I am addicted to an internet, YouTube, show called The Hot Ones, on the channel First We Feast. It’s hosted by a Chicagoan named Sean Evans, and it’s all about eating hot wings.
Every week, there is a different guest star from any genre; athletes, actors, singers, dancers, comedians, etc. Each is encouraged to eat 10 hot chicken wings that have been bathed in sauces with varying degrees of heat, from, lets say 200 Scoville heat units, (SHU), to over 2,000,000 units. They can bring anything they need with them to help them get through the ordeal, though bottomless glasses of milk, and water are provided.
The impetus for them to do this is that, after eating, and surviving all 10 wings, they roll out the red carpet, and they have 30 seconds of uninterrupted YT time to tell whomever is watching what they have coming up in their future; future events, albums, movies, etc. If they check out, clock out, get up and leave, they only get 15 seconds; except anyone that leaves just leaves. So far, I’m only on season 5, I’ve only seen 1 person leave. He was one of the first 2 of the first season.
As I said earlier, it is terribly addicting, in the same way that Dexter was addicting, watching him kill people, though justifiably. They are all lured into a false sense of security by the first 4 wings which are all, more or less, less than 6,000 SHU’s, less than the heat of a jalapeño. By the fifth wing, though, it all starts to go downhill.
During all of this, with each wing, the guest is asked a question that Sean wants them to answer. There is a short segment, around wings 4, & 5, where he has a laptop brought to him, (only 11 folks on staff, a very small, dark set, and even smaller budget), he calls it “Explain that Gram”, when he shows different photos from the guests Instagram page, and asks for a deeper explanation of said photo.
Many realize that, all of a sudden, their teeth hurt, or their hair hurts; some have said that they no longer feel their tongue, or their face; everything above the front of their shirt hurts. More often than not, almost all stop talking.
By the 7th , 8th, and 9th wings, usually about 20,000 – 2,500,000 SHU’s, multiple times hotter than a jalapeño, only a few can still think, listen, or talk coherently. They are perspiring, swearing, allowed on the internet, (strong language advisory), and funny as anything, drinking whatever they can get ahold of, and staring off into space.
Before eating the 10th incredibly hot, and dabbed chicken leg, Sean takes the last bottle of hellishly fiery sauce, shakes it, and tells them it’s a tradition to “dab” the wing with the last, and hottest sauce.
After the heat starts to kick in, Sean asks the deepest question that he, and the viewers who actually know these people probably really want to know. Most guests are numb, both mentally, and vocally.
Sean also eats these wings, all spiced, as for the guests, at least weekly; sometimes several times weekly. His skill, as an interviewer, at asking very interesting questions is his call to fame; the guests are appreciative of his ability to dig deep into their stories to find out interesting things about each of them.
It’s funny, too, that by season 3, many of the guests had watched their friends on the show, so they sort of knew what was coming. Many actually were looking forward to the challenge, trying to finish, like so, and so did. Too funny.
I have to tell you honestly, that I laugh until I’ve got tears in my eyes. I feel a trifle badly that I laugh at their pain, but I’ve felt some of that pain. When we eat a salsa that someone else has made, and has habanero, or manzano chiles in it, and we are unaware, WOW! It lights your mouth on fire. So I do appreciate what they are going through.
It’s still funny as Hell. Watch it, and let me know what you think.
Until next we meet, stay happy, healthy, and safe. Wash, cover, and protect yourselves.
Post script: several guests get rid of the bottle from Da’Bomb. It’s nothing more than heat, there’s no taste. It’s in the middle range of SHU’s at 135,000, but NO ONE likes it, or thinks it’s needed in the lineup. It’s kept as the middle sauce from which to proceed.