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Is it hot in here? It's hot in here. It's a hot one.
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Hey, what's going on everybody?
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From First We Feast, I'm Sean Evans and you're watching Hot Ones.
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It's the show with hot questions and even hotter wings.
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And today we're joined by CL.
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She's a global pop music icon who's back with her long-awaited debut studio album Alpha, which is set to release on October 20th.
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And to hold you over, she has new single aptly titled Spicy.
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She's got the sauce, we've got the sauce. CL, welcome to the show. Yes. Thank you for having me.
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Thanks so much for coming in.
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And while we're on the topic of spicy, what's going through your head as we prepare for this gauntlet?
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Like are you a are you a fan of hot sauce?
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Honestly, I don't I'm not good with spicy food. Yeah. But I do love hot sauce. So you just take a bite? You just take a bite. What a weird date.
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Also, eating on camera, I I don't think I've ever done that before.
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Wow, we got the exclusive. Yeah. Good.
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Alpha is produced under your self-managed venture Very Cherry.
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And I'm curious, what sorts of freedoms an example of a freedom that you think you had making this record that maybe you wouldn't have had releasing it under a more traditional record label?
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I come from a very traditional K-pop system.
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And you know, I've learned so much and that's how CL was created.
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So I'm very grateful for that.
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But you know, I've been doing this for a while, so I wanted to have more freedom to explore and expand and learn more with CL, like creating the world for her. Was that spicy for you?
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You know, not the first you know, thankfully, you know, this would be a labor this would be a labor for me if that first one hit.
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You know, to me it's just kind of nice. Mhm.
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And we work our way to a nice place.
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This next one, kind of a nice color. Yeah.
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This is the Yellowbird Bliss and Vinegar. Okay. Let's try it out. this.
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Wow, you're going for it.
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You're kind of going for it, so I'm just I'm just trying to hang. Mhm. Mhm.
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So, you get a lot of due credit for your stage shows and really shine as a performance artist.
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And you once said, "Dance is not a 5-6-7-8 to me, it's just how I meditate."
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If forced to choose, which CL music video do you think has the best choreography? Ooh.
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For me, I love I love the spicy performance that I did recently.
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And, you know, Hello [ __ ] with Paris and her team.
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Um, like that really like created a new category for me.
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So, yeah, those are my favorite I can't Yeah, I shouldn't, but those are those two are my favorite.
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How does rapping on the comeback stage at Inkigayo with a parrot on your shoulder you said Inkigayo right now. I did. I did.
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It's so weird to hear it from you here, but you love it, yes.
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Rapping with a parrot on your shoulder, how does that complicate a live performance? Oh, wow. That one, okay.
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Also, there were like swans everywhere and like Yeah, lots of Yeah, birds involved.
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Um, it kept biting my hair.
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Yeah, it kept biting it and talking to me. It was interesting.
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But yeah, it was it was like I would never I don't know if I'll ever do that again, but it was a fun experience.
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The color looks more red.
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Yeah, it's a little more intense. Yeah.
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I don't feel the spice yet. You know what? Be careful. Yeah, exactly. Be careful about that.
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So, believe it or not, we cover fashion quite a bit for a chicken wing talk show hosted by a bald guy in his 30s, but for you for you we have to.
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Someone who Vogue once described as catnip for photographers.
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And then in 2013, your OG girl group 21 did a collaboration with Chrome Hearts, which now almost 10 years later, that's like every rapper's favorite designer.
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How would you explain the aesthetic appeal of that brand to someone who wouldn't know Tom Ford from Tom Hanks? Mhm.
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Damn, I can't believe you know that first of all.
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Um, I bought my first piece actually in Hong Kong when I was 12.
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I was such a fan of it, so I went there by by myself.
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Um, didn't tell you know any of my family members and bought my first piece and you know, had it on on my special occasions and met um, Jesse Jo, who's the daughter of the Stark family and became really great friends and we performed together when she was back in Korea and it was like a dream to me to collaborate.
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Just making something, creating something new with my friend.
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So, it became that, which was more fun and I think it's awesome that it's a big thing now, but yeah.
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It's like I'm a personal fan of the brand and have always been.
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What's your all-time favorite CL fashion moment and then what would you say was your most regrettable red carpet look or wardrobe malfunction? me that. What?
