‘Hot Ones’ Studio Sold by BuzzFeed for $82.5 Million to Soros Fund, Sean Evans and Other Investors
variety.comTodd Spangler NY Digital Editor “Hot Ones” is going solo. BuzzFeed announced a deal to sell First We Feast, the studio behind the popular YouTube chicken-wing-eating celebrity talk show “Hot Ones,” for $82.5 million in cash to a group of investors.
The consortium of buyers includes First We Feast founder Chris Schonberger and “Hot Ones” host Sean Evans, alongside podcast and media company Crooked Media, Rhett & Link’s Mythical Entertainment and Soros Fund Management, the investment firm founded by billionaire financier George Soros.
First We Feast said additional investors will be announced at a later date. “Hot Ones,” first launched in 2015, now has more than 14 million subscribers on YouTube and 4 billion views to date on the platforms.
Hosted by Evans and “known for its deeply researched questions,” the show has featured dozens of high-profile guests including Gordon Ramsay, Jennifer Lawrence, Shaquille O’Neal, Tom Holland, Jimmy Fallon, Kevin Hart, Post Malone, Millie Bobby Brown, Paul Rudd, Margot Robbie, David Beckham, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman.
Read more on variety.com
