Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard Nate Bargatze
20 snips
Mar 23, 2026 
Nate Bargatze, stand-up comedian and actor known for clean observational specials like The Tennessee Kid, shares stories from touring life, growing up with a preacher-magician father, and why he chose clean comedy. He talks about road anecdotes, making family-friendly films like The Breadwinner, and plans for a wholesome comedy brand.
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Clean Comedy Requires Control Of Material
- Nate left improv because he knew he wanted to be a clean comic and couldn't control where improv partners would take scenes.
- He preferred stand-up where he controlled tone and avoided being forced into material that made people uncomfortable.
Use Comedy Classes To Bridge To Open Mics
- Take beginner classes and perform with other nervous starters to get comfortable before open mics, as Nate did with Jim Roth's class.
- Use those classes to meet peers to practice and push each other into real open-mic shows.
Finding A Tribe Can Be Nonobvious And Strategic
- Nate found his closest friends among the dirtiest comedians, which eased tension because his clean style wasn't seen as competition.
- He opened for filthy comics and learned how different personas create non-overlapping spaces in comedy scenes.
