*NSYNC
Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Chris Kirkpatrick, Lance Bass and Joey Fatone celebrated their long-awaited reunion by taking the ultimate hot wings challenge.
Watch here.
The 12 Spiciest Musician ‘Hot Ones’ Episodes, From *NSYNC to Dave Grohl
Written by djfrosty on September 21, 2023
If you’re a pop culture fan, there’s no doubt that you’ve heard of “the show with hot questions and even hotter wings,” also known as Hot Ones, which is hosted and was co-created by popular YouTube personality Sean Evans.
For those who aren’t familiar with the First We Feast and Complex Media series, in each episode, Evans and a celebrity guest eat ten chicken wings or vegan substitutes, with each wing prepared with a progressively hotter hot sauce. Meanwhile, the celebrity will answer thoughtful and well-researched questions from Evans while trying to keep it cool amid the heat.
Hot Ones has been putting celebrities’ taste buds to the test since 2015, and with more than a hundred interviews on the First We Feast YouTube channel, it’s hard to know where to start. To make things easier, we at Billboard have compiled our 12 favorite Hot Ones episodes featuring musicians, from DJ Khaled’s surrender after just three wings to Dave Grohl’s tipsy journey through wings and whiskey.
See them below.
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DJ Khaled
The music mogul took part in one of the most chaotic, messy Hot Ones episodes yet, but it’s definitely worth a watch. The “Staying Alive” producer gave up after just three wings, even though he flew in the chef from his restaurant Finga Licking to ensure the quality of the chicken would be up to his standards. “If I stop, it doesn’t mean I give up,” Khaled insists, before Evans quips, “Yes it does, by definition.” He spent the 12 remaining minutes of the episode trying to convince himself that he’s a winner despite throwing in the towel.
Watch here.
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Logic
Logic solves a Rubik’s cube while eating scorching hot wings and responding to all of Evans’ questions. Enough said.
Watch here.
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Lil Nas X
Anything with Lil Nas X is instantly a stand-up comedy session, as he aired his grievances about working with Sesame Street‘s Elmo. “It actually wasn’t him talking. it was a guy with a hand up his back, which wasn’t what I expected,” he explained.
Watch here.
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John Mayer
The best part of this episode was John Mayer running through his thoughts behind his unique “guitar face.”
“I’m nowhere near the worst ‘guitar face’ that ever existed, but I think I’m the most popular ‘guitar face’ that ever existed,” he explained, before giving his thoughts on “guitar faces” from Slash, Eric Clapton, Prince and more.
Watch here.
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Sam Smith
Amid sweating profusely and sniffling through the spiciest hot wings, Sam Smith casually reveals that their house is potentially haunted by “freaky nun” ghosts. They explained, “My house is part of an old school, and my section of the house […] was probably where the nuns would sleep.” Smith assured, however, that they’re not scared and feel as though the nun ghost is a good presence.
Also the line, “That’s one of the worst things I’ve had in my mouth, and I’ve had a lot of things in my mouth.” Iconic.
Watch here.
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Megan Thee Stallion
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Megan Thee Stallion lived up to her H-Town Hottie nickname during her Hot Ones episode, while also delving into some insightful conversation with the show’s host, proving just how smart, charismatic and naturally funny Meg truly is.
Watch here.
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Dua Lipa
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Dave Grohl
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Grohl and Evans take multiple shots of a Crown Royal whiskey cocktail throughout the episode, leading to hilariously drunk banter by the end.
Watch here.
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Lizzo
Lizzo is one of the few artists on Hot Ones to turn the tables and break Evans into a sweat, and she teased him for not finishing the whole chicken wing. “Don’t be a little b—-,” she joked. After the last couple of hot sauce samples gave the star a run for her money, she was able to power through and complete the challenge — with a little help from some vegan ice cream to combat the spice.
Watch here.
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Post Malone
Post Malone has taken on the spicy wings challenge not once, but twice. During his most recent appearance in May 2022, Posty completed the challenge just as swiftly as the first time. He even referenced his Billboard cover story, in which he shared, “I don’t need a No. 1; that doesn’t matter to me no more, and at one point, it did.” The artist went on to reveal that he is now “the happiest he’s ever been,” and for that, Post Malone deserves a spot on this list.
Watch here.
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Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish was just 17 when she took on the Hot Ones challenge, still managing to show off her goofy personality that we all know and love while munching on some (vegan!) spicy hot wings.
Watch here.
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Olivia Rodrigo
The “Drivers License” singer admitted that she’s “the worst with spice. I think that bell peppers are spicy.” Against all odds, Rodrigo pushed through the levels of heat as she answered questions about her first talent show, music video concepts, ghosts and the highs and lows from a recent trip that started off shaky but ended with her debut awards show performance.
Watch here.