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Regrettable and then you're going to everyone looking at my regrettable Can I be really honest with you?
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I love Please be honest with me. I don't remember. You remember.
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I know it's I know it's in I know it's sitting there right now.
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Not regrettable, but I was actually the first one to wear um Jean Paul Gaultier no Margiela dress as a Asian figure and pop star whatever I it is musician and it looked like it was like the life-saving tube.
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Like you're drowning in the ocean they threw Yeah, there was a lot of memes after that.
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So not regrettable, but that was not what I was going for for sure.
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So as you mentioned your music videos like a high art form, do song concepts ever come to you first as visuals or is that always a secondary thought?
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First of all, it's what I want to talk about.
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And then it's a character I built.
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Once that message and who she is is created, everything that I want to talk about comes and flows naturally.
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So that's the process of it.
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And then I know that you relish the freedom of being a solo artist, but I'm curious are there any musical tools that you picked up being in a mega famous girl group that still serve you today?
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I think being able to work be work with three very different type of characters like together as a group, I learned so much from them.
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Like Holmes vocal is amazing and just learning how she you know talks even helps a lot just sonically.
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And you're just around that all the time.
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So just things like that, you know, it's just naturally soaked into me and there they are a part of me always. They will always be. Yeah.
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I am actually doing better than I thought I would. You're doing great.
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This one is a little bit of a step up though. Right on cue. Right on what? Yeah.
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Damn, I had to say that right before that. No, it always happens. That always happens.
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You know what what what is what is going on? So What's in this thing? So I'm right with you.
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This is a This is a hot number five, one of the hotter fives that we've ever had.
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Uh you have scorpion, you have fire roasted bell pepper.
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It has kind of a buffalo sauce to it, but I think it's that scorpion pepper that really dominates and kind of shines in this one. Yeah. But it's okay.
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See how well you cool down on that.
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We have a recurring segment on our show called Explain That Gram where we do a deep dive on our guest's Instagram, pull interesting pictures that need more context.
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So I'll pull up the picture on the monitor, you just tell us the bigger story.
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Your song Spicy features narration from John Malkovich and it's clear from scrolling the page that you guys have known each other for years.
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Uh it's an intriguing friendship.
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How did you guys become close?
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So um Pete Berg invited me to be um a part of his movie Mile 22 and he was my uh he was the leader of the agency thing I was the role I was supposed to play. I mean I I did play.
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Um and we just got along cuz he comes from theater Mhm.
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and I connected to his story so much and he's my mentor.
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When I was making Spicy, for some reason I just sent it to him and I just had the first verse and he heard that and sent me a 5-minute monologue and I had to I chopped that up and made that intro.
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He was like, yeah, the spicy sauce from Korea.
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he just freestyled it and sent me like voice note on, you know, iPhone voice note and that's how it ended up being in the song.
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Are you ready to move on to the back half? Can I say no?
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The last one was really it hit me. It's jarring, right? It spiced on me.
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But nothing Seoul can't handle.
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Oh, going You know, this is on your recommendation.
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Yes, this is the Korean um What do you I don't even know what that is, to be honest. Where did you get that? Yogurt or something. It is.
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It is, but sweeter and smoother. Refreshing.
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Yes, it helps the spiciness.
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I might keep this on the table. Do Do it.
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There's another one called Cool Pete Peace and um I don't think you guys had it here, but that one really works.
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All right, well, I'll try to go deep into the catalog. Yeah.
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So, I'm often spammed by fan groups online who are angling for whoever they support to be on the show.
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But nothing, and I mean nothing, compares to the size, scale, and organization of K-pop fans.
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What would you say like distinguishes them from other stan groups elsewhere in the world?
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It's always the simple things that I love, you know, it's cuz when was the last time like we actually wrote a handwritten letter to someone?
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And there's, you know, they do that and yeah, those simple things are the best.
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I came in today, I got a I got two wedding invitations. Oh, amazing. A fan wedding. Yeah, yeah. Oh, crazy. Yeah.
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I never got one of those.
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That's never Something to aspire to. Wow. Damn.
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Thanks for the invite, guys. What is this?
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This is like um there's scotch bonnet, you've got Trinidad scorpion, you've got ghost pepper.
