Latest news with #HotOnesVersus
Los Angeles Times
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
A-list stars used to side-eye ‘Hot Ones.' Now they're knocking down Sean Evans' door
In a recent episode of 'Hot Ones Versus,' actor Hailee Steinfeld looked at her 'Sinners' co-star Michael B. Jordan with a mix of shock and amusement, and asked, 'What the f— is this? This is press for our movie?' It's a question that has likely been asked before in the 10 years that 'Hot Ones' (and subsequent spinoffs like 'Versus') have been pushing out episodes on YouTube. The concept is both simple and outrageous — an interview done while guests eat a series of chicken wings of increasing spice levels, often with disorienting discomfort — and the show has become a popular sensation and an essential stop on the modern celebrity promotional tour. 'Hot Ones' host and co-creator Sean Evans, 39, has been there for the entire ride, eating wings right along his guests, which have recently included Selena Gomez, Bill Murray, Lady Gaga, Bad Bunny, Ben Stiller, Serena Williams, Cate Blanchett, Demi Moore and, in a particularly memorable appearance, Conan O'Brien. The show has also become a great business, as last year Evans and co-creator Chris Schonberger were part of a group of investors who bought First We Feast, the studio behind 'Hot Ones,' for more than $82 million. Long past its origin as an online upstart and continuing its move into the mainstream, the show is eligible to compete for an Emmy in the talk series category against the likes of Jon Stewart, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers and Stephen Colbert. Based in New York City, Evans sat for an interview with The Envelope while recently in Los Angeles. How has the pitch to talent changed over the years? People presumably get the premise now? The most profound way that it's changed is now we're taking the pitches. There was a time where we had to be very persuasive, almost to the point of tricking people into doing the show. And now the tables have completely turned. You even just see it in the way that people sit down. I remember very early on there was always this challenge for me to win over the guest in the first couple of wings and make them understand that this is going to be ... very different from what they'd expect from what's written on paper. A lot of times guests came in with some sort of preconceived notion for how it would go and then had their minds changed just over the course of doing the interview. We actually have a name for it. We call it the 'Charlize Theron Shoulder Drop,' because when she came on the show, I remember she was kind of side-eyeing her publicist. And I remember her saying something like, 'Am I gonna have to eat all of these?' And by the second or third wing, her shoulders had dropped. She was completely loose. And to me, it's one of the most important tentpole episodes that we've ever created. How would you describe the vibe of what you're looking for? What is that feeling you want in the room? Early on, it was kind of gonzo-ish. But in the time since, what I'm looking for is something real. I think what happens is guests are in a PR-driven flight pattern, and what you want is something very real to happen. And on 'Hot Ones' you have those moments of people who are struggling, who are vulnerable, who are in a borderline state of panic. You have emotions that are real, and all of these things are so hard to get to in a traditional interview setting. The fact that we can create these moments, and then combine it with this thoughtful career-spanning interview, all of those elements working together, it just gives you a unique look at the celebrity guests. And, of course, celebrity is this lifestyle that by definition is unobtainable. But what we're doing is knocking them off of that pedestal down to a level that everyone can relate to. It's very human. And that's what people respond to in a lot of ways. I think we accidentally invented the 'What's it like to have a beer with this person' show. What does it mean to be competing for an Emmy? It's never really something that I wrapped my head around or thought was even possible, but they're opening up the eligibility, which I think is overdue and inevitable anyway. So then it was just about getting the paperwork together and putting together a submission and hoping for the best. But I do think that when you look at the shows that have defined this category for so long, the throughline with all of them is that they're the cultural reference point for where you can see celebrities in a looser, edgier environment. And 'Hot Ones' satisfies that definition. ... I didn't know that we'd be a part of the conversation, never dreamed of it. But now that we are, I'll say with my full chest that we belong. Just physically, after 10 years, is the show difficult for you to continue to do? The nice thing about spicy food is you develop a familiarity with the things that are uncomfortable. And I've been there so many times that I know that there's light at the end of the tunnel. I think that it's been overall a net positive because I take so much better care of myself outside of the show than I otherwise would. I do have a clean bill of health and go to the doctor every year and have them hook me up to everything and do every kind of blood test, because I have this unique vocation, this unique lot in life, this unique path that I'm on. But also, there's lots of jobs where people have had long careers even though there's a physical toll to it. Ray Lewis played 17 years in the NFL, and he was out there playing linebacker every Sunday. How bad can a couple wings be?
