Nate Bargatze (b. 1979) is an American comedian who's known for his family-friendly act.
Nate Bargatze
Bargatze likes to say he never reads books (too many words) but he guarantees folks will like THIS book because it's funny and has lots of stories that aren't in his act. And Bargatze's right; this is an entertaining memoir.
Nate Bargatze doing his stand-up act
Bargatze grew up in the tiny burg of Lakewood, Tennessee, which was later incorporated into Old Hickory - a DuPont company town. The burg had six police officers whose only job was to give traffic tickets, and the cops would 'sit across from the Piggly Wiggly, shaking down families on their way to church.'
When Nate was a kid, his father Stephen was a professional clown who later morphed into a funny magician. Bargatze writes, "My dad's story is like the stories of a lot of funny people I know, in that it doesn't start out funny at all." Stephen had a difficult childhood with an abusive alcoholic mother, and he hit rock bottom before relatives helped him turn his life around. Afterwards, Stephen believed "we needed to laugh at ourselves and at each other" and he became a clown.
Little Nate and his father Stephen, a professional clown
Little Nate and his father Stephen, a professional clown
For Nate, having a clown dad was normal and fun, except when kids at his birthday party preferred watching Yo-Yo to playing with him. When Bargatze began his comedy career, he got his magician dad to open for him at a 2007 Nashville show. Bargatze asked his dad not to be TOO funny, since Nate wanted to be the funniest guy that night. But Bargatze's dad absolutely KILLED - and Nate still has Stephen open shows for him to this day.
Nate Bargatze's father Stephen is a magician
Nate Bargatze's father Stephen sometimes opens shows for him
Bargatze was a good student until the 7th grade, after which things went downhill. Bartgatze blames this on a concussion resulting from a terrible fall. Afterwards, Nate barely graduated from high school, had one year of community college, and flunked out of Western Kentucky University. Along the way Nate hung out with his friends, watched TV, ate pizza, and had sundry temporary jobs. In a fun story, Nate writes about being a water-meter-reader who helped guard a Tennessee water facility from the Taliban after 9/11.
Young Nate Bargatze
For transportation, Nate's parents bought him a 1985 Mazda 626 jalopy that he named 'Old Blue', and Bargatze confides, "Every single one of my passwords, to this day is OldBlue626# - and now, I will have to change them all."
Bargatze riffs on a variety of subjects in the book. These include:
His obsession with the correct socks;
His conviction that competing brands can't be worn together (Adidas clothes and Reebok shoes are a no-no);
Getting cut from his high school basketball team but making it to the NBA (Nashville Baptist Association);
Being a dog owner (in Old Hickory, people didn't leash or clean up after their dogs);
His love for the Vanderbilt Commodores;
His food preferences (McDonald's two cheeseburgers meal is a favorite);
Being Christian in small-town Tennessee (the first thing you ask people is 'Where do you go to church?');
And the culture shock when he moved away from his hometown and not everyone was Christian.
Note: Vanderbilt's athletics teams are called the Commodores in honor of the nickname given to Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided a million dollars in 1873 for the university's establishment.
Nate Bargatze is a loyal Vanderbilt fan
Bargatze also has lots of anecdotes about his parents, his younger brother Derek, and his little sister Abigail. Nate and Derek had an ongoing rivalry, and one afternoon Derek rushed home and reported to their mother Carol that Nate had used the 'f-word'. Bargatze recalls, "Even my mom, with her sailor's mouth, was appalled." Mom then found out Derek meant 'fart', and laughed, but decided she wasn't a fan of that f-word either.
Nate Bargatze's brother Derek
Nate Bargatze's mother Carol
Nate loved his sister Abigail from the day she was born, and they bonded over Disney songs and 'Men in Black' movies.
Nate Bargatze's sister Abigail
It's clear the Bargatze brothers are VERY competitive, sister Abby is much loved; and the entire family is close and supportive.
When Bargatze was twenty, he decided to try a career in stand-up comedy, and moved to Chicago to get a start. Bargatze has lots of amusing tales about life in Chicago, like the giant rat that chewed through a baseball glove and pushed a heavy old-fashioned TV out of the way. When Nate's future wife Laura visited Chicago, Nate managed to hide the rat problem, and now that they're married, Laura is in charge of any rodent infestations in their home.
Nate Bargatze early in his career
Nate Bargatze with his wife Laura
Bargatze later moved to New York, and suddenly life and dogs got a lot more complicated. Nate writes, "I'd barely ask [people] what church they went to before they'd tell me to get to the point: I'm in a hurry! Don't you see how much dog stuff I still got to clean up?" During this time Nate worked day and night to advance his career, struggled to take care of his dog Sasha, and got married to his fiancée Laura - and the memoir has gobs of fun yarns about those days. Bargatze's career took off when he was in New York, and of course he's a very successful comic today.
Nate Bargatze and his wife Laura
Bargatze jokes about how cheap his father and wife are, but it's good-natured ribbing. For instance, Nate and Laura got married in Old Hickory on Friday the 13th because the club basically said, "We will pay YOU money to get married on this date, because everyone else will be home hoping they don't get murdered by a dude in a hockey mask."
After more 'frugality' anecdotes, Bargatze quips, "Next time you need your lawn mowed, your driveway sealed, your brick drilled, or a refrigerator dragged flat on its back across your front yard, just call 1-800-BARGATZE. We work real cheap."
There's lots more entertainment in the book, and Bargatze's sincere affection for his family and friends comes through as well.
If you're a Bargatze fan, you'll probably like the book, and if you're unfamiliar with the comic, the book can help you get to know him.
Nate Bargatze on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon
Nate Bargatze on Saturday Night Live
Nate Bargatze as George Washington on Saturday Night Live
I liked 'Big Dumb Eyes' and enjoy Bargatze's specials on streaming services. Nate's daughter Harper occasionally introduces her dad before he goes onstage, which is a nice touch.
Nate Bargatze with his wife Laura and daughter Harper
Thanks to Netgalley, Nate Bargatze, and Grand Central Publishing for a copy of the book.
Rating: 4 stars
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