Emmys Viewers Say the Show’s Charitable Money Counter Feature Was “Poorly Executed”

While the Emmys are often a celebratory night in television's most significant accomplishments throughout the year, those who have won an Emmy have been known to get a bit carried away. Long award acceptance speeches are part of the show's lore at this point, as some people who've won the award for the first time, or even the 10th, refuse to leave the stage.

During the 2025 Emmy Awards, the committee opted for a different approach to ensure the show didn't run into the next day. Host Nate Bargatze introduced a money counter pledging to donate $100,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of America. However, the charitable gesture had a twist, as Nate warned that the counter would remove $1,000 every time a winner went over the 45-second stop time.

The clever use of the money counter was something some of the award show's attendees didn't want to hear. Some even stated they would pay to make up for the lost time if necessary. The discourse about the money counter sparked many reactions from fans watching at home.

The Emmy Awards money counter didn't bode well with many of the fans watching at home. Several users felt the action shouldn't have been tied to a charity like the Boys and Girls Club. Some social media users on X (formerly Twitter), even tagged Nate directly and expressed how deplorable they thought the money counter was.

"That money meter was a bad move," one fan wrote to the comedian. "Good idea, poorly executed. Winners are actively taking money from a children's charity if they take an extra 10 seconds to thank their mom. Side Note: The winners aren't the ones taking up too much."

"I don’t think this money countdown is doing what the #Emmys wants it to do," another wrote. "It’s so funny how the celebrities don’t care and are just taking money from the Boys and Girls Club of America. He’s gonna give the 100K anyway because he seems like a nice guy. But this is rough."

Other users shared how the money counter made the Emmys difficult to watch, considering the counter flashed on the show during every speech. There were also complaints that the counter disrupted what could've been memorable speeches, as some winners felt pressured to finish their speeches promptly, especially after Nate announced the organization would receive $350,000, over double the initial amount.

"The donation counter bit was all-time bad and robbed us of some potentially great speeches, but at least the Boys & Girls Clubs gets $350K in the end," one user noted.

"I'm sure this has already been said but i hated that boys and girls club money counter bit…especially to only donate 350k at the end," another said. "In a room full of people with money money mind you. the Emmy’s could’ve given out of the kindness of their hearts if they truly cared."

While the Emmys never officially addressed the money counter controversy, eagle-eyed fans noticed the show stopped showing the timer at some point in the evening.