"Nate Bargatze"
In this episode of SmartLess, stand-up comedian Nate Bargatze recounts his journey from growing up with a magician father to selling out arenas on tour. He delves into the challenges of performing for large audiences, the logistics of touring with a crew, and the camaraderie shared among comedians on the road.
Bargatze also shares anecdotes about his personal life, such as an awkward encounter with his wife's ex-boyfriend. The hosts and guest trade stories about finding humor in everyday experiences, offering a glimpse into the creative process behind Bargatze's relatable, clean comedy style.
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1-Page Summary
Nate Bargatze's Comedy Career and Background
Nate's upbringing and early influences
Nate attributes his interest in comedy to watching his father perform comedy magic shows as a professional magician. Nate fondly recalls helping his dad and realizing the joy of making people laugh, which influenced his pursuit of stand-up (per Nate).
Nate's journey to becoming a successful stand-up comedian
Nate honed his craft over a decade in Chicago and New York, performing for small audiences. His clean, conversational style and storytelling ability helped build a fanbase. Will Arnett comments Nate's humor without profanity is a "badge of honor." Nate now sells out arenas and tours with family.
The art and business of stand-up comedy
The challenges of performing stand-up in front of large audiences
Nate Bargatze shares techniques for quickly engaging arena audiences despite his slower style, like using big screens and extra speakers to foster intimacy. Jason Bateman notes the quiet Nate can create where he's almost audible without a mic.
The financial and logistical aspects of a stand-up comedy tour
Nate travels with a crew of "probably like 10 guys" plus openers. Though merchandise income is minor per Bargatze, promoters handle costly production like speakers and venues to profit from ticket sales. Bargatze works with Brillstein and UTA for management.
Shared experiences and anecdotes about comedy and everyday life
Nate's experiences with his wife's ex-boyfriend
Nate humorously recalls an awkward lake encounter spotting his wife's ex, speculating on "what-ifs," and rejecting a friend's suggestion he swim over to fight him.
The camaraderie and hijinks of life on the road for comedians
Nate enjoys the road's "bunch of dudes hanging out" dynamic. He bonds with his crew through activities like basketball, local attractions, and misadventures like cryotherapy plunges, drawing comedy inspiration from shared interests.
1-Page Summary
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- Brillstein and UTA are well-known talent agencies in the entertainment industry. Brillstein is a management and production company representing various artists, while UTA (United Talent Agency) is a prominent talent agency that represents a wide range of clients, including actors, writers, directors, and comedians. These agencies help their clients secure opportunities, negotiate deals, and manage their careers in the entertainment business. Nate Bargatze works with Brillstein and UTA for management, indicating that they assist him in various aspects of his career, such as bookings, contracts, and overall career strategy.
- Cryotherapy plunges involve exposing the body to extremely cold temperatures for a short period. This therapy is believed to have various health benefits, such as reducing inflammation, improving recovery, and boosting overall well-being. Athletes and individuals seeking muscle recovery often use cryotherapy to aid in their physical performance. The process typically involves entering a chamber or room where the temperature drops significantly, providing a brief but intense cold exposure experience.
- In a stand-up comedy tour, the comedian typically travels with a crew for support, including openers and other staff. The comedian's income can come from various sources, such as ticket sales, merchandise, and potentially sponsorships. Promoters often handle the production costs of the tour, like venue rentals and equipment, with the aim of making a profit from ticket sales. Comedians may work with management agencies to handle bookings, logistics, and other aspects of their career.
- Performing stand-up comedy in front of large audiences presents challenges such as maintaining intimacy despite the crowd size, adapting to the need for bigger screens and speakers to engage everyone effectively, and managing the energy in the room to ensure the audience connects with the performance. Stand-up comedians like Nate Bargatze often employ techniques to bridge the gap between their personal, conversational style and the expansive venue space, ensuring that their humor resonates with everyone in attendance. The dynamics of delivering jokes and stories to a large audience require a balance of timing, pacing, and stage presence to keep the audience engaged and entertained throughout the performance.
Actionables
- Explore your family history for career inspiration by interviewing relatives about their jobs and passions, then reflect on how these could influence your own career choices, much like how a comedian might find inspiration in a family member's unique profession.
