“Emotional Podcast Breakdown!” Nate Bargatze Moved to Tears as Travis Kelce Asks Him to Be Godfather

once have a sleepover. It’s like especially now as I get older like my daughter’s 13 you’re like yeah you bring a friend over they’re you know they go upstairs it’s not boys that’s like just banging against a wall  Royal Rumble.  Yeah. Just girls doing probably psychological damage to each other but it’s quiet  and that’s all that’s all you really want.

 It’s it’s less intense until it gets to a moment.  Yeah.   Yeah. For a moment. Yeah. It will affect them for the rest of their lives. But it’s quiet while you sit and watch the game. And that’s the main thing.  Dude, I still remember uh growing up, mom would make these like chicken, broccoli, wild rice, like every like make an actual meal.

 She’d be gone and dad would make like beanies and weenies.  Like  maybe instant mashed potatoes. It’s just nothing but milk and butter in them.  Yeah.   Yeah. That sounds amazing.  It was great. I I miss those meals to be honest with you.  Yeah.  Well, the bread winner was an absolute banger, man.

 It was a fun family ride all the way through and through. Mandy Moore was absolutely amazing in it as well. You snuck in a few songs that I that I noticed that I don’t want to give away too much, man, but it was  Well, I think it’s it’s out there, but we  It’s out there nice.  It got out there. Yes, that was probably talked about more than the movie.

 So, we can’t  Yeah. beyond grateful uh moment for that to happen with uh for her to help a fellow Nashvilleian is a is a is a very sweet nice thing. It it was fun. Mandy Moore I mean you know I I was just trying not to ask her about entourage THE WHOLE TIME.  UH  I’M telling you one of the best man  it’s one of Yeah.

 I was like what’s that like and she’s like you know like  have you not move you know have you not moved on from Entourage? I watch it about once a year. So, I’m  not going to  lie. I just put it on the background. Just let it ride, man.  Yeah. M Andy’s unbelievable. And it and the whole thing was uh it was wild shooting a movie for the first time.

 I’m just used to stand up. So, I’m very much used to, you know, it’s like you’re kind of on your own in the standup world. And with movies is like I mean, I kind of enjoyed this schedule of it because I don’t really come from a schedule and where it’s like you got to be up at 7:00.

 you like I mean you it’s probably similar with you guys you know where it’s like bam bam you’re every day every minute’s kind of account  it’s laid out for you  yeah and I mean I come like you know it’s just a zoo out you wake up  whenever you want your shows at like 7 8 dude it’s like a summer camp every week we go out like we you know it’s like once you’ve been to every city a bunch you still love going to these cities I’m sure you know like you guys have been to all these cities and you’ve seen it like So eventually you just start kind of

like going like you get an arena and you just kind of try to hang out and do stuff and uh you know try to you know play basketball, wolf ball. We’ve done some nice wolf ball in like weird rooms. We’re fine. Even at the rooms like low ceiling and you just get you know you just have some weird games.  Yeah. Make up your own game.

 It’s the most fun. And it’s the making it up as it’s going. Like you don’t know that doesn’t count till you go wait that doesn’t count. And so I mean it’s like the fourth inning and you’re like whoa whoa no you can’t hit it over there.  The unknowing of rules is Jason’s specialty in any  manipulate the  out of that.

 He will manipulate it and he’ll play that fence the whole game.  Yeah.  He did  he go should have said it. I’m saying it now. All right. That run  counts that run counts. We get one turn with that rule still in place. After that, it’s over.  It’s  after that it’s over like some sand lot ball, baby.

 Is there a trick to getting yourself like in the right headsp space to do a comedy show? Like is that a way that you just kind of keep it light? You get away from  Yeah. I think you want your group back there. So, you don’t want like outside uh you know, it’s like you don’t want like anybody that’s going to be like, “So, what’s uh how did you get into comedy?” And you’re like, “What?”  Like you’re So you can handle like comedians because I think you know how to talk to each other.

