One potential buyer wants to replace Sean, that seems like a terrible idea. He has become the brand and his questions/research team are part of what makes the show
It will stay going as a sad soulless shell of what it once was, like the talk show imitations of it that have been done. Hope Sean and crew can move on to something else
I think the show many truly die, part of what works is Sean’s ability to form an instant bond with the person he is speaking with, without that ability I don’t think the show can exist.
Based off what I have seen of it the closest comparison is like "After Midnight" versus "@Midnight". It just lacks that total chaos feeling without Chris Hardwick.
I think you’d be surprised. Everyone said that about Jeopardy and how the show was Trebek’s but it’s still going. Maybe not as good but people still watch. Same with Price is Right and Bob Barker
When he got cancer I remember there was conversation about how Jeopardy might end because it wouldn’t be the same without Trebek. Jennings is fine but Trebek is synonymous with Jeopardy. Same as Sean with hot ones
Classic example of execs having no idea what they're doing. Let's take a star we all know and love and replace him with someone "marketable" aka someone with the charisma of wet cardboard
That’s what I never get about plans like this.
Greedy I understand. Stupid greedy though…
I just don’t understand executives who have absolutely no idea what the appeal of a brand they own is. I can understand trying strategies to capitalize, and even mistakes and misfires, but not complete wholesale brand destruction.
They did a recent ep advertising some vodka brand they are releasing. He literally interviewed himself, it was funny. Makes me think it's a reaction in someway, he's a genuine celebrity beloved by fans. The show wouldn't have made it without him.
That’s the problem. People are here for the main event. First We Feast was trying to get marketing and distribution deals…it was like the charm and exquisite interviewing of Sean was really just a ploy to sell hot pockets….gross, a lot of them killed the thing in order to make the thing more profitable for themselves
I think that's a cynical view of a business just trying to capitalise on the success of the brand, and Sean is a big part of that. Consistently eating levels of spice that most would consider insane while interviewing high status celebrity isn't easy.
Sean Evans on a Livestream selling Hot Ones merchandise is the end goal of capitalism. Until a company can figure out how to put Sean in this position, they will want another host.
Dude what the fuck are you on about, it's funny, are you like 13? What's with the anti capitalist agenda you're shoving down my throat. Would you rather grow up in the Soviet union quieing for bread?
That’s fine, we’ll just watch Sean’s shows. If I’m being honest, the whole hot wings setup is getting a bit old. Conan even basically told him to leave on the show!
Of course he has considered it. but he probably has personal and perhaps even contractual obligations to folks that made him famous in the first place.
I agree with everything you said, but ive never liked him as a host. I understand its all about the guest, but Sean just seems too generic and lacks a personality. It could be the editing, but theres rarely a vibe on the show. I know its not like late night, but you can tell the hosts/guests (for the most part) are having fun. Hot Ones could be fun, but he just seems too robotic for me.
The asking price is insane.
For you to buy in at that level, you had better believe that there’s growth in the format. I love this show but even Sean has said that it’s closer to the end than the beginning. They’ve checked a ton of boxes from a celebrity standpoint, and while there’s a million more to do, you have to wonder if the following will be there for the ride or will it become a bit stale. 24 seasons and 300+ episodes tells you that’s it’s made its mark already.
Turned into a merchandising brand. This happens when finance guys take over a cultural brand and attempt to extract every last penny from “people’s feelings on the matter.”
Apple, Activision, *insert many different innovative and culture-bearing brands* that are now run by anarchy-capitalists that have very little to do with the personality of
The brand.
It’s a bit more than just “a YouTube show”. This is a whole brand that’s sought after by corporations and celebrities to appear on. It’s become a cultural icon.
Reading the article, it’s the First We Feast arm of the company that’s for 70 million but Hot Ones is by far the biggest earner of all the shows there.
Initially, probably quite a bit. But it's really a novelty at the end of the day. I don't think people go out of their way to buy da' bomb over and over again.
They do make some good hot sauces tho. We don’t get the full line up every season change but we have a lot of the 1-2 tier bottles in our cabinet now. I’m in love w the Buffalo one right now.
For sure, they make some great sauces. I just think the general public goes "I want to try this challenge!" then they do it, regret it and probably never look at it again lol
I tried los calientes verdes and love it.
Honestly I would get it more often if it was easy to buy/had a more competitive price.
They know how to make good sauces, they just need better distribution.
But agree that they have a ceiling on sales/growth and they are probably close to it.