Buzz Feed
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Viola Davis Was Left Mortified After Her Husband, Julius Tennon, Hilariously Revealed How Low Her Credit Score Was When They Met
Viola Davis and Julius Tennon are undoubtedly one of the sweetest celebrity couples out there. The pair met back in 1999 in the breakfast queue on the set of the CBS series City of Angels, where Julius — who is an actor and producer — gave Viola his contact card. The couple — who got married in 2003 — have given fans insight into their wholesome relationship time and again over the years. And this week, they sat down for a joint appearance on Hot Ones Versus, where they reflected on the early days of their romance. Reading from a cue-card, Julius asked Viola during the interview, 'What was your credit score when we first met?' Viola immediately shook her head, saying, 'People think I'm together. If I tell them what my credit score was…' First We Feast / Via Julius replied, 'That was then, this is now…When I met you, I knew you had bad credit! I had good credit.' First We Feast / Via Viola then joked about having '$2 sheets' and a 'pot that would burn as soon as you put it on the stove,' before stating, 'It was 500. My credit score was 500.' First We Feast / Via However, Julius quickly (and hilariously) intervened. 'No, it was under 500!' he said. When Viola insisted that it was in fact 500, Julius replied, 'No it wasn't, it was 4 something. It was down,' before estimating that it was somewhere between 430 and 470. First We Feast / Via 'It was that low?!' Viola questioned, looking shocked. Julius replied, 'You had no credit!' to which she agreed, 'Yeahhh.' Viola then asked Julius, 'Did you think that I got with you because you had good credit?' He replied, 'No, I thought you got with me because you liked me!' First We Feast / Via The pair burst out laughing, with Viola joking that Julius having good credit made him 'more attractive.' Reacting to the hilarious exchange, one person wrote about Julius, 'He could have let her have the 500. My gosh!' Someone else agreed, 'He kept making it worse dang.' Gregg Deguire/GG2025 / Penske Media via Getty Images Some users admitted that Viola and Julius's candid remarks were relatable. 'This actually makes me feel better in some odd way 😩 like I'm not behind,' one comment read, while another wrote, 'That head down part with the shake. I've never related to anything so much as that low credit bow.' And tons of fans couldn't help but gush over how cute Viola and Julius are. 'They're friends, the way he's roasting her. I love these kinds of marriages,' someone wrote. 'You can tell they're really good friends too,' another user wrote. 'Their energy is EVERYTHING 🥰 you can see the pure love and vulnerability!' one more person added.
USA Today
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Actress Hailee Steinfeld shares unique complimentary words for the Kansas City Chiefs
Actress Hailee Steinfeld shares unique complimentary words for the Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs aren't the most popular among fans or supporters of other teams in the league. However, their role as villains has suited them well outside of Kansas City, primarily through their successful Super Bowl run. Actors Michael B. Jordan and Hailee Steinfeld recently appeared on Hot Ones Versus to promote their new movie 'Sinners' and suffer through spicy wings. Jordan asked Steinfeld, the fiancée of Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, to find some positive things to say about the Chiefs. She struggled through the hot wings and found the words to compliment her fiancé's biggest rival. "I can find nice things to say about anybody, even if I don't like them, even if we don't like them,' said Steinfeld. 'Yellow and red really complement them all pretty well. They are very loud, and it's great; you want that from a fan base. They go hard for their team." The Bills have fallen to the Chiefs in each of the last two postseasons and are winless in every playoff matchup of Allen against Patrick Mahomes. The reigning league MVP has yet to appear in a Super Bowl because of battles with Kansas City.
