It’s not unusual for members of Congress to find themselves in the hot seat.
But now, Rep. George Whitesides, D-Agua Dulce, is taking that experience to a new level.
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The Los Angeles County lawmaker just launched “Capitol Heat,” a show on YouTube where he asks fellow members of Congress wide-ranging questions as both guest and host chow down on — you guessed it — spicy foods. (Think “Hot Ones,” YouTube’s hit show where host Sean Evans interviews celebrities over hot wings.)
Whitesides’ first episode, which debuted Tuesday, Sept. 15, featured Rep. Derek Tran, D-Orange.
In the episode, Whitesides introduces Tran as “one of my closest friends in Congress.” A smiling Tran thanks his colleague for having him on.
But by the fifth and final question, a sniffling and tearful Tran — having taken bites of five progressively spicier hot wings — blurts out, “(Expletive) you, George Whitesides. Oh my God, this is hot!” as staffers in the room erupt into laughter.
In between, the pair discusses Tran’s upbringing by immigrant parents, his parents’ reaction when he enlisted in the Army, his sneaker collection, the conversation with his wife when he considered running for office, his love of cooking and, finally, the one bill he wants to see become law immediately.
Each episode is expected to run roughly 15 to 20 minutes, with a lighthearted show format.
Whitesides, in a recent interview, said the public is tired of traditional modes of communication from politicians who sound overly polished. Voters, he said, seek authenticity.
“We were sitting around one night as a team, thinking about ways that we could communicate differently and break through and connect with Americans in ways that they want to listen,” he said.
“We have very simple goals for this thing,” Whitesides said about his show. “We want to share authentic conversations so Americans can get to know their elected officials as real people, not this kind of fake construct you often see on social media, and hear a bit about their actual lives and what they want to get done.”
In the first episode, Tran recounted how his parents were not happy when he signed up for the military before telling them, saying his parents struggled with the idea that he might be sent to a combat zone. (Tran’s unit ended up being assigned to a homeland security detail in 2003, when the U.S. went to war with Iraq, so he was never sent overseas.)
Tran also dished about his choice of footwear on the episode. The Orange County lawmaker is known around the Capitol for pairing a suit with sneakers, a look he also sported at his wedding.
Growing up in a non-affluent household, Tran said his parents wouldn’t buy brand-name sneakers for him or his brother as kids.
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“We didn’t have the money for it. So when I made my own money, I definitely splurged on shoes. I don’t hold back,” he said in the video.
Tran also talked about the agreement he had with his wife when he wanted to run for office.
“She said, ‘You can run for office one time in your entire life. If you don’t make it, I don’t want to hear about this again,’” Tran recalled.
“And 653 votes later,” he said, referencing the number of votes he won by in one of the most competitive House races in 2024, “I’m sitting here and my tongue is burning.”
Whitesides and Tran then reached for their cartons of milk.
As of last week, Whitesides had taped three episodes — all featuring Democrats, though he said he hopes to have Republicans on as well. Besides Tran, his other early interviews feature Reps. Becca Balint of Vermont and Janelle Bynum of Oregon.
He’s also open to expanding the menu. One lawmaker from the L.A. area, he said, suggested doing an episode over tacos hit with various hot sauces.
Teasing some of the upcoming episodes, Whitesides said Balint, who is the first woman and first openly gay person to represent Vermont in Congress, talked about growing up at a time when she wasn’t sure what opportunities would be available to her as an LGBTQ+ person in politics.
And Bynum, whose son is a Division 1 college football player, talked about being a football mom.
The show is intended to blend personal insights about elected officials with a dash of politics.
“This show is not going to change the world, but it is hopefully a fun way for Americans to see these people — who are really making a big leap in their lives, most of them because they really do want to do good for their country — to see them in a different light,” Whitesides said.
“It’s been fun, but also an honor to try to draw that out and let people hear those stories,” he added.
A new episode of Capitol Heat is expected to drop every Tuesday on Whitesides’ campaign YouTube channel.
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