life, with Fallon serving as producer. NBC ultimately scrapped the project. Also in 2014, he auditioned for The Daily Show and made it to a final shortlist of two. Jordan Klepper was hired instead of Bargatze. After two years in Los Angeles, Bargatze returned home to Nashville, deeming it more suitable for his wife and daughter. He initially kept the move to Nashville quiet as he did not want people in the industry to think he had quit comedy. His first hour-long special, Full Time Magic, was released in 2015 by Comedy Central. The album version of Full Time Magic reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Ten Comedy Charts. The special premiered on the same night as Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao. Bargatze said: "Nobody watched my special that night. I didn't even watch it, since I wanted to see that fight so bad."
Bargatze had a breakthrough in 2017, when Netflix launched The Standups, a series with each episode containing a 30-minute set by a different stand-up comedian. Bargatze was featured in the first episode. He said it "changed everything" and that there was a significant increase in attendance at his first gig following the episode's release. In 2019, Bargatze released an hour-long special, The Tennessee Kid, on Netflix. Sarah Aswell of Forbes named it as the best comedy special of the year. Also in 2019, Bargatze filmed a pilot of a multi-cam sitcom for ABC based on his life. Katie Aselton, Debra Jo Rupp, and Kurtwood Smith were cast as Bargatze's on-screen wife, mother, and father, respectively. The pilot was not picked up. Bargatze recalled in 2024 that "I don’t think there was a lot of entertainment made for people not on the coasts during that period," and said that while his subsequent success led to renewed interest from networks, "I don’t know if I’d do a sitcom now."
| Parents | |
| Husband | Laura Blair (m. 13 October 2006) |
| Sibling | |
| Children |
Net Worth and Salary
As of 2025, Nate Bargatze's net worth is estimated to be around $40 million, according to recent reports. This figure reflects his successful career in stand-up comedy, including lucrative deals with Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, as well as significant earnings from touring. His salary from these ventures, particularly from Netflix specials, can be substantial, with top comedians earning millions per special.
Career, Business, and Investments
Comedy Specials
Nate Bargatze has released several successful comedy specials:
Bargatze began his comedy career in 2002, and moved to Chicago to attend The Second City, an improvisational comedy troupe. He soon decided against improv, and instead enrolled in Jim Rauth's Comedy College, which focused on stand-up comedy. At this time, Bargatze rented a basement apartment with his former co-worker Michael Clay and worked as a waiter at a nearby bar. He performed fill-in spots at Zanies Comedy Club in Chicago, and also performed at Zanies Nashville.
In 2004, Bargatze moved to New York City, where he became a barker for the renowned Boston Comedy Club, handing out flyers in Greenwich Village in exchange for stage time at night in the club. Bargatze also worked as a dogwalker and a FedEx delivery driver during the day to support his comedy career. He has called the Jerry Seinfeld documentary Comedian (2002) "life-changing" and a "big reason" why he moved to New York. While at the Boston Comedy Club, he saw comedians such as Dave Chappelle, Louis C.K., Patrice O'Neal, and Bill Burr perform live. Bargatze stated that it took "about a year" before he received a paying gig in New York. He spent most of his early years performing for single-digit crowds.
Bargatze began hosting The Nateland Podcast in 2020 along with Brian "Breakfast" Bates and Aaron Weber; in 2022, Dusty Slay joined as a fourth host. Netflix released Bargatze's next stand-up special, The Greatest Average American, in 2021. It was filmed outdoors at Universal Studios Hollywood and was nominated for the 2022 Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album. Also in 2021, Bargatze was featured in an article in The Atlantic that called him "The Nicest Man in Stand-Up". In 2022, he voiced the character Grady in the Portal spinoff game Aperture Desk Job.
Social Network
Nate Bargatze is active on social media platforms, where he engages with fans and promotes his upcoming shows and projects. His presence on platforms like Twitter and Instagram helps maintain a strong connection with his audience.
Bargatze drank heavily while starting out as a comedian, and said he "got very close" to sabotaging his career due to alcoholism. He stated that he stopped drinking alcohol in 2018, recalling that: "I wasn’t able to drink like a regular person. I knew, 'Alright, well, if I want to go to the level I want to go to, I have to get this out of my life or I’m not going to be able to get to that level'."
Bargatze avoids discussing politics. When asked in a 2024 interview with The Hollywood Reporter if he had been tempted to do so, he said: "Yeah. As you’re coming up, you’re seeing other people [have success sharing their opinions.] ... And you’d see guys pop up and they’d go that route and they’d get pretty popular doing that, and you’re like, 'Should I be saying something? I’m not saying anything.' But I’d remind myself that that thought is about me, it’s not about [the audience,] and I should stay in my lane."
Education
Details about Nate Bargatze's formal education are not extensively documented, but his early career in comedy began with performances in local comedy clubs in Chicago and New York.
Stephen was a clown, member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, and motivational speaker, while Carol worked in the ticket office for the Vanderbilt Commodores. After a troubled childhood, Stephen had initially studied to become a preacher, but ultimately graduated from Trevecca Nazarene College with a bachelor's degree in education, 10 years after leaving high school.
Bargatze's second cousin Ronnie Bargatze was a three-sport athlete who later became a basketball coach at Vanderbilt University in the 1970s and was inducted into the TSSAA Hall of Fame in 2018. As a result, Bargatze has been a lifelong fan of the Vanderbilt Commodores.
In 2024, Bargatze contributed $1.15 million to the development of an indoor athletic facility at Donelson Christian Academy, his alma mater. The school subsequently named the facility in honor of him. Bargatze stated in 2025 that he wants to build a theme park in Nashville, dubbed Nateland, similar to Opryland USA, which he worked at as a teenager prior to its closure in 1997.
