Comedian Nate Bargatze discussed how he felt a religious calling in his career during an interview on Sunday, telling CBS News he believes he has to trust the path he's on.
Bargatze was the nation's highest-grossing comedian last year with "clean" jokes that keep his sets family-friendly. Bargatze, a Tennessee native who is hosting next Sunday's Emmys, has also been open about his Christian faith.
"You feel like you're being asked to do this and the career that I have. And so, you just got to trust that your path is going to be the path, and just stick with it," Bargatze said during an interview on "CBS Sunday Morning."
"When you say asked to do this, do you mean in like, sort of a religious calling kind of a way?" correspondent Conor Knighton asked.
Comedian Nate Bargatze appears during the 82nd Annual Golden Globes at The Beverly Hilton on Jan. 5, 2025, in Beverly Hills, California. (Rich Polk/GG2025/Penske Media via Getty Images)
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"Yeah," he said. "You know, I feel it's beyond me."
Bargatze discussed his religious beliefs and his career in April with The New York Times' "The Interview" podcast.
"It’s a big belief: I am second to God. Second to your family, second to the audience, second to everybody. You live to serve, so it’s very much a calling in that aspect. But it’s trying to ride that balance where I don’t want anybody that’s not this or that—I just want to make something where all of them can be in the room together. It’s driven by a bigger purpose for me, but everybody has their own things," he said.
Comedian Nate Bargatze performs during the California Fire Foundation 2016 Gala at Avalon Hollywood on March 9, 2016, in Los Angeles. (Jonathan Leibson/Getty Images for California Fire Foundation)
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Bargatze told Fox News Digital in an interview in 2023 that he pursued a career in clean comedy largely because he felt he couldn't tell dirty jokes in front of his parents.
"I think I still feel I will get in trouble," he said at the time. "I'll get in trouble and I will disappoint them. I don't want to disappoint my parents."
During his interview with CBS News, Bargatze said he likes that parents don't worry about children watching his material. He often pokes fun at himself as a husband and father in his routines.
Comedian Nate Bargatze attends SNL50: The Anniversary Special on February 16, 2025, in New York City. (Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)
"I love that people when they come to my show, I don't want to betray that trust," he told CBS. "You can have your kid watch my stand-up and… if you see them have it on, you don't have to be like, 'Whoa, what's going on?'"
Fox News' Ashley Hume and Larry Fink contributed to this report.