‘Hot Ones’ Host Sean Evans Teases Oscar Plans

As the host of the pop culture phenomenon Hot Ones, Sean Evans is used to sitting across from A-list stars while making them sweat with spicy wings and a side of interview questions. But this week in Park City, Evans found himself in relatively new territory by attending his first Sundance Film Festival, walking red carpets and facing off with journalists.

“I like your side a little bit better, there’s more control. I’m a little bit on my heels with you, but I’m ready,” said Evans with that now-familiar smile as he spent a few minutes with The Hollywood Reporter ahead of the starry fundraiser Celebrating Sundance Institute at Grand Hyatt Deer Valley on Friday night.

Evans, hot on the heels of a deal to acquire his show’s production company, First We Feast, from Buzzfeed along with a team of investors that includes fellow YouTube stars Rhett and Link (who are also here in Park City), was loving what he’d experienced at Sundance so far. “It’s been a lot of fun,” he said. “It’s a beautiful city, an amazing environment. It’s cool to see the way that people rally around film here, and I’m just kind of soaking it all in.”

Like much of his life, the trip was “a little business, a little pleasure,” a benefit of internet stardom. “The show gives me all these unique experiences and I get to travel to all these cool spots and have unique access to all of these things,” he explained. “I never take any of that for granted.”

He’s particularly looking forward to Oscar weekend and he revealed to THR that he’s got big things planned. “I’m going to the Oscars,” he confirmed. “I actually just got fitted for the tux. We’ll see what we can do because of the situation [with the wildfires] in Los Angeles. They’ve had to move some things around, but hopefully we’re going to do some fun sit down interviews with some people. I’m looking forward to it.”

Evans didn’t reveal if it’s a formal partnership with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences or if he’ll be filming away from the red carpet that day, but THR has reached out for additional intel.

In the meantime, Evans will continue to soak up his time at Sundance. And he seems to have been making the most of it. He was spotted at TAO Park City on Saturday night when Jennifer Lopez took to the stage for a surprise 10-minute performance on what turned out to be a snowy, cold night in Park City with temperatures in the low teens. He may host Hot Ones but Evans is just as “well-versed” in the cold.

“I grew up in Chicago,” said Evans, a graduate of University of Illinois. “So my whole thing is if you’re too hot, that’s uncomfortable. If you’re too cold, that’s painful. That’s miserable. I’d rather be too hot than too cold.”

Hot Ones drops a new episode every Thursday morning on YouTube.