Lizzo Conquers the "Hot Ones" Challenge Her Way, With Vegan Wings

No one can question Lizzo's love for spicy food after her recent appearance on Hot Ones, the Youtube interview series where celebrities answer questions while eating 10 increasingly spicy hot wings. The pop icon stayed true to her dietary preferences and requested Daring's vegan chicken for her spicy wing challenge. During the interview, Lizzo talked with host Sean Evans about her musical training, the Minneapolis music scene, her inspirations, and more.

With the help of Daring's vegan wings, Lizzo took the challenge head-on, claiming that she loves (and can handle) spicy foods. “I had an addiction to Hot Cheetos and I survived the one chip challenge,” Lizzo said. “So I think this is going to be a piece of f*cking cake. So try me.”

By the eighth wing, Lizzo shed her jacket and dipped her vegan hot wing into a dairy-free milkshake provided to calm the heat. Finishing the interview in tears, the musical artist is given a bowl of oat milk ice cream to help her reach the finish line. Throughout the episode, Lizzo talked about her favorite fashion moments, her newest album Special, and her favorite vegan plantain sandwich.

“I had a really good one at Black Rican Vegan,” Lizzo said. “I feel like it was seasoned. It was juicy. It had vegan cheese on it.”

Although Lizzo's ice cream, milkshakes, and wings were vegan, two of the featured Hot Ones sauces contain honey: Island Wing Sauce and The Seventh Reaper.

Lizzo's Favorite Vegan Foods

Lizzo's busy on and off the stage, but when she's not performing, the superstar is sharing vegan recipes with her 25 million TikTok followers. The pop icon is frequently showing fans how to cook vegan foods and revealing her favorite plant-based dishes. Last March, the star detailed everything she eats in a day on her vegan diet, featuring plant-based dishes like dairy-free Banza Chickpea Mac and Cheese and a signature protein shake.

But going vegan wasn't always easy for Lizzo. The star revealed that keeping up with a plant-based diet became more manageable as time went on. At the core of her videos, Lizzo emphasizes that she does not eat vegan to meet a certain body ideal or weight expectation. She highlights how there is a clear distinction between health and physique, urging fans to avoid physical judgments.

"So next time you want to come to somebody and judge them, whether they drink kale smoothies or eat McDonald's, or workout or not workout, how about you look at your own f*cking self and worry about your own self because health is not just determined by what you look like on the outside but who you are on the inside," Lizzo said in June 2020. "So how about you look at your own self and a lot of yall have to a f*cking cleanse for your insides. Namastay. Have a great day.”

Most recently, Lizzo helped popularize Juicy Marbles' new Plant-Based Filet Mignon. The singer served up a vegan steak and eggs with the help of JUST Egg's plant-based egg alternative.

Celebrities Who Chose Vegan Wings on Hot Ones

Lizzo is not the first major celebrity to prefer vegan wings during their Hot Ones interview. Several other celebrities joined Evans with a plate of plant-based wings, including highly vocal vegans like Steve-O and Billie Eilish. Here are some beloved stars that avoided animal-based wings during their Hot Ones challenge.

Billie Eilish: Eilish's vegan activism and climate action led to her being crowned PETA's Person of the Year 2021.
Steve-O: Once the legendary prankster transitioned to a healthier lifestyle, he also picked up a plant-based diet and hasn't looked back since.
Thundercat: Thundercat stopped eating meat several years ago when he quit drinking alcohol, claiming that the change helped him lose 100 pounds.
Zoe Kravitz: Kravitz grew up vegan, but claims she has since stopped following a plant-based diet. She told Evans she hopes to do better while chowing down on vegan wings during the show.
RZA: Wu-Tang Clan member RZA stands as the first Hot Ones guest to eat vegan wings. The legendary rapper has consistently supported vegan ventures with his "Plant Grants" that help fund Black-owned restaurants.
Keke Palmer: Keke Palmer "dabbles" in the plant-based lifestyle. Palmer joined Evans twice on the show and ate vegan wings to prove she thinks plant-centric.
Natalie Portman: Longtime vegan actress Natalie Portman unsurprising chose vegan wings – shocking Evan with her spice tolerance.
Paul Rudd: We might not be sure if Paul Rudd is vegan, he did choose to avoid chicken wings during his hilarious interview.
Olivia Rodrigo: This young star is not fully vegan, but aims to choose meatless options whenever possible.
Kristen Bell: Bell started eating vegetarianism at 11 years old and finally transitioned to a vegan diet in 2012. Now, Bell promotes plant-based living through investments and lifestyle practices.