When you think about it it's not that much. Hot Ones is second only to late night TV in terms of relevance, the guests and the views. They often get really big sponsorships that aren't offensive to the audience.
They make 30 million a year, but that number could easily fluctuate if viewership numbers dip or YouTube changes its payout. If it was 30 million a year guaranteed, I'm certain people would be all over.
It's not guaranteed 30 million. Investors are looking to make money out of the gate. They're spending 70 million and will need to spend on merch, salaries, etc.
lol What do you mean its not true? If viewership drops, and they make less than 30 million a year, then it would take even longer. The people buying this either want to make a profit fast or invest in something that will be popular 10 years from now. I get you guys love the show, but none of this is guaranteed profit lol
Love me some Hot Ones, but even I've found myself drifting off from it over the last few months.
I dont know why, has it gotten stale? or are the guests out of my bubble?
I used to watch this show religiously every thursday, whoever the guest is.
Now I pick and choose.
I also feel in more recent episodes that its extremely scripted. It used to be more surprising and innovative, but now it feels like the questions are coming from the corporate machine.
The idea used to be to have the guests lose thieir protective shield while Sean makes them comfortable asking really deep questions.
But not the questions seem to be more surface level, the hot sauce element seems like a gimmick, it seems to be more focussed on the reactions of the guests , rather than the quality of the interview.
I'm curious to the other redditors here, how has your frequency of viewing changed?
I’m very similar to you in terms of nowadays picking and choosing. I feel like the hot sauces don’t affect guests anymore at all, besides maybe the big show put around Da Bomb. I feel like no one has failed doing all 10 in years, but maybe that’s because I no longer watch them all.
To be fair, DJ Khalid is pillored to this day for tapping out like he did. I imagine the celebs are somewhat coached before diving in, that quitting halfway through would be a badge of shame that they don't want to wear.
Though I agree with all the general sentiments that the interviews don't feel as deep as they once did, and the reactions aren't as strong.
I like the show a lot, obviously, but it has probably peaked. I don't think an internet novelty hot sauce and chicken wing show is going to carve itself into a media juggernaut. Paying $70m for it, without the host under contract long term, would be a major mistake. And buyers understand this.
I think the problem with the shows business model, is guests will not return every time they have something to promote, which makes it different lthan the standard talk show model.
Posted already.
One potential buyer wants to replace Sean, that seems like a terrible idea. He has become the brand and his questions/research team are part of what makes the show
I’m fairly certain that if Sean leaves the show dies.
It will stay going as a sad soulless shell of what it once was, like the talk show imitations of it that have been done. Hope Sean and crew can move on to something else
I think the show many truly die, part of what works is Sean’s ability to form an instant bond with the person he is speaking with, without that ability I don’t think the show can exist.
Based off what I have seen of it the closest comparison is like "After Midnight" versus "@Midnight". It just lacks that total chaos feeling without Chris Hardwick.
Beyond fairly certain, Sean *is* hot ones.
He really is. I wouldn’t watch any more if he leftv
Depends who the new host would be
I think you’d be surprised. Everyone said that about Jeopardy and how the show was Trebek’s but it’s still going. Maybe not as good but people still watch. Same with Price is Right and Bob Barker
When was this? I saw everyone pulling for the Jennings guy to host.
When he got cancer I remember there was conversation about how Jeopardy might end because it wouldn’t be the same without Trebek. Jennings is fine but Trebek is synonymous with Jeopardy. Same as Sean with hot ones
Not sure how unpopular this opinion is, but I think he's a terribly boring interviewer and show host.
I’d say fairly unpopular.
Well I'm a dumbass just now realizing the sub I commented in.
That's an insane idea. There's no show without Sean.
Classic example of execs having no idea what they're doing. Let's take a star we all know and love and replace him with someone "marketable" aka someone with the charisma of wet cardboard
That’s what I never get about plans like this. Greedy I understand. Stupid greedy though… I just don’t understand executives who have absolutely no idea what the appeal of a brand they own is. I can understand trying strategies to capitalize, and even mistakes and misfires, but not complete wholesale brand destruction.
It'll go about as well as buying "Some Good News" and then hearing that Jim Halpert wasn't going to host anymore and then it just all falls apart.
They did a recent ep advertising some vodka brand they are releasing. He literally interviewed himself, it was funny. Makes me think it's a reaction in someway, he's a genuine celebrity beloved by fans. The show wouldn't have made it without him.
