Things can quickly get out of hand on Hot Ones as celebrity guests test the mettle against some of the hottest sauces on the planet. Host Sean Evans recently revealed that late-night TV has given the series its most off-the-rails moments.
Billie Eilish, Shaquille O'Neal, Tom Holland, Stone Cold Steve Austin are just some of the people who have sat across from Evans over a tray of wings. That gives you an idea of how wide a net Hot Ones casts when finding someone willing to take on the culinary challenge while still answering some insightful questions.
But none of those guests really compare to the ones that have come from the world of late-night TV. Sean Evans revealed the three craziest Hot Ones episodes of all-time, and they all have a late-night TV connections.
1. Pete Davidson
Pete Davidson made history as one of the youngest Saturday Night Live cast members in the show's histoy. But by the time he walked away, Davidson was known for much more than his Chad sketches and "Weekend Update" bits.
Davidson appeared on Hot Ones in March 2020. The comedian definiely felt the heat, sweating his way through each increasingly hot round. Sean Evans had to quickly move through the final few questions in an act of hot-sauce mercy.
As Evans explained, the episode got crazy because he had to wrestle away the Final Dab bottle from Davidson. The host knew if Davidson went for it, things would not end well for the SNL star.
2. Conan O'Brien
Is there any surprise that Conan O'Brien finds himself on a list of crazy comedy moments? The late-night TV legend left quite the impression on Sean Evans and Hot Ones during his appearance.
Conan made his Hot Ones debut in April 2024. He quickly established dominance over the wings, taunting Evans and wondering when the wings would actually get spicy.
He took things to an entirely new level when he began dousing himself in hot sauce and drank straight from the bottle. And of course, no mention of O'Brien's Hot Ones performance is complete without a shout-out to Dr. Arroyo.
3. Bobby Lee
Bobby Lee may not immediately be associated with late-night TV today, but the comedian and actor does have a long history with the genre. Lee spent eight years on Mad TV, the sketch show created by Fox to rival Saturday Night Live.
Lee made his memorable visit to Hot Ones in October 2016. After a hilarious performance that included some Mad TV stories, Lee lost control in more ways than one.
"If you know, you know," is all Sean Evans said about Lee's episode when counting down the craziest Hot Ones episodes. That's because what happened really needs no explanation. But for those who haven't seen it, there's an unmistakable sound that comes from Lee followed by "technical difficulties" as the comedian cleans himself up.
Going forward Hot Ones and late-night TV will be even more connected. The Sean Evans-led show has been categorized as a talk series by the Primetime Emmys, meaning it will compete against the likes of Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, and Seth Meyers.