Neflitx wants to add “Hot Ones” to live programming

The company is in talks with BuzzFeed Inc., owner of the series in which stars eat increasingly spicy chicken wings while chatting with host Sean Evans. The two sides are trying to reach an agreement this month, said the people, who asked not to be identified because talks could still fall apart.

Under the discussed scenario, Evans would host several live episodes of The hot ones created especially for Netflix. The show is one of the most popular programs on YouTube ever. The average episode attracts several million viewers, while the most popular one reaches tens of millions. Recent installments have featured Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Conan O’Brien and Ariana Grande.

Netflix has experimented with live programming in the past two years, hosting a golf game, a tennis exhibition and a hot dog eating contest. Audiences for most of these programs have been small, but they have allowed the company to test its technology as it prepares to deliver bigger events such as two NFL games on Christmas Day and World Wrestling Entertainment.

Netflix has struggled to come up with a hit talk show for on-demand streaming — ordering and canceling shows from Chelsea Handler and the late Norm Macdonald.

Talk shows are historically topical and play off of the news of the day, which means that viewership drops off quickly as the episodes get older. But the company had some success earlier this year with a short run of live shows hosted by comedian John Mulaney. It has also ordered a second season of a live food show in which chef David Chang cooks for celebrities.

The hot ones is a popular show with brands and live entertainment and would create additional revenue opportunities for Netflix, which is looking to grow its advertising business.