- Develop a personal brand that aligns with your values by identifying what you stand for and how you want to be perceived, then consistently apply this to your social media profiles, resume, and interactions, similar to how a comedian might craft a clean, authentic comedic style.
- Create memorable experiences in your gatherings by using technology like projectors or surround sound systems to enhance the atmosphere during events or presentations, taking a cue from how comedians use big screens and extra speakers to engage large audiences.
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Nate Bargatze's Comedy Career and Background
Comedian Nate Bargatze has garnered popularity and success through his unique brand of humor, which he attributes to his early experiences and familial influences.
Nate's upbringing and early influences
Nate Bargatze was introduced to the world of performance at a young age through the work of his father who was a professional magician.
Nate's father was a professional magician, which exposed Nate to performance and comedy from a young age
Nate's upbringing was anything but ordinary. His father was a magician who specialized in comedy magic, seamlessly blending humor with sleight of hand. Nate recalls watching his dad perform magic tricks and realizing the joy that comes from making others laugh.
Nate developed an interest in making people laugh from watching his father's magic shows and practicing his own comedic material
Nate fondly mentions helping his dad with magic shows which involved certain performance aspects, likely sparking his interest in comedy. Observing his father combine magic with laughs greatly influenced Nate's pursuit of a comedy career and his ability to entertain a crowd.
Nate's journey to becoming a successful stand-up comedian
Nate started performing stand-up in Chicago and New York City, honing his craft in front of small audiences
Nate's journey in stand-up began with his move to Chicago and later New York City. Over about a decade, he performed his comedy routines across comedy clubs and faced the challenges of small audiences, sometimes performing for as few as one person. These experiences helped him fine-tune his material and stage presence.
Nate's clean, conversational comedy style and storytelling ability helped him build a loyal fanbase and eventually sell out a ...
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Nate Bargatze's Comedy Career and Background
Additional Materials
Actionables
- Explore your family's unique talents to inspire a creative hobby by asking relatives about their passions and skills, then trying out these activities yourself to see if they spark your interest.
- For instance, if a family member is skilled in woodworking, spend an afternoon learning the basics from them. This could lead to discovering a new passion or even integrating this skill into your own creative endeavors, such as crafting humorous wooden signs with witty sayings.
- Develop your storytelling skills by starting a daily journal where you recount amusing events from your day in a narrative form.
- This practice will not only improve your writing but also your verbal storytelling abilities. As you get comfortable, share these stories with friends or family to gauge their reactions and refine your delivery based on their feedback.
- Create a "Comedy Lab" i ...
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The art and business of stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedians like Nate Bargatze face the intricacies of both performance and the logistical side of their tours. From engaging expansive audiences to managing the financial elements, comedians blend artistry with entrepreneurship.
The challenges of performing stand-up in front of large audiences
Nate’s techniques for engaging large venues
Nate Bargatze elaborates on his experiences performing stand-up in front of large audiences, such as arenas where NBA teams play. Despite his slower speaking style and southern background, Bargatze has learned to quickly get the audience into his rhythm, especially when he follows high-energy acts.
Nate acknowledges the transition from smaller clubs to large-scale venues and shares his methods for creating an intimate connection. He employs big screens and additional speakers to ensure every audience member can hear clearly. By fostering a quiet atmosphere that rivals a smaller setting, he can make a large crowd feel as though they are intimately connected to his performance. Jason Bateman and Bargatze discuss this unique quiet that can occur in an arena, where the performance feels so close that he can almost be heard without a microphone.
The financial and logistical aspects of a stand-up comedy tour
Managing a comedy tour’s footprint
Bargatze travels with a notable entourage that includes "probably like 10 guys" and "four openers," with surprise appearances such as Jimmy Fallon in Syracuse, adding to the overall footprint of his tour. The mention of shoo ...
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The art and business of stand-up comedy
Additional Materials
Counterarguments
- While Nate Bargatze uses big screens and additional speakers to engage large audiences, this approach may not always replicate the intimacy of smaller venues, and some purists might argue that it detracts from the raw, personal experience of stand-up comedy.
- The creation of an intimate connection in large venues might be subjective and not felt by all audience members, especially those seated far from the stage, despite the use of technology.
