'Pepper X' Creator Ed Currie Answers Questions From Twitter | Tech Support | WIRED

[@Tomreese130]

You can tell this guy really enjoys what he does. Serious respect to this guy.

[@Oyashiro_Chama]

I've met him at the Pepper expo in Cincinnati

[@LoranModok]

))

[@sachamm]

Came here to say exactly that. Nerds rule.

[@USDAselect]

@@sachamm He used to be a heroin addict.

[@raygremaux5146]

He actually used to grow weed and smoke all day but he stopped and peppers gave him a natural high so now he's the top pepper expert in the world

[@brukts3361]

Love how he just tortured someone on screen while describing what's happening to them like a Saw victim

[@paoloangella2507]

Yeah, if you didn't know he didn't eat it because it does it every day and it basically has no effect on him

[@bendy_rabbit]

@@paoloangella2507 She has a pretty high tolerance too. I've seen her eat some crazy amounts of super hots in contests before.

[@JC_2311]

@@paoloangella2507 I've seen him eat a pepper X and oh he did react. Not as much as anybody else would have of course but even that one still hits him!

[@holidayonion]

@@paoloangella2507exactly. For all we know, he actually did eat one off-camera. We would have no idea if he didn’t tell us. It’s kinda scary to see him eat one.

[@pixelpoppyproductions]

It’s not torture though.

[@Locut0s]

O.M.G when Bella came in and he said she was going to demonstrate I did not expect she was going to eat the entire reaper like a piece of candy! 😮😮😮 wow.

[@avramcs]

For real wtf was that lmao, she literally came on and basically did a triple backflip and left

[@lilstudyman]

She reacted like my ex ate a jalapeños cheese popper

[@pyramidsong]

And then he was like “I would never recommend anyone eat a whole one” lol

[@GoranZec]

Thought she'd nibble on the thing. I can finish it in a few minutes no problem, but small chunks. It's not even the heat, when I do what she just did, I get painful hiccups for hours.

[@Locut0s]

@@GoranZec well she did say that she was going to go lie down, and that she was feeling the start of cramps. So my guess is that this was a stunt she knew she was going to pay for, and did it for the show and knew the exact price she was going to pay. Kind of even more amazing in a way.

[@Ben-ff8fg]

I love the idea that he just carries around his guinness record plaque and is ready to break it out at any moment

[@thomasbecker9676]

I mean, you have to pay Guinness to appear in their records...

[@kurtw6922]

I believe he was 'surprised' with the award on the Hot Ones youtube channel and regardless of whether it was scripted for the drama I think it's pretty clear how much it means to him. Honestly it's pushing the boundary of annoyingly egotistical, but I'd rather someone care a little bit too much about what they do than not enough. The man has an obsession that's had a real impact on the food world and not many people can say that.

[@Chattyman2]

He pays a yearly fee for it, of course he is going to.

[@stevenenglert2951]

You would too

[@logank444]

Growing up near farmers they are usually pretty proud of what they grow. Especially during the county fair when they had big vegetable contests

[@jopo7996]

This guy answered everything in such perfect detail, even though he was peppered with questions.

[@nachozacho1407]

I c what you did there. 😏

[@CaptainPupu]

Deep understanding, eloquence and professionalism.

[@skopezy2960]

heh

[@Afgust_0]

He definitely handled the heat well

[@CaptainPupu]

@@Afgust_0 Guy eats habaneros like you and I a piece of cracker. Ed is not just a horticulturist legend, but a beast himself. He said the spiciest thing he ever tried was pure capsaicin that's used for calculating and measuring actual pepper fruits spiciness in a lab. Anyway, he said he put his pinky and rubbed the powder on his gums. He was in a fetal position for 30 minutes. 🤣

[@AlteredBoot]

"Guys think they're dying, ..but they're just having a menstrual cramp"... LOL!

[@Deejbeard]

One of the best videos in this series. I could listen to this guy talk about peppers all day

[@weirdmusicmixmaster]

the fact that he has probably at least 2 or 3 more viable peppers in his warchest to beat his own record is terrifying and inspiring

[@Alorand]

Yeah, I agree. I get the feeling that the only reason he released Pepper X is because he already finished breeding Pepper Y and is working on Pepper Z.

[@xGxPhantomZzz]

@@Alorand He basically said that in the First we Feast special with Chili Klaus. He got bored that no one even came close to his Reaper so he just threw the X out there

[@Chattyman2]

Yet even when the "carolina reaper" record was paid for, there was loads of chillis already hotter

[@xGxPhantomZzz]

@@Chattyman2 I'ma need proof for that one chief

[@Chattyman2]

@@xGxPhantomZzz what, the same proof as Ed publically releasing his lab testing results?

[@VianneWamann]

All the WIRED Support people are always so informative and congenial. Such a pleasure to watch!

[@Skajaw]

I wish someone would've asked why peppers look more bizzare the hotter they get. The reaper already looks realy strange, but this pepper X thingy is an absolute alien.

[@Priscabc]

I'm guessing "commercial" peppers are also bred to look nice so people actually want to eat them, but these guys are graded only for heat. It's probably for the better that people don't look at it and say "that looks nice, can I take a bite".