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So, it's kind of like a greatest hits of the super spicys. Story checks out. No. How How are you doing?
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Well, um you know, I don't My guess is this episode falls in the season somewhere close to the launch of your album. I know.
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But, for me, and it's the first shoot of season 16.
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So, I've had a couple weeks off.
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So, it's always tough to get back on that horse. Yeah. So, Wow.
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I'm going through it just like you. My cheers. Yeah, cheers. Like Yeah. I You know what? It's their choice.
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Like people choose to do this to themselves. Right. Like and you Yeah. Just like you today. Yeah. That was my choice. Ooh. Yes. Damn. Yeah. Yeah.
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Well, wait and wait till you try the next one.
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But, before that, this this this reaction that we're having, it's kind of a lovely segue cuz I'm curious as somebody who's traversed the world, how does Korean spicy compare to other cuisines?
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Like is there something unique about the heat in Korean cooking? It's very spicy.
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At the same time, I can't really talk cuz it's like there's a lot going on right now. Yeah. Like I I your questions.
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Am I like high right now? You know what?
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Am I high off That's that's not That's not an uncommon response, you know, like the endorphins that kind of kick.
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You get kind of a head high.
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like I'm dreaming right now.
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I will not remember this tomorrow. We're floating.
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We're just floating through it.
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And then I see these I see these two hands Korean style hot dog chains kind of popping up all over the place now.
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What are your thoughts on the Korean corn dog? Overrated or underrated? Uh oh my god. Have you tried those?
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Yeah, yeah, I've had I've got some funky funky corn dogs. tried?
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There's like Well, they have all these different kinds.
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They're like they're deep frying it and they're like sprinkling it with like the mustard on the outside and all that stuff.
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I think it's great um hangover food and some people eat it for dessert. Did you know that?
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They have it for as dessert with like sugar on it or cream or like cheese.
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There's different kinds, but I love them. Yeah.
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Lots of innovation with the corn dog.
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Here we innovate with the chicken wing.
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And speaking of Are you ready to move on to the next one? of that one. I've been Yeah. You've been told.
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Maybe you've been briefed by people that are like watch out for the bomb. I mean yeah. It says itself. Beyond insanity. Are you ready?
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I'm ready if you're ready. Okay. What? Stop.
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I think I took a big bite. You did. You did. You took a big bite. Ooh. WHAT? OH MY GOD. I KNOW. I KNOW. IT'S CRAZY.
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Have you tried this before?
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Cabrera is not Oh my god. I know.
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You warned me, but I know. Mhm. Am I red? No, you look great. You look great.
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It's a nice a nice Wing It glow. A nice Wing It glow. Damn, that is spicy. Crazy.
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Is that the spiciest thing you've ever eaten? Yes. Officially.
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Are you sure this is like pepper or like it's like So What's It's been described as as battery acid.
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Guests have described it as poison before. I It is.
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Like you almost like want to reject it or something.
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I don't I don't think you're supposed to put that on food.
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No, I I I I agree with you. I agree with you. What? Oh my god.
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Where would our show be at without I hate my team for They were like so excited about this me being here. Yeah. They're staring.
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They're staring at the couch.
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They look downright gleeful. I got to say.
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They're enjoying Oh my god.
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You guys are enjoying this? Way too much.
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They're enjoying it way too much. I don't know what to do. It's all right. It's all right.
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We're almost We're almost to the finish line.
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I'll just kind of I'll try to gas pedal it.
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I'll race to the finish line. You look great. You look great.
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But here's what I'll say, just be careful around your eyes cuz that's sometimes a mistake people can make, you know?
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Just don't touch your eyes. Don't touch your eyes.
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Son, I'm on a mission to learn how to say that's spicy in as many languages as I can through this show.
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How would you describe like what you JUST ATE? MAY WAH. What does that mean? SPICY. MAY WAH.
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HOW ARE YOU FEELING, MOM? I'M FLOATING. It's all surreal. Yes. It's abstract.
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What a bizarre interview. Oh my god.
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I will never forget this interview, for sure.
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This next one is cranked.
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It's from our friends at Hellfire, as you can tell by the cover art. Mhm. No, after that.
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Right, how bad can it get? Mhm.
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I feel I feel my face like swelling up. Yeah. I feel it. I'm almost like numbing.
