Sean Evans Admits the 1 Thing He'll Never Do Again WhenHot OnesIs Done (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Sean Evans for PEOPLE’s Creators of the Year.Photo:First We Feast

First We Feast

Sean Evans knows how todrum upa good interview.

TheHot Oneshost, 38, has spent the last decade successfully plying people with chicken wings as he gets to know them, and Evans says that while the interviews never get old, there is one thing he never plans to do (read: eat) again after the series is over.

“When this is all done, I’m never eating another chicken wing in my life! You will not see me eating wings at the Super Bowl party or anything like that,” says Evans, speaking toPEOPLE as one of the 2024 Creators of the Year.

Sean Evans on Hot Ones.First We Feast

In fact, chicken wings have begun to follow Evans around. In the same way that he has cultivated a fanbase ofHot Onesviewers, purveyors of chicken wings have begun to flock to Evans with the same enthusiasm.

“I understand how it happens, why it happens. But I go to a restaurant and inevitably somebody will come up and be like, ‘This is from the kitchen,’ and it’ll be their wings,” he says.

For all of the fried food of the chicken variety that Evans consumes, he does admit that he’s managed to refrain from judging.

“I try not to be too hard on wings because they’ve obviously changed my life,” he says. “So, I’m a little tired of eating them after all these years, but I appreciate all that the chicken wing has done for me.”

Sean Evans.First We Feast

Hot Ones, which has entrenched itself in the zeigest particularly among the online media crowd, works because it’s “kind of the best dumb idea ever,” says Evans, as it manages to disrupt the “PR-driven flight pattern” people tend to adopt during other interviews.

Evans' creative tactic has worked, too —Hot Onesepisodes have spawned countless internet memes featuring guests likePaul Rudd,Idris Elba,ShaqandJennifer Lawrenceand has even bigger things in store ahead of its 10th anniversary next year. On Dec. 12, it was announced that Evans and another group of investorspurchased First We Feast, the studio that produces his popular celebrity interview series, for $82.5 million in cash, perVariety. Through the new sale, Evans will take on the newly created position of chief creative officer in addition to continuing to hostHot Ones.

“I think part of what’s amazing about the whole journey is it comes from bootstraps — like, let’s see if we can make this fun idea work,” Evans tells PEOPLE. “We felt like we were being a little naughty in the corner room that nobody was paying attention to, and we’d make this crazy chicken wing interview show.”

“I thought when that happened that fans would chill out. But when you catch one white whale, they just want another one. So that’s probably Keanu Reeves right now,” Evans shares.

Evans' ultimate dream guest, however, has always been the same:50 Cent.

“I have heroes of mine, some of them I’ve had on the show, some of them are still outstanding. I forever think that 50 Cent was kind of made in the lab for the show, so that would be amazing to do,” he says.

source: people.com