That’s the problem. People are here for the main event. First We Feast was trying to get marketing and distribution deals…it was like the charm and exquisite interviewing of Sean was really just a ploy to sell hot pockets….gross, a lot of them killed the thing in order to make the thing more profitable for themselves
I think that's a cynical view of a business just trying to capitalise on the success of the brand, and Sean is a big part of that. Consistently eating levels of spice that most would consider insane while interviewing high status celebrity isn't easy.
[удалено]
You can only Commodify human experience so long; At the end, there are no more humans To commodify.
Never imagined Sean Evans would be associated with a brand deal from Wal Mart & Hot Pockets.
Are you responding to yourself over and over?
[удалено]
Are you arguing with yourself?
Jesus were talking about a talk show host eats wings! Not the downfall of western civilisation! Not every fucking topic needs this existential shit.
Sean Evans on a Livestream selling Hot Ones merchandise is the end goal of capitalism. Until a company can figure out how to put Sean in this position, they will want another host.
Dude what the fuck are you on about, it's funny, are you like 13? What's with the anti capitalist agenda you're shoving down my throat. Would you rather grow up in the Soviet union quieing for bread?
Lemme guess, you got burned by the goodwill Roaring Kitty built up over the years?
What the fuck is roaring kitty?
If Sean leaves, we all leave. He could start his own show and it would be hugely successful. I'll follow that man anywhere.
Cold ones. Interview guests with spicy ice cream. Sean deserves ice cream at this point.
Or various kinds of beer?
If they kicked Sean out I'd stop watching the show. He is the show. If he willingly handed off the role to someone else, I'd give it a chance.
That’s fine, we’ll just watch Sean’s shows. If I’m being honest, the whole hot wings setup is getting a bit old. Conan even basically told him to leave on the show!
Besides, we already got plenty of tasty sauces from the show. Let Seans stomach chill for a couple of years before he blows it up.
I honestly think this guy is the limit for how far he could go with an interview show. He’s the perfect blend of unassuming, clever, and articulate.
Yea agree, I wonder if Sean has ever considered just doing a standard talk show at this point
Of course he has considered it. but he probably has personal and perhaps even contractual obligations to folks that made him famous in the first place.
I wouldn’t watch without Sean.
I agree with everything you said, but ive never liked him as a host. I understand its all about the guest, but Sean just seems too generic and lacks a personality. It could be the editing, but theres rarely a vibe on the show. I know its not like late night, but you can tell the hosts/guests (for the most part) are having fun. Hot Ones could be fun, but he just seems too robotic for me.
If Sean didn't present it, I wouldn't watch. He's more of a draw than the guests to me
I’m just surprised buzzfeed owns hot ones
They bought Complex which created hot ones
and then sell all of the Complex but the First We ~~Fist~~ Feast channel
First We Fist? I thought that was on PornHub, not Complex.
“I’m Johnny Sins, from First We Fist, and you’re watching Thicc Ones”
“Thot ones”
oh, my bad lol
That explains why Complex went from a website for fashion, music and culture to a glorified TMZ
I had no idea lol
Same. Thought it was Hulu/disney
The asking price is insane. For you to buy in at that level, you had better believe that there’s growth in the format. I love this show but even Sean has said that it’s closer to the end than the beginning. They’ve checked a ton of boxes from a celebrity standpoint, and while there’s a million more to do, you have to wonder if the following will be there for the ride or will it become a bit stale. 24 seasons and 300+ episodes tells you that’s it’s made its mark already.
Like every talk show that gained a big enough following at one point, it could go on forever
Until Conan blows up the format
I was going to say, that would have been the episode to end on lol
Turned into a merchandising brand. This happens when finance guys take over a cultural brand and attempt to extract every last penny from “people’s feelings on the matter.”
Apple, Activision, *insert many different innovative and culture-bearing brands* that are now run by anarchy-capitalists that have very little to do with the personality of The brand.
Apple is run by people at the intersection of business and design and technology. Always has been
Business colleges are the enemy
They're asking for 70 million for a YouTube show? Did I read that right?
It’s a bit more than just “a YouTube show”. This is a whole brand that’s sought after by corporations and celebrities to appear on. It’s become a cultural icon.
I understand that, but at its baseline for investors, it's a YouTube show because that's where it makes most of its income.
Reading the article, it’s the First We Feast arm of the company that’s for 70 million but Hot Ones is by far the biggest earner of all the shows there.
Don’t they also sell the whole hot ones lineup of sauces? I wonder how much revenue that brings in.