- Transitioning from smaller clubs to large venues can be seen as a loss of the 'grassroots' feel of stand-up comedy, potentially alienating long-time fans who prefer the close-up comedy club atmosphere.
- Having a large entourage and surprise appearances could be criticized for potentially overshadowing the stand-up performance itself or for being a distraction from the comedian's material.
- While merchandise may not be a significant income source for Bargatze, other comedia ...
Actionables
- You can enhance your public speaking by practicing with a metronome to develop a consistent rhythm that keeps your audience engaged. Start by recording your speech and then play it back while keeping time with a metronome. Adjust your pacing until you find a rhythm that feels natural and maintains energy throughout your presentation.
- Create a more personal connection with your audience by incorporating stories that resonate on a universal level. Before your next public speaking event, write down a few personal anecdotes that highlight common human experiences. Practice weaving these stories into your talk to create moments of intimacy, regardless of the audience size.
- If you're an aspiring artist or performer, consider partnering with a local business or community organization for your next ev ...
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Shared experiences and anecdotes about comedy and everyday life
Nate Bargatze opens up about the occasionally uncomfortable and often humorous aspects of his personal life and his camaraderie with fellow comedians on the road.
Nate's experiences with his wife's ex-boyfriend
Nate recounts a story that illustrates the awkwardness that people often experience when encountering a significant other's past relationships.
Nate recounts a funny story about an awkward encounter with his wife's ex-boyfriend while on a lake trip
During a lake trip at Old Hickory Lake, Nate didn't notice his wife’s ex-boyfriend was on another boat until his wife pointed him out. He humorously speculates that both he and his wife might have been entertaining thoughts about what their lives would have been like if they hadn’t married each other.
Nate's perspective on the situation highlights the universal discomfort that can come with such encounters
Nate muses about not having past relationships to flaunt before his wife, emphasizing the one-sidedness of their encounter. He then reflects on a friend’s ludicrous idea that he should swim over and fight the ex-boyfriend, which he describes in a humorous way, picturing the clumsiness of an aquatic altercation.
The camaraderie and hijinks of life on the road for comedians
Nate speaks warmly about the fun and friendships he shares with fellow comedians while on tour.
Nate enjoys the close-knit relationship he has with his fellow comedians and crew members while touring
He cherishes the camaraderie felt on the road, describing it as akin to "a bunch of dudes hanging out." Whether they're indulging in UF ...
Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary
Shared experiences and anecdotes about comedy and everyday life
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- Nate Bargatze is a well-known American stand-up comedian known for his clean, observational humor and storytelling style. He often incorporates personal anecdotes and experiences into his comedy routines, providing a unique and relatable perspective on everyday life situations. Bargatze has gained popularity for his appearances on various comedy specials, late-night shows, and podcasts, showcasing his wit and charm to audiences worldwide.
- Old Hickory Lake is a reservoir located in north-central Tennessee, created by the Old Hickory Dam on the Cumberland River. It is a popular spot for recreational activities like boating, fishing, and swimming. The lake is surrounded by parks, marinas, and campgrounds, offering a scenic retreat for locals and visitors alike. The area is known for its natural beauty and outdoor opportunities.
- Camaraderie is a feeling of trust, friendship, and goodwill among a group of people who spend time together, often in challenging or enjoyable situations. It involves a sense of mutual respect, support, and shared experiences that create a strong bond between individuals. This term is commonly used to describe the close relationships and companionship found in groups like sports teams, military units, or in this case, a group of comedians on tour.
- The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is a prominent organization in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) known for hosting competitive events featuring fighters from various disciplines. It showcases fights across different weight divisions and follows specific rules for fair competition. The UFC has gained global popularity and is recognized for its role in popularizing MMA as a sport. Dana White has been a key figure in leading the UFC's growth and success as its president and CEO.
- Boo Weekley is an American professional golfer known for his career on the PGA Tour. He gained attention for his victories and performances in various golf tournaments, including the Verizon Heritage. Weekley also represented the United States in international golf competitions like the Omega Mission Hills World Cup. His notable play at events like the Ryder Cup further solidified his reputatio ...
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