LeVar Burton Warns Grammys Pre-Show Audience: ‘Keep Your Hands to Yourselves’

Of all people, LeVar Burton should know how to read a room. While introducing a presenter at Sunday night’s Grammy Awards, Burton, who hosted the pre-show webcast, said, “Now, I want to warn you all that our next presenter is a comedian, if you know what I mean.” Scattered laughter implied that they did, indeed, know. “So I need to caution everybody: remain in your seats and keep your hands to yourselves.” Introduced by Burton as a comic known for his “clean family-friendly comedy,” Nate Bargatze then walked out wearing a comically oversized helmet. “They said comedians have to wear these now at award shows during the joke part,” he said. “It doesn’t even cover your face. I think it just focuses where you would hit me.” The comedian then took the helmet off, saying it was “stupid,” and presented the award for Best Spoken Word Album. Bargatze himself was nominated on Sunday for Best Comedy Album, but lost to Louis C.K.