Fox News
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Hailee Steinfeld struggles to say nice things about one of fiancé Josh Allen's bitter rivals
Hailee Steinfeld complimented the Kansas City Chiefs without complimenting them. Steinfeld, 28, was asked to say three nice things about the Chiefs, her fiancé Josh Allen's AFC rival, in a recent interview. "Anger the Bills Mafia by saying three nice things about their rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs," actor Michael B. Jordan asked of Steinfeld during a recent episode of "Hot Ones Versus." "I can find nice things to say about anybody, even if I don't like them, even if we don't like them," Steinfeld replied. The Chiefs have eliminated the Buffalo Bills from the playoffs four of the last five seasons. One of those losses was the AFC championship game last season, which the Chiefs won 32-29. The sting of the playoff losses made it difficult for Steinfeld to come up with kind things to say about the football team, so the Oscar-nominated actress went in a different direction. "Yellow and red really complement them all pretty well. They are very loud. … It's great. You want that from a fan base," Steinfeld said. "They go hard for their team," Steinfeld added, providing her third and final nice thing to say. Steinfeld's answer made her and Jordan burst out laughing before they moved on. Allen and Steinfeld got engaged somewhere on the California coastline in November after first being linked in the spring of 2023. The couple has remained relatively private about their relationship, but Steinfeld made a red carpet appearance with Allen at the NFL Honors last month. While the Bills fell short of their ultimate goal of winning the Super Bowl, Allen had the best season of his career. The 28-year-old quarterback was named league MVP after he combined for 41 touchdowns while throwing a career-low six interceptions. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Express Tribune
09-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Fans defend Doechii after her 'straight men are a red flag' comment sparks social media frenzy
Doechii has set social media ablaze after revealing her biggest dating red flag: 'a straight man.' The Grammy-winning rapper commented on an episode of Hot Ones Versus with DJ Miss Milan, leading to a mix of laughter, shock, and online debate. During the show, Miss Milan asked Doechii about her dating dealbreakers, guessing, 'Is it being on the DL?' The rapper, who has openly referenced such themes in her music—including Denial Is a River—encouraged Milan, saying, 'You're on the right track.' When Milan then guessed, 'Bad music taste?' Doechii admitted, 'That is a good one, but that's not what I put.' She then revealed her answer: 'A straight man.' Miss Milan responded, 'You know what's so crazy? I was going to say men,' before both burst into laughter. Doechii has spoken openly about her sexuality in past interviews. 'I am with a woman now, and I have always known that I loved women,' she told Gay Times in 2024. 'Once I had gay friends, it was like, 'OK, I can be myself.'' The comment attracted criticism from some fans while most came to defend her personal preference. Straight men need to cancel Doechii, since we're a "red flag." Don't support her if you respect yourself. — PeacemakerRuggedO (@ThePROPHICMusic) March 8, 2025 Gender wars because Doechii said being a straight man is a red flag is crazy. I didn't think we all cared this much. — Maleek (@truelifeofyimbo) March 8, 2025 Straight men proving why Doechii called them a red flag is on brand tbh. — Goddess Graveyard Punany✨ (@xm_muva) March 8, 2025 disliking doechii is a red flag — clementine (@ilyclemmie) March 6, 2025 Doechii ruined the fantasy these men were having about her lmao thats where this anger is stemming from — Mercurial Martian (@VirgoThanos) March 8, 2025 If y'all thought Doechii was heterophobic you do not wanna be around me and my friends for more than 20 minutes — Z (@whoisuzo) March 9, 2025 Mind you…Doechii said dating straight men is a red flag to HER…to HER…..and y'all took that personally lmaooo foh for real — (@MsJazzybelle) March 8, 2025 As the conversation around dating preferences and identity continues, Doechii's remarks have once again put her at the centre of viral discussion.