 So you’re just kind of, you know, and you’re you might be like in the middle of a conversation, you’re like, “I’m going to just walk away from you and not say anything.” And you need someone that understands that that’s going to happen. I I mean I don’t I don’t know if it’s the same with you guys, but it’s like you just kind of want whoever is going on the show to be back there because you’re all about to go through the same thing and like so you kind of know how to talk to each other and like it’s all light-hearted or it’s all funny or it’s

all or maybe it’s talking about something you’re going to say or whatever it is, but you just you try to keep it kind of just the crew that’s on the road with you back there because otherwise it gets a little you feel like you’re entertaining.  Yeah. You don’t want to have that switch on.

 You want to turn that thing off, man.  Yeah. Yeah. Like because I mean there because I’ve had it, you know, you have it happen that way and then you get up there and then you’re just like I don’t know. You’re just not in your head. You’re just kind of like not thinking straight [snorts] and then you’re, you know, cuz you can sometimes get on stage talking in your jokes and then your mind can start going  wandering.

  It’s No, I mean  no. It’s It’s not If you’re in the joke, it’s okay. But I mean, it could be wandering about I’ve had where I didn’t like what I wore on stage, but you’re already up there. And then so the whole time you’re like, why did I wear this dumb jacket?  AND YOU GO and you just feel I’m like, I think everybody can see my nipples through my shirt. I go, this is a nightmare.

 And then you’re just on another planet. But like because I’ve done this so long you you’re you know not that everybody knows it but I learned quickly like it was like all right I I now I know I really worked on it to like I’ll pull myself back into the story or joke that I’m telling and I got to like visualize that story.

 And so now I I’ve worked on it a lot because it it was happening and then you just start going, look, if I if that happens, I’m going to I I’m not going to be able to get to the level that I want to get at. I got to be able to pull myself. So now you can just catch yourself. And so now I’m pretty good about like, you know, it still happens, but I can I can catch it.

 Yeah. Get the train back on the rails. Yeah.  Let me ask you this. Do you ever feel like cuz Travel will mention this especially where he’ll you ask him why he did something and he just doesn’t even know he just went there and like they call him and Pat will call like blacking out.

 Are you ever on stage and you’re just like so in the moment and you kind of know what what the crowd wants where you’re just kind of like feels like you’re just going you’re not even like predetermining like what you thought of coming on the stage with. I don’t know if that makes sense or  Yeah. Yeah. you can you’re you’re stumble upon some new stuff and it’s stuff that might not work ever again but it worked in that moment and cuz sometimes you want it to work again like you can have a joke work and then like you try to we what we say is like you

see if that joke can travel and then you go to like another city and it’s people hate you for the joke and  then you’re like man last night dude I they borderline carried me out  of that and you, but it just wasn’t the same. You’re like, I guess I said something wrong. But it’s, you know, you can like just get in there and sometimes, yeah, you can kind of hit that.

 So, when I do a show now, I’m in the arena. I’m in the round. So, I’m in the middle, so you’re pacing. And so, like, there’s definitely times where you could be in it and then you got to find where you’re at, you know, cuz you’re in the middle of the round. There’s a story I once did a show uh it was like a benefit show and there was this comic and so we were all doing the show and the show was in the round.

 It was at it was in Phoenix the celebrity theater. It’s a it’s a really cool venue. I taped a special there but originally George Carlin that was a f it was famously known cuz George Carlin taped when he did the seven dirtiest words you can’t say. He taped that special there.  So it’s iconic in the standup world.  Yes. Love it.

 And so uh but when you so it’s in the round and so there’s only one way on and one way off but there’s exits because they can technically have other ways but all these doors are locked and I watched a guy he was like murdering just really in it and so he’s walking around the circle and then he gets done and then he’s just destroyed and he goes down a ramp and it’s a ramp to a door I know that does not open  so funny to watch he just I mean he’s I mean, everybody’s like and he just disappears and then it’s like a minute later he’s got to come back up that ramp

and  now he’s back on. He’s like that that I mean and I just know he was like please open that  thing.  I mean probably was like if it breaks that’s fine.  I cannot go back on that stick.  Oh, I just crushed I just crushed  crushed. It’s over.  And he just pops right back up and it just has to He’s like, “Sorry, sorry.

