Netflix In Talks for Live Episodes of ‘Hot Ones’

Alex Weprin
·2 min read

Netflix wants to heat up its live programming slate with a red-hot talk show.

The streaming giant is in talks to pick up some live editions of the popular YouTube talk show Hot Ones, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

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The show, which is hosted by Sean Evans and produced by BuzzFeed’s First We Feast, sees Evans grill a celebrity guest over spicy chicken wings, with each wing being hotter than the last.

The deal, assuming it comes together, would see Evans host some live versions of the show exclusively for Netflix, as Bloomberg first reported.

Hot Ones has become a bona fide talk show phenomenon with new episodes routinely garnering millions of views on YouTube, with the program now being able to book A-list guests. It was even in the mix for this year’s primetime Emmy Awards, hosting FYC events, though it was ultimately unable to secure a nomination.

Evans told THR in June that he’s “a traditionalist. I grew up on Letterman and Conan and Jimmy and those kinds of shows. To compete against those institutions, I think would be the most important distinction we’ve ever had.”

While the show has been on YouTube for years, it has picked up steam in the last couple of years, making it a must-stop for actors looking to promote a film or TV show. An episode of the show earlier this year featuring Conan O’Brien went particularly viral for the former late night host’s over-the-top approach to tackling the wings.

For Netflix, the show would not only bolster its live event lineup, which will include the NFL later this year and the WWE next year, but also give it another talk show format, building on the success of John Mulaney’s Everybody’s in LA earlier this year.

It also comes amid some uncertainty surrounding First We Feast, which BuzzFeed has been seeking to sell in recent months. While First We Feast has a number of other shows, Hot Ones is by far its most successful franchise.

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