The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards steered clear of mentioning the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Sunday evening. Comedian Nate Bargatze, who hosted the event, along with celebrity presenters and award recipients, made no mention of the brutal murder of the Turning Point USA founder during the telecast. In a pre-show interview, Bargatze said he planned to avoid political topics during his hosting duties."I know there's heartbreaking stuff that's been happening right now, but I want this night to be an escape, and I think that's why I was brought on," he told Entertainment Weekly (EW) on Thursday.JAY LENO CALLS CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION THE 'DEATH OF FREE SPEECH'The 31-year-old conservative activist was gunned down while hosting a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. The suspect, Tyler Robinson, is accused of murdering Kirk with a hunting rifle while perched on a campus roof about 200 yards away from where the activist was speaking to hundreds of college students. Robinson is in custody. Bargatze, whose family-friendly, non-political stand-up content has made him one of the biggest names in comedy, told EW he would not stray from his image for the show."I think a lot of people are watching, I know they watch my stand-up for that reason, so I just don't wanna break that trust that I have in them, and just make the night be a fun night."NATE BARGATZE FEELS HIGHER CALLING IN SUCCESSFUL COMEDY CAREERHe did mention the Kirk tragedy in the interview, calling it "the saddest thing in the world," but indicated there were no last-minute changes to the awards show script to address the shooting.Kirk and his family – his wife Erika and two young children – received an outpouring of love and support in the days after his death. Last Thursday night's NFL game between the Green Bay Packers and Washington Commanders featured a moment of silence in honor of Kirk before kickoff. The Tennessee Titans, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys also held moments of silence in honor of Kirk.Famous music artists like Coldplay and country music stars Morgan Wallen and Jason Aldean made tributes to Kirk during their recent concerts.CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST MEDIA AND CULTURE NEWSWhile the Emmys didn’t include a tribute to Kirk, or feature anyone criticizing his conservative views, there were multiple political moments on the Emmys' red carpet and during the show. When receiving her award for best supporting actress in a comedy, "Hacks" star Hannah Einbinder concluded her speech by saying, "F--- ICE and free Palestine!"While onstage, Television Academy Board of Governors Chair Cris Abrego touted the power of storytelling in addressing divisions in the country. "At a time when division dominates the headlines, storytelling still has the power to unite us," he said. "All of us in this room must continue to champion that power and wield it responsibly in moments like this. Neutrality is not enough. We must be voices for connection, inclusion and empathy because we know that culture doesn’t come from the top down, it rises from the bottom up."In an interview with Variety on the Emmys red carpet, actor Javier Bardem talked about the keffiyeh scarf he was wearing to the event."Here I am today, denouncing the genocide in Gaza," he told reporter Marc Malkin on the red carpet. "I am talking about the IAGS, the International Association of Genocide Scholars, who study thoroughly genocide and has declared it is a genocide. That’s why we ask for a commercial and diplomatic blockade and also sanctions on Israel to stop the genocide. Free Palestine."