” He  just has to just has to finally find Yeah. Walk of Shane, find the way back. It was very funny.  You’re from Nashville, big dog. We know you’re a huge Titans fan. How we feeling going into this year?  I’m pumped. Uh, you know, we kind of talked about earlier like, uh, I’m excited.

 I’ve heard great things about Cardell Tate just like through the  Oh, yeah.  media or whatever, but it’s like very exciting. Cam Ward. We got some excitement. We got the Super Bowl in 2030. Uh so I think there’s some uh some fun buzz around the Titans and we Yeah, it’s I I’m excited. I’m excited for the year and we got a young squad and so I want to just see uh you know, hope we build some momentum and uh if everything right uh everything works out, we need to be in the Super Bowl 2030.

 That’d be nice.  There you go.  You excited about Nashville hosting the Super Bowl for the first time? I am I Nashville’s really exploding as a city and uh that the downtown area and where they’re building this new dome and uh I’ve already got you know I got a suite in it already like I’m already this year is this year the opening year for it or is next year? Next season.

 My god, man. My guy’s on top of it. I’m going to need one of those.  Yeah. I mean it was you know you start looking like you’re thinking ahead.  The renderings are pretty ridiculous. It looks like it’s going to be awesome.  Yeah. I mean, the whole city’s excited about the Super Bowl and just the stuff that’s going to bring W, you know, WWE can come, Final Four can come to Nashville.

 I think Nashville’s very excited to show off the city and as a city, we’ve just been exploding and uh growing up here, it’s just so different than anything. I mean, now it’s like crazy, but I’m sure it’s like that in every city. I was going to ask you, there’s a lot of people that are from Nashville that are that are that are kind of like in between whether or not they love the direction that the city’s going.

 I mean, it’s for you’re from Old Hickory, man. Old Hickory hasn’t changed much, but yeah,  I’ I’ve played some golf over in Old Hickory, actually. Like, in terms of like what the city is, and it’s always seems like there’s a construction of like a new apartment building or new business building.  Um, but the city is rocking at all times, man.

 Do you uh do you do you love the direction it’s going? Are you kind of in between as well or  I I mean I do. I mean, you know, it’s like I understand the idea of like no one wants change and no like all this kind of stuff, but I I think it’s an exciting change. And I think as a city, as long as you don’t lose your identity, then it’s a great thing.

 And so if you I think Tennessee does great with that. Nashville does great with that. as long as we kind of keep who we are and you know it really feels like you’re coming you’re coming here and we’re able to be hospitable to whoever comes here and show them uh a great time and I think it’s a yeah I think it’s a good thing that they’re that it’s moving forward.

 I don’t know what it’s like. Everything’s moving. You know, every city’s exploded. I I go to all these cities. They’re all exploding. Everywhere you go, everybody tells you that, oh, this town and this town and all this.  Oh, but there’s nothing like Broadway.  Nothing like Broadway.  Nothing like Broadway.

 So, when do we when do we get your bar? When’s your bar coming up?  Oh, I don’t know. I don’t know if I’m going to have a bar.  I’m going to do this familyfriendly movie. And then you’re like, “And right after,   come to my bar.  Just call it a pub and then it’s a family p it’s a family bar.”  Yeah. Yeah,  that’s true.

 All right. This is how he changes the rules in all the gies.  Jason finds something. Dude,  this guy gets it, man. Come to my four decker post.   Yeah. Yeah.  No, but Nashville, I mean, I do normally I’m against the dome thing because I like playing football outside. But I like the elements being engaged.

