Some would say that Hot Ones has revolutionized the celebrity interview format. Stars sit down with host Sean Evans, who asks them incredibly detailed questions while they eat increasingly spicy chicken wings. It starts out with a slow pace, until the interviewee is tasked with eating some of the spiciest wings imaginable. Their reactions are priceless, with fan-favorites including Jimmy Fallon and Selena Gomez having done their best to endure the challenge. Evans is right there with the guest, as he munches on the savory eats as well. Since he’s done it so many times, a number of people have probably wondered if he is immune to the spice at this point. Well, according to Evans, Colin Farrell had the best explanation for his experience with mouth-burning foods.
Sean Evans sat down with The Today Show to talk about his own talk-show format and how the show has evolved over time as more people have accepted the challenge. He was asked if he was still affected by the spiciness of the wings after taking on the challenge himself more than anyone. While giving his answer, he said the The Banshees of Inisherin actor had the most accurate descriptor of his experience. Evans said:
I think — Colin Farrell put it this way – ‘a familiarity with the pain.’ I always know what’s happening. I’m never in uncharted territory.
Part of the fun of watching the show is how surprised the celebrity guests are by how spicy the wings get. Some come in with overconfident attitudes but almost always end up breaking a sweat and wind up shocked by how hard the spice hits them. It makes sense that once the shock factor is taken out of it, the host is able to handle the wings better. Colin Farrell, who is very well regarded by fans and is always articulate, seemed to talk himself through his own Hot Ones challenge. He also found comfort in the fact that Sean Evans was eating the hot wings along with him. Evans continued to explain that while he is accustomed to the show’s spicy foods, this doesn’t fully prevent him from feel the effects of the sauces. He said:
So I think sometimes for our guests, the spiciest meal they’ve ever eaten in their lives is during this show. You know? And then they are doing it in this ridiculous context where they have the lights and the cameras all around them. So I almost feel like I have to shepherd them through this experience. I have so many plates spinning in my head that I can’t even think about the spice. So, I think that in some ways that helps me, but also I’ve been smoked out so many times, I’ve had the cramps; I’ve had the neck sweats; I’ve had the hair on my arms stand up a million times before. So when it happens, I’m not at all surprised.
I think what surprises many guests isn’t just how spicy the wings truly are, but the effect the challenge has on their bodies afterwards. Jennifer Lawrence candidly said she threw up in her hotel after filming her episode, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan opened up about his own post-show bathroom mistakes. While certainly not for the weak, Hot Ones is still massively entertaining, and fans always seem to look forward to new installments of the popular YouTube-based series.
Even though Sean Evans may have consumed the spiciest hot sauces in the world more times than he can count, how the spiciness hits him still often comes as a surprise, it seems. And that keeps the proceedings interesting for those watching at home. You can tell guests are more relaxed knowing they aren’t suffering alone and seem to quickly warm up to Evans and his line of questioning because of it. It certainly can’t be an easy show to host, but Evans does it perfectly and his commitment to the wings and well-researched questions are what make him so great at what he does.
You watch episodes Hot Ones on the First We Feast YouTube channel or by streaming the talk show using a Hulu subscription. For more information on the streamer’s programming, read about the best Hulu TV shows to watch right now.