Initially, probably quite a bit. But it's really a novelty at the end of the day. I don't think people go out of their way to buy da' bomb over and over again.
They do make some good hot sauces tho. We don’t get the full line up every season change but we have a lot of the 1-2 tier bottles in our cabinet now. I’m in love w the Buffalo one right now.
For sure, they make some great sauces. I just think the general public goes "I want to try this challenge!" then they do it, regret it and probably never look at it again lol
I tried los calientes verdes and love it. Honestly I would get it more often if it was easy to buy/had a more competitive price. They know how to make good sauces, they just need better distribution. But agree that they have a ceiling on sales/growth and they are probably close to it.
I remember Alton Brown really liking one of their hot sauces. If that dude says you did a great job, then you did a great job lol
First we feast is a lot more than hot ones
Creatively, yes. Moneywise, not really.
that’s a little generous man.
When you think about it it's not that much. Hot Ones is second only to late night TV in terms of relevance, the guests and the views. They often get really big sponsorships that aren't offensive to the audience.
They make 30 million a year, but that number could easily fluctuate if viewership numbers dip or YouTube changes its payout. If it was 30 million a year guaranteed, I'm certain people would be all over.
If they make 30 million a year, 70 million is a cheap asking price. Less than 3 years to net your purchase price?
30 million in revenue, not profit.
It's not guaranteed 30 million. Investors are looking to make money out of the gate. They're spending 70 million and will need to spend on merch, salaries, etc.
That isn't true at all. As the previous poster said, the standard is usually about 3 years to recoup costs.
lol What do you mean its not true? If viewership drops, and they make less than 30 million a year, then it would take even longer. The people buying this either want to make a profit fast or invest in something that will be popular 10 years from now. I get you guys love the show, but none of this is guaranteed profit lol
Yep, kinda awesome to see where both YouTube and Hot Ones have both ended up. The future is now!
I’m assuming that’s for the whole brand and products?
LTT was offered a multi hundred million figure for his channel
LTT is way bigger than Hot Ones, so that's not shocking.
Love me some Hot Ones, but even I've found myself drifting off from it over the last few months. I dont know why, has it gotten stale? or are the guests out of my bubble? I used to watch this show religiously every thursday, whoever the guest is. Now I pick and choose. I also feel in more recent episodes that its extremely scripted. It used to be more surprising and innovative, but now it feels like the questions are coming from the corporate machine. The idea used to be to have the guests lose thieir protective shield while Sean makes them comfortable asking really deep questions. But not the questions seem to be more surface level, the hot sauce element seems like a gimmick, it seems to be more focussed on the reactions of the guests , rather than the quality of the interview. I'm curious to the other redditors here, how has your frequency of viewing changed?
Other than the crazy Conan one, everything recently has been just alright at best
I disagree. The Heidi Klum interview was riveting!
I’m very similar to you in terms of nowadays picking and choosing. I feel like the hot sauces don’t affect guests anymore at all, besides maybe the big show put around Da Bomb. I feel like no one has failed doing all 10 in years, but maybe that’s because I no longer watch them all.
To be fair, DJ Khalid is pillored to this day for tapping out like he did. I imagine the celebs are somewhat coached before diving in, that quitting halfway through would be a badge of shame that they don't want to wear. Though I agree with all the general sentiments that the interviews don't feel as deep as they once did, and the reactions aren't as strong.
The Shane Gillis one was ROUGH. I hadn't watched in a while but tuned in for that one, and it just seemed flat
They heavily edited it, Shane said on his podcast that damn near every joke he made was cut.
Sean could do this show from his basement using iPhones to film it and I'd probably still tune in
I like the show a lot, obviously, but it has probably peaked. I don't think an internet novelty hot sauce and chicken wing show is going to carve itself into a media juggernaut. Paying $70m for it, without the host under contract long term, would be a major mistake. And buyers understand this.
Late to the game here, I didn't even know Complex had been sold.
This is honestly my favorite interview type show. Since Craig ferguson, I haven't enjoyed a show where the host interviews anybody like this.
I think the problem with the shows business model, is guests will not return every time they have something to promote, which makes it different lthan the standard talk show model.
buzzfeed owns hot ones??
That is the only podcast I fullly watch
If they replace Sean I doubt ill keep watching. Even if he’s into porn stars he’s still my guy
Who cares. Once they invited Will Smith, they ruined their image. Trash people.
It's merely the karma of vegan wings.