 But something that I think Nashville has is similar to what Vegas has where it’s an entertainment hub, right? It’s so used to putting on shows and that’s something that when you go to a Vegas game, it is so apparent like the way the music is at halftime, like before the game, like the whole thing is just done in that kind of realm.

 And you can easily see how Nashville is going to kill kill it with all that stuff and everything else they host as a result. Yeah, they do that with the the Predators is such a great place to watch a a hockey game and so it’s like yeah, it fits in very well and that is a good way to put it where you it is like the dome and I’ve been to Vegas football and a Vegas nights game and there Yeah, it’s like the best.

 It’s very very entertaining and it’s it’s Do y’all hear the music like when is it Can you hear it when you’re out there like uh  Oh yeah, 100%. When you’re playing though, like you’re out there, you’re not noticing a lot of that stuff. At least I don’t remember noticing a lot of it.  When it’s a timeout though in Vegas and they shut the lights off and they start like playing the music and everything or when you come out at halftime and like a Sublime is like doing the halftime show.

Like it’s I’m just like what the where the  am I? Am I in basketball?  Do I play for the Beers now? Like what is this? I didn’t know this is  I didn’t know this was a this was a thing in the NFL.  Green days out there and you’re like is that green  here? This is way  a regular season game.

 Yeah, I’d imagine that’s pretty fun. Like you see I always think of basketball cuz basketball  they you know they’re playing those songs just the game’s going  to get some def defensive rhythm or offensive rhythm they play.  Yeah. like how do you not like just you know you know they don’t have helmets on they don’t have you you can really hear and stuff so yeah that’s always always one of that  I will say I did I never thought I used to notice a lot of the noise until the co year and then it was apparent like oh no I 

 it feels weird as  playing a baseball football game  I can hear what that coach is saying ac like on the  sideline  you got to whisper yeah  yeah co was tough cuz you’re like when you hear the punches and you’re like  you hear this slap, you’re like, “Golly, dude.

” Like, you hear him tap out and you’re like, “I don’t,” you know, it’s a little too real.   How mad was Titans Nation when you uh you took a photo with Big Red in his rings?  Oh, uh, you get you get some back.  Yeah. Yeah. Uh, I don’t think I posted it, so I think I tried.   Smart man. Smart man.  Yeah. Yeah. I let them post.

 I can’t remember if we I don’t think I did because I mean I was at one of your when uh we played uh you guys with Derek Henry. I came to the game. I’m good friends with Eric Stone Street and so  Oh, nice.  And I’ve done the uh Big Slick and uh all that in the past which I think is happening might be this week.  Next week. Yeah.

 So I know a lot of those guys and so we went I I was at the game when Derek Henry or we played you guys and we lost. So it’s like I it was Yeah, it was uh that was so while ago and then you know I think a lot of people we we root for Kansas City so it’s like you know  nice man here we go  I like I can follow as the older I get I can follow stories I was really big with Jaylen Herz I wanted I was very excited for him just with the  Alabama and Oklahoma like I’ll follow a story like that where you can just go

like I I you know there’s usually a reason I can want anybody to kind of win and what I can kind of root for and so you can kind of detach yourself especially the older I get and the more where you’re like this is I can’t this is insane to I’m not going to you know when you’re younger it’s like it’s all that matters but then when you’re the older you get you’re like you’re kind of rooting for some players and you just you you can see stuff you know it’s like even as the Ravens against the Titans is like but you know I do root for Derrick

Henry like I you would want to see him  uh succeed y’all had Hopkins when Hopkins Yeah. Yeah.  Yeah. Like it was like, you know, you root you root for him. He goes to uh Kansas City. So, you learn to root kind of like storylines and I mean, you know, it makes sports very enjoyable because you can  be excited about almost anybody.

 No doubt. No doubt. I got to ask you, you got the picture with Trav’s rings and Andy’s rings and you’re a Titans fan. From the Eagles perspective, is it true that you have a dog named Philly?  Oh, I do. Yes. So,  how did what’s the story behind this? Yeah.  Yeah. So, we played Philadelphia. It was LA It was last year.

