Steve Buscemi Reveals Which Show He Refuses to Appear on: “I Don’t Care How Much You Paid Me”

If you were hoping to see Steve Buscemi take on the hot wings challenge, don’t bet on it.

During a recent appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, host Josh Horowitz asked the veteran actor, who’s promoting his new films Wild Horse Nine and Klara and the Sun, about things he dislikes.

“I’m confused why people like spicy food, why they like their mouths hot,” Buscemi replied. So First We Feast’s Hot Ones, hosted by Sean Evans, likely won’t ever be a stop on the actor’s press tours.

“Sam Rockwell told me that he and Parker Posey did Hot Ones — that’s something I would never do. I don’t care how much you paid me, how much they said, ‘But it would really support the film,’ no. It not only makes me confused, it makes me angry,” he added with a laugh. “You’ll never get me, Hot Ones!”

In recent years, Hot Ones, which launched in 2015, has become a routine stop for celebrities as they’re making the rounds to promote their latest projects. The YouTube talk show, created by Evans and Christopher Schonberger, sees the host interviewing guests as they eat a platter of ten wings, each coated in a progressively hotter hot sauce.

Dozens of celebrities have taken on the challenge, including Jennifer Lawrence, Paul Rudd, Billie Eilish, Post Malone, Conan O’Brien, Charlize Theron, Pedro Pascal and Shaquille O’Neal, among others. But seeing many stars end in tears or yell in pain (“I feel like I’m gonna die,” Lawrence said during her episode) likely wasn’t a selling point for Buscemi.

Earlier this year, Evans revealed some of his favorite Hot Ones episodes during a chat with Matt Belloni. “I always say if you’re new to the show, check out the Conan O’Brien episode or the Gordon Ramsay episode. Jennifer Lawrence is another one or Maya Rudolph. Paul Rudd is a classic. Charlize Theron,” he said at the time. “I always say to start with those. If you like those episodes, you’ll probably like the show. If you don’t like those episodes, stop there. There’s nothing for you.”