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Maybe I'm like going down or something. are numb. Yeah.
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It's like I to a point where I'm like calm. Yeah. Now. You know?
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You know when you're like very angry you become calm? Yeah, well, all right.
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I'm just going to keep an eye out in case the table gets flipped or something. Just kidding. Oh my god. Yes.
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So, during season 2 of the FX show Dave and your appearance, you you go into this tinted black car and you put on an LED face mask.
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Is that just for the show or can you personally speak to the benefits of light therapy?
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Um, I'm pretty sure I can.
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You should have asked me that question a couple of sauces ago. But, yeah, I do it.
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Yeah, let's take care of ourselves.
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That's all I can say right now. Yeah.
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Like all the data is like numbed right now in my uh brain.
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But, yes, I do that and it's great when you travel and, you know, which What am I talking about? It's It's going great.
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You're doing great, Ceal.
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And then, you get assassinated in that Peter Berg-directed action thriller Mile 22.
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What are the mechanics of doing that perfect going limp and falling to the floor after taking a head shot. Oh, wow.
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You know, yes, we were giggling after And that was with John.
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And also, like more than you think you are moving, the action needed to be bigger when I was filming that. All right. Okay. Last one. The last one. Woo. This is the last dab.
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We call it the last dab cuz it's tradition around here to put a little extra on the last one. You don't have to Okay. if you don't want to. No, it's Woo. You know what?
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I I I know what the bomb tastes like now. Tastes like nail polish.
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That's a first and I think that's accurate. Right? Mhm.
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I mean, never tasted it before, but I think that's how it would taste.
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But you know, see all the coconut palette, they can find the coconut in then sauce number two. Yeah.
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Can find the nail polish in sauce number eight. Woo. You put a lot on on it.
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Uh you know, I'm I'm not trying to be a showman or anything.
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I think I just uh I think I just got the shakes with the bottle.
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It happens to me a lot over here, actually.
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You'd think I'd be better at this by now. Oh my god. Okay. Cheers. Cheers. Last one. That one is spicy, too. You know, as advertised.
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That's kind of the show, but you know what? But you know what? What?
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See how Thankfully though, it is the last stop aboard the Scoville Express and we want to close with an obsession that's close to your heart.
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You told Women's Weekly Singapore, "I love Disney.
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To be honest, my mother told me I used to have Dumbo and Bambi.
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She said I watched it 5,000 times and all my playlist these days is Disney music."
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I know this puts you on the spot, but as a pop music icon, what to you is the single best Disney motion picture original soundtrack of all time? Under the sea.
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It always puts you in a happy mood, under the sea mood with Sebastian. You got Ariel Yeah. The Little Mermaid. Yeah.
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And let me tell you, CL, being under the sea, an ice-cold sea, that would feel good right about now. But you know what, CL? is.
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You made it through the wings of death, taking them on, challenging yourself, the spiciest wings that you've ever eaten in your life, the spiciest food that you've ever had in your life. But you know what?
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You didn't quit, you marched forward, you stayed on top, and now there's nothing left to do, CL, but roll out the red carpet for you.
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This camera, this camera, this camera.
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Let the people know what you have going on in your life.
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I have my new single out, Spicy, and my album, Alpha, October 20th, and I'm actually making kimchi powder, Wow. too.
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So, I'm excited about that.
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I'm going to send it to you guys, so you could try, Sean.
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I will look forward to it, CL. Thank you so much. Great job. Thank you.
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I powered through this with you.
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Oh my god, I had so much fun.
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I don't remember like the some parts, but yeah, this is Hopefully you made it through in a dream state. Yeah. state. Meola! Meola!
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Hey, what's going on, everybody? This is Sean Evans.
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I just wanted to say thank you so much for watching today's episode.
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And as you know, every season, it's out with the old and in with the new hot sauce lineup.
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And I know you've been watching this episode and wondering to yourself, I wonder if I would cry like that. Would I sweat? Would I scream?
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Well, now you can find out because the Hot Ones 10-Pack is available at heatonist. com. That's heatonist.
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com to get your hands on the Hot Ones 10-Pack.
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Remember with the last dab, you don't have to if you don't want to. Keep milk on hand.
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Keep ice cream at the ready. You can do this.