John Mulaney Takes on ‘Hot Ones’ Like a Champ: “I’ve Done a Lot of Damage to My Synapses”

Move over, Jennifer Lawrence! John Mulaney has proven that he can handle any level of spice after appearing on a recent episode of Hot Ones — a YouTube show where Sean Evans interviews celebrities as they chow down on a series of hot chicken wings.

When it was time for Mulaney to take a bite of the hottest sauce in the bunch — the same one that made Lawrence sob through the rest of her interview and subsequently “passionately” and “violently” vomit — he took it like a champ.

“It has a missile on it. And it’s called Da Bomb. And it’s called beyond insanity,” Mulaney said, gearing up to meet his fate.

Without any hesitation, the comedian bit right into the chicken wing, before saying he “knew it was gonna be bad” as it was about to touch his lips. However, he didn’t turn red. He didn’t choke. He didn’t even reach for a drink to tone down the spice!

“I’ve done a lot of damage to my synapses,” Mulaney explained, cheekily referring to his past drug use.

He continued, “OK, first impressions: it’s very hot. It’s a hot sauce. It’s beyond insane, some might say. It’s not good. It’s not good food. It doesn’t make food better. I’m not trying to damage their business — not a good product,” while Evans speculated that the company’s goal is likely “missing the target that much.”

The interviewer then called the former Saturday Night Live writer’s blasé reaction “amazing to behold,” to which he replied, “[It’s] certainly hot. I’m more struck by — the flavor’s metallic. It just sucks. It’s just not a thing where you go, ‘I’m gonna put a little Da Bomb on this.'”

Just as Evans picked back up with his questions, Mulaney felt involuntary tears spilling from his eyes.

“Oh. Tears are coming down my face now I feel,” he said as he wiped his face with a napkin, before later adding, “I’ve never cried this way — where I’m not actually feeling it. They’re just rolling down my face.”

We can now officially add John Mulaney to the list of people not putting Da Bomb hot sauce on their grocery list.