Comedian Nate Bargatze is bigger than Beyonce — and wants to build his own Disney World in Nashville
Introducing Record Bey-ker.
Renowned comedian Nate Bargatze, known for his clean humor, has surpassed Beyoncé in ticket sales for his latest tour and has unveiled plans to develop a Disney World-style theme park in Nashville, where he will be the mascot.
The Tennessee comic, aged 47, who has built his career on a no-swears, no-politics approach, envisions Nateland, a theme park spread over 100 acres in Nashville with an estimated cost of $350 million.
Bargatze prefers to steer clear of the culture war politics that have influenced comedy in recent years and focuses solely on entertaining his audience.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, he stated, “I’m in the ticket-selling business. That’s all I’ve ever been in.”
His ticket sales for 2025 totaled $77.5 million, surpassing other top comedians like Sebastian Maniscalco. His current “Big Dumb Eyes” tour is on track to sell more than 2 million tickets, filling sports arenas and stadiums.
Comparatively, Beyoncé sold 1.6 million tickets during her highest-grossing music tour in 2025.
Under his company, Nateland Entertainment, Bargatze has created a platform promoting “Good clean funny” content, including a podcast network, a comedy cruise, and material from other clean comics.
Bargatze, originally from Old Hickory in Nashville, also hosts the ABC game show “The Greatest Average American” and has released his first theatrical movie, “The Breadwinner,” starring Colin Jost.
With Nateland, Bargatze aims to become the Walt Disney of Tennessee, with hopes of being the mascot as well.
To realize his ambitious vision, Bargatze convinced former KPMG partner Felix Verdigets to be the CEO of the project. They have hired a lobbyist and engaged with influential figures in Nashville for support, along with partnering with California firm Storyland Studios for park design.
The park’s exact location remains undisclosed as negotiations continue, but the support for Bargatze’s project at a state level is strong due to his clean comedy and proven ticket-selling ability.
“The projects we incentivize have to fit this heartland, middle America approach to things. What Nate represents aligns with our state,” stated Tennessee deputy governor Stuart McWhorter.
Bargatze aims to evoke the southern nostalgia reminiscent of the former Opryland USA theme park, where he began working at a young age.
After starting as a water-meter reader post-community college, Bargatze ventured into standup comedy in Chicago before moving to New York in 2004.
His breakthrough came in 2017 with a set on the Netflix series “The Standups,” followed by hosting “Saturday Night Live” in 2023 and the Emmys in 2025.
In a time where many comedians delve into progressive politics, Bargatze’s family-friendly approach has set him apart.
“I could just see the way it was going, but I had to build that trust,” he expressed.