 I want to say it was the either the first preseason game or the first season or the first game of the season. I can’t remember. I want to say preseason, but I’m not sure. But it was a nightmare traffic. So, I had a show I had I think I we did two or three shows at Philadelphia in the basketball arena.  Yes.

 And so y’all I didn’t realize y’all’s whole setup is right there just right next to each other where the football stadium’s there, the basketball arena’s here. So we had people that couldn’t even because of the football game and all that happening at the same time. We found out later people couldn’t even get into the show.

 They never made it because the track because the traffic was so crazy. So anyway, so uh we go on the road. We’re, you know, a lot of times you go to these arenas and people bring in like your a local dog, you know, rescue place will bring in dogs and you can kind of play with them during the day or whatever. And they brought in uh one and I adopted a dog uh I I took her home uh in Philadelphia and so we brought her on stage and uh kind of told everybody I named her Philly.

 So yeah, we still she’s doing great. Uh she’s here. I was gonna kind of take her on the road with me, but again, a little daughter thing that got stolen from me. Uh, she now sleeps in my daughter’s bed. So, you’re like, you know, anything you bring home that you’re like, “Ah, I’ll have a fun road dog.

” And then my daughter’s like, “How about no? How about she sleeps in my bed?” So, she’s here. But it’s Yeah, she’s uh awesome. So, yeah. So, I I have a forever tie with Philadelphia.  Is this the second dog from uh  This is the second. We finally got a second dog.  There we go. All right.  Yeah. And this dog was a rescue.

 It looks like a cocker spaniel, but she’s she’s beautiful and she looks like she was rescued from a mansion. She wasn’t, but it’s one of those it’s a rescue that when you say you rescued her and everybody’s like, “Rescued her from where?” You know, like a a wealthy family, you know,  that looks like a But she was uh you know, she she’s very friendly dog and just Yeah.

 very fun and and gets very along with uh the dog we have. Nice. Perfect. Perfect. Well, we got uh a few minutes left of your time and we’re not going to waste any of it. We’re gonna get to our last section. We call it we got to ask. All right. We ask you just to rapid fire some questions at you and you don’t have to answer them.

You can tell us to  off, but we’re going to ask them anyways. All right.  Yeah.  All righty. Um Nashville got the Super Bowl but got snubbed from hosting the World Cup match. As someone who has lured in all of these places and toured all these places, what US city would you replace with Nashville that is hosting?  Who is hosting? Is it Atlanta?  It’s a bunch.

 LA, Seattle, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Philly, Kansas City, Boston, Miami, San Francisco, New York.  This is a setup question.  Set them up.  You can’t  just You could say Atlanta. Well, look, I could say Atlanta. Atlanta had it right in like 96. So they are they they had the Olympics.  So Atlanta had if I have to say something I’m going to say Atlanta because they had the Olympics.

 Yeah, they already had it. Yeah.  Yeah. They messed that up because of the Do remember the bomb thing there.  Oh go and they messed that up. So he goes to win. That’s it’s a great movie here. Watch that. The uh  Oh my gosh.  But no Atlanta can  you know they had the Olympics.

 I think Atlanta’s doing great. I was just there and actually I I had trouble with Atlanta. I had trouble with Georgia. Uh cuz we we took their quarterback. Jared Curtis was supposed to go to Georgia and he he’s he’s uh coming to Vandy now.  Okay.  Georgia. He’s a Yeah, he’s a number one number one recruit out of quarterback out of high school  and uh we flipped him from Georgia to Vandy. So I’m a big Vandy fan.

 I did not go to college, but  I was going to say because you got a little reference like that at the in the bread winner. Actually,  Jared Curtis is in the movie. Yeah, that was uh  is that is that what flipped them?  No, it was Diego Pavio had played a big hand in it. Clark Lee, our coach at Vanderbilt.