[@phoenixelysia]

@@Priscabc this is absolutely a part of it. a LOT of fruit and vegetable farmers breed specifically for flavour and appearance, and the produce is judged accordingly. more than 30% of all produce does not hit store shelves as it fails to meet a predetermined appearance standard. Would you buy a lemon that's round, a cabbage that isn't spherical, or a strawberry that isn't strawberry shaped? These "abberant" fruits and veg get tossed or used in animal feed, where the appearance doesn't matter.

[@JohnBlewett]

they have a higher internal surface area for seeds to grow in, meaning a higher concentration of capsacin. also, there's no requirement to make them look good for selling

[@Ozzianman]

​@@phoenixelysia Yes, yes and yes? As long as they are not rotten and is edible, I would buy. Then again, I am used to fresh produce and the abnormalities that can happen.

[@SavaFiend]

​@@phoenixelysiaThat's actually true, at least for me. Like the local grocery store always has some big lumpy misshapen strawberries when they sell the little plastic tubs of them in the summer and I just can't buy one where the strawberries look like that they skive me out for some reason lol

[@overem8092]

pepper expert called currie, this job was his destiny

[@キラキラくりくり頭]

There's a company called something like Food for the People or something... CEO is Robin Mafood

[@adamhandlin7418]

I could listen to this guy teach me about anything. He answers so clearly and throughly. Very enjoyable guest here!

[@clintonwilcox4690]

Fascinating video. I was thinking "that's random, bringing in a pepper expert" but I really enjoyed it. He answered the questions really well and clear, and even answered a long-standing question I've had (about how exactly the Scoville scale measures the hotness of peppers).

[@kadentam2946]

He's not just a pepper expert, he created the two hottest peppers being the Carolina Reaper and Pepper X

[@MatthewTheWanderer]

@@kadentam2946 Yeah, he's not just A pepper expert, he's THE pepper expert!

[@Sirius_Coby]

I love listening to Ed talk about peppers. I grew my first jalapenos last year and Carolina reapers this year and it's such a rewarding experience.

[@macmcmurphy3961]

5:30 thought he was going to say, "Well Alex, those two plants need to love each other very much..."

[@Alorand]

15:00 I get the feeling that the only reason he released Pepper X is because he already finished breeding Pepper Y and is working on Pepper Z.

[@kwaitefuni9152]

yo, it's the legendary Smokin Ed Currie! Didn't expect him to be featured on this channel.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

Some people just talk and you instantly grasp how intelligent they are. This guy is one of them, and he's very intelligent.

[@craigchaotic]

Love smokin ed, he’s just out there killing it. Keep doing that sweet pepper science my dude

[@pippa3150]

This was SO fascinating! Love this guy! BTW I lmao at "Guys think they're dying but really it's akin to menstrual cramps." Thanks for that! Haha

[@ashleyelizabeth6094]

11:31 bella praying for her life

[@GarettMacLaren]

They did Ed dirty not taking the tag off his shirt.

[@jonathan_r_lee92]

Ed didn't mention it here but in other videos he's talked about how peppers have shown to be able to kill cancer cells. So that is one of his driving factors to keep producing super hot peppers.

[@mingkachow1466]

13:19 was so funny i love this guy 😭😭

[@greenhat7618]

When nobody comes close to breaking your record in 10 years and you just go *sigh* “I’ll do it myself”. Legend.

[@AlanWatts33]

Multiple peppers broke his record and were way hotter, even tested higher. They just didnt have the money to pay Guinness.

[@shawnthomas7404]

@@AlanWatts33 they didnt have $5

[@AlanWatts33]

@@shawnthomas7404 if you don’t have a brain, don’t comment. You can’t submit a SHU record for $5. It takes cooperation between tons of labs testing over and over. All which must be “approved” by Guinness. And last time I checked, they don’t know anything about peppers.

[@Innomenatus]

@@AlanWatts33 It was like 2 (that were tested unofficially). Pepper X is still much hotter.

[@AlanWatts33]

@@Innomenatus a book doesn’t have taste buds. It’s well documented by hundreds of people that the reaper was never the hottest pepper

[@zdrux]

"Black pepper is a spice, not a pepper!" good to know :)

[@davidkglevi]

Regarding the mammal/bird thing. It's an old trick to get squirrels to leave bird feeders alone. Mix the bird seeds with chili.

[@amoxl114]

but why do birds eat my tomatoes but not my reapers and ghost peppers?

[@davidkglevi]

@@amoxl114 Don't know. Ask them next time 😉

[@hackman88]

12:00 I have felt that high and was surprised the first time.

[@burnin8able]

"She's going to eat this whole pepper." ... "I don't recommend anybody eat a whole pepper." LOL

[@simpleguy86]

I love these wired interviews they always find really interesting people who are passionate about their craft and very knowledgeable

[@Interspirituality]

5:38 my dumbass thought he was gonna say, "and those two plants need to be in love…"

[@alexdwyer4011]

I know I'm a bit late... but at 8:51, either the scale is incorrect or the chart is. Either a both commas are in the wrong spot, or a 0 removed and the commas not adjusted.

[@User-54631]

I get that floating feeling just off habaneros. A bidet does wonders for the burning ring of fire though.

[@EamonWalsh]

Wow, I was not expecting to learn this much. Thanks, Ed