“Hot Ones” host Sean Evans spoke with ABC News about his steamy celebrity interviews, the upcoming 24th season and his ambitions to revolutionize the talk show world with a potential Emmy nomination.
Host Evans, who rose to fame eating spicy wings and interviewing various entertainment heavyweights, has been the driving force behind “Hot Ones” since it first aired in 2015. The show has become a platform for all kinds of talent, featuring a host of megastars from Idris Elba to Billie Eilish to Jack Black.
The YouTube channel where Hot Ones will debut is called First We Feast. Its most-watched video is an episode of “Hot Ones” featuring Gordon Ramsay, which has over 13 million subscribers and over 126 million views.
Speaking about his show, Evans said he wanted to give online creators some recognition at a prestigious awards ceremony.
ABC News: Our next guests are people who have made it their business to make some of our favorite celebrities suffer, including Conan O'Brien, Serena Williams and Billie Eilish. They'll answer some steamy questions as they take on increasingly spicy chicken wing challenges, and Sabrina Carpenter will soon be taking on the so-called “Wings of Death Challenge.” Let's take a look.
ABC News: Their reactions are priceless. “Hot Ones” host Sean Evans is here to provide some thought-provoking discussion about the show's latest season. Sean, welcome.
Sean: Thank you so much for inviting me.
ABC News: Where are the wings? I was going to do a taste test.
Shawn: Lindsay, we honored this organization by putting you in this beautiful suit. We didn't want to ruin it. But it looks like you have talent.
ABC News: Yes, you have a source. That's the key. So how do you do it? Stay calm while your customers are screaming and crying.
Sean: Yeah, you know, when you're hosting a show and you're the point guard of a production, you have a lot of juggling. You have to create rhythm and chemistry and trust with people you're meeting for the first time.
So I guess it helps distract me from the discomfort of eating chicken wings, but I've been eating them for almost a decade now, and have eaten over 3,000 wings to go viral, so I guess I'm just used to the pain.
ABC News: So you're not going to order chicken wings at a restaurant?
Sean: No. When I'm done working, the bird just disappears from my sight, never to be seen again, but it's always following me around, like a kind of telling heart. Whenever I go out to dinner, at some point, something comes back from the kitchen. It always has wings, so it's always following me.
ABC News: How do you land all the A-list guests on this incredibly inspiring show?
Sean: Yeah, well, I think it's mostly because of the audience. You know, it's a big platform. If you have a movie coming out or an album release or a book you want to sell, it's a good show to come out and talk about it.
And I think that's just naturally humanizing. You know, celebrity is, by definition, an unattainable lifestyle. But we all know what it's like to die from hot sauce. I think the hot sauce pulls that person down from that high and creates a humanizing experience.
ABC News: Who was actually able to handle it? Who said, “You're tough”?
Shawn: Well, sometimes that happens. I think once a season, someone comes along who handles it better than I do. Halle Berry is the one who made the impression on me. She was like, “Shawn, I'm here for dinner.” And she said that. And then later this season, we have another person who surprised me. So, once a season, I'm surprised by one of the guests.
ABC News: A lot of people are really surprised by your question and the research that went into it. So what's the secret?
Shawn: Well, I think what's really driving me is the fact that I have to keep this guest on the show. I mean, this was kind of a lazy interview. It would be a lot harder to say, “Okay, Lindsay, your next wing is a bomb beyond insane. Go on, take a bite.”
You know, we put our guests through a lot of hurdles, so we feel it's only fair that we compromise with their requests. It comes from a place of trying to be as respectful of our guests as possible and as respectful of the audience and their time as possible.
ABC News: You've been online since 2015, and now you're potentially up for a Primetime Emmy. What does it mean to you to receive this kind of recognition?
Shawn: Well, I think it's a testament to the work we've done. This show may seem silly on paper, but we take it seriously. And when you look at where this show stands in the culture, and the size of our audience, and the guests that have been on the show, I think it's worth comparing.
It's a fun and exciting time, but at the same time, the talent is incredible, so I don't have too high hopes or expectations for this.
ABC News: Just to get the nomination.
Sean: That's an honor in itself.
ABC News: Do you feel like it's time for these prestigious awards ceremonies to give online creators some recognition?
Sean: Yeah. I think it has to reflect the consumer behavior as the audience changes. And for the next generation of showrunners and hosts, where will that come from? I think in many ways these will come from YouTube and non-traditional platforms. At some point, they'll have to reconsider that, if not this year. But I'm glad that “Hot Ones” is at least knocking on the door a little bit.
ABC News: So next time, come knocking on our door with your wings, we'd love to try just one thing, even though it's probably not the spiciest thing out there.
Shawn: Lesson learned, Lindsay. I'll come back with my wings on, I promise.
ABC News: Thanks so much, Sean Evans, for being on the show. Next time, bring the hot wings. We want to let our viewers know that new episodes of “Hot Ones” Season 24 will air every Thursday at 11 a.m. Eastern on the First We Feast YouTube channel.
