Sean Evans, host of the viral YouTube show Hot Ones, took the stage with representatives from seven post-secondary schools, including one lucky Carleton student, for a virtual Q&A on Jan. 12.
The event was brought to Carleton students by the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) in partnership with the Canadian Organization of Campus Activities (COCA) and Algonquin College.
Participants had the opportunity to ask Evans questions, then roles were reversed and Evans questioned the participants while diving into the iconic lineup of 10 spicy hot sauces, as he does on his YouTube show.
During Hot Ones, Evans invites celebrity guests to answer questions while eating increasingly spicy wings. In the most recent season, guests include Tom Holland, Simu Liu and Rob Lowe.
Evans explained the origins of his atypical celebrity interview show at the Q&A. Produced by First We Feast and Complex Media, Hot Ones was born when he and First We Feast executive producer Chris Schonberger found themselves seeking a way to add life to the traditional interview.
Carleton psychology and neuroscience student Rheann Quenneville can attest to the humanizing effect of the show.
As a self-proclaimed superfan of Evans, Quenneville said she was thrilled to win the opportunity to chat with Evans and take on the lineup of hot sauces. Quenneville’s sister, Dredann, initially won CUSA’s Instagram contest but directed organizers to Rheann because of her enthusiasm for the show.
“I honestly thought I was going to become speechless—not in the sense of being star-struck, but just out of excitement and shock that this person who had interviewed so many people beforehand was now asking me a question,” she said.
Quenneville said CUSA aced this event.
“I think people need to give university events a little bit more slack,” Quenneville said. “I know some people who are like, ‘Why would you follow CUSA or do all these types of events?’ but I think it’s important if you want to have a good university experience to get involved. It’s on you.”
Daisy Kasper, vice-president (student life) of CUSA, said the aim of the event was to engage students, especially with classes moving online.
“Students are really looking for ways to, not even just get involved, but things to do,” Kasper said. “I think this event is really fun and engaging because of who Sean Evans is.”
During the show, Evans reflected on how his college experience and the various jobs he worked gave him the skills to create Hot Ones. Evans spent his summers in college giving architectural tours of the Chicago River and hustling as a freelance interviewer prior to earning a job from Complex Media.
Like Evans, Quenneville has a diverse background. She began her journey at Carleton in communications, switched her major to psychology with a minor in neuroscience, and now has plans to pursue her master’s with a research focus on how exercise affects mental health.
“You have to experience things to know what you like and what you don’t like and Sean talked about that,” Quenneville said. “You never know where life’s going to take you and it’s okay to try and fail because if you get back up, you never know what’s going to happen.”
Featured graphic by Sara Mizannojehdehi.