 I mean, what were they’re building and what they’re doing? Candace Lee, our athletic director that won athletic director of the year. There’s all of those things and a lot of it. He’s from here. There was a lot of things. I was able to add some flare to it by saying I was on game day and I told him I’d put him in a movie.  No  way.

 I’m not going to lie, the kid looks like he play some ball. I w I looked at I was like, I don’t know this dude, but he looks like he could play some ball. He’s got a Vandy hat on.  Got a Vandy hat on. Uh yeah, that was that was pure NIL. So that’s   got to love the beauty of NIL, man.  Vandy had nothing to do with that.

 That was I got to say that too. Vandy was because they it’s through the collective thing. But yeah, you get to add some fun stuff. NL gets pretty fun.   It’s a beautiful thing. If  any other pop stars want to be in a movie, let me know. [clears throat and laughter]  Did we read correctly that you’re opening a theme park?  I am.

 Yeah.  What?  Oh, this is  sweet, man. We’re theme park kids, man. We  We’re This is  cool.  Uh, we used to Would y’all go? So, theme park we go to is Kings Island growing up.  Hell yeah, baby.  The beast.  The beast is the best. We were we were more northern Ohio and Cedar Point, but we did also go to Kings Islanded Island for sure.

 Yeah, Cedar Point I uh did not get to I’ve not been to yet. I want to go to Cedar Point, but Kings Island was a big one for us to go to. We used to have a theme park called Opulane in Nashville and it shut it was my first job shut down when I was in high school and so you know I think everybody just kind of you know you know I don’t know we just missed it in Nashville and as my career is gone and again like I want to make movies and make things for you know people to have me create memories with their families and stuff like that and

uh Nashville can sustain a full theme park and then I was kind of just like  all right like let’s just do it and it’s not you know it’s not going to be a park is about me. Uh it’s called Nate Land besides that part,  but it’s uh you know, it’s going to be like kind of a you know, repres you know, be a big part of Nashville and Tennessee and all that.

 You know, it’s one of those that you you like have an idea and you I’m just waiting for someone to tell me no, it can’t happen.  When you got good ideas, no reason to say no. And I’ll tell you what, Nashville, it’s popping as a city. It’s there’s obviously a  ton of people coming every single week from out of town to travel because of how amazing the city is and how amazing it is to host uh everybody from all over, man.

So, it makes a lot of sense, not only just for the people that live in Nashville, but for the influx of people that are coming in every single weekend, man.  It’s going to be awesome. It’s going to be it’s it’s going to be uh Yeah. roller coaster. We’re It’s going to be a legit real theme park.   yeah, man. We’ll keep our eyes out.

I’m not texting. I’m texting my wife to bring up Philly, too. So, I   talked about her.  Show a little Philly love.  You got a lot of jokes about how you’re average. What is something you’re actually above average at?  Oh, there we go.  Yeah.  Oh, that is a good  And they gave us We got an Eagles  cheese steak.

 Yeah. So, this is Philly all from pure Philadelphia.  That’s a beautiful pup right there.  Yeah. She’s a good dog. She’s a beautiful. It is a rescue. But you see what I’m saying?  I was about to say I was I was tell  you’re like ah  what neighborhood was she rescued in? You go I don’t know.

 Uh but she’s a wonderful dog. Anyway, sorry. What’s the greatest?  Oh, you’re you’re you have a lot of jokes about being average. What is something you’re above average at?  I mean, I would imagine comedy. Hopefully.  That’s a  good one.  It’s a good one.  That’s the obvious one. Yeah,  I could just I was I would have joked that I’m just the greatest.

 Like I have very average taste. I know when you know I always have a good eye for when the McRib’s going to come back. [screaming] It’s like just, you know, I have a any fast food. I know what’s going on in all fast foods. You know, it’s like I’m very aware of just a lot of your chain restaurants and I I’m very aware of what’s happening.

 Let me ask you this then. Did Nashville invent hot chicken?  What do you mean?  Uh, well, they had Princes. I don’t I I would think Princes was the original one, so I think I would think we would claim it. I don’t know if there’s like going to be some weird, you know, like New Mexico’s like, “No, we did it.

” Like, I don’t know the  full history, but I will say we did it. And it was Princess Hot. It was Princess Hot Chicken was is the original. And then my fast food is Mc I’m a big McDonald’s guy. Get number one. No big mac. No onions.  Little side fillet fish sandwich.  Not [screaming] bad.  You get a little little something on the side.

 You know, they have a they have I don’t know if y’all go to McDonald’s cuz you sports.  I I have a very iconic moment with the cashier that we became very good friends.  Yeah. Yeah. Oh, yeah.   I’m more I’m more breakfast menu though. I’m I’m partial breakfast as well. Sausage, egg, and cheese. That was our dad’s deal.  Anyways, go ahead. Sorry. Yeah.

 Well, you know, now that they all have double drive-thrus, so like when you go to one and uh I was at one the other day and like I’m ordering and then they put my order on the other screen and there’s a car there and you’re like, “Well, that’s embarrassing.” Like they’re just seeing  cuz they’re like, “I’m not we didn’t order that.

” So then they start looking over and you’re like,  “I’d have maybe kept a side sandwich off if I knew you were showing the world what I was doing.”  That’s a HIPPA violation. That’s a big HIPPA. It’s a It’s  so that is it’s so a little heads up if you if you would like to keep your order private, maybe get in that first lane.

 Inside lane. Inside lane.  Inside. You want to be inside.  We got to ask which was uh which was more fun hosting SNL. Uh the first time or the second time?  Uh Jason teased Nate about his close relationship with Travis. You know, Jason said, “Whenever my little brother talks about going to comedy shows, the name that comes up most often is Nate.

” He says, “Nate is the kind of person I want to show my kids when they’re old enough to understand why their dad laughs so silly.” Travis laughed, confirming, “Yeah, my wife loves Nate, too. I have a long list of his specials that I plan to show our kids later so they know their dad isn’t the only one who tells silly jokes.” Nate waved his hand dismissively, “Hey, please don’t make your future children my default audience.

 They should be watching cartoons first.” Jason didn’t miss the opportunity to retort. I think the kids will need a funny uncle to balance out having a famous tight-end dad and a pop superstar mom. It’s a lot of pressure. Nate responded with a remark that made the whole room burst into laughter. If its parents were those two, what would it think of you? Uncle Nate tells stories about not being able to do anything.

 The atmosphere was light-hearted, but within those jokes lurked a more serious undertone. The uncle role Travis and Jason were referring to wasn’t just a metaphor. Travis, have you ever thought about being a godfather about, “Hey, Nate, seriously, have you ever been a godfather to a child?” Nate paused slightly.

 The question was no longer playful. No, he admitted. I have daughters. I have many grandchildren. But no one has ever been crazy enough to ask me to be their godfather. They probably think I’ll lose the baby at the airport or take it to a comedy club in the middle of the night. Jason chimed in. I’m sure you think so. All three laughed, but Travis’s expression remained unchanged.

He twirled the ring on his finger, then continued, “I’m serious.” Because my wife and I have talked about how when we have children, we want someone who can teach them to see the world with kindness and to laugh through the tough times. And you’re the first person we thought of. On the screen, Nate frowned, seemingly not quite catching on.

 You mean Jason with his leadership instincts lowered his voice. She’s talking about wanting me to be their godfather, Nate. The moment the comedian was speechless. For a few seconds, it was Nate’s turn to be silent. A rare occurrence for someone who can turn any situation into a punchline. He looked from Travis to Jason, then back at the camera as if checking to see if this was a prank orchestrated for the podcast’s new season.

 “You’re kidding, right?” he finally said. “This is a trap to get me to react stupidly, then you guys cut it up and post it on TikTok, right? Travis shook his head, his face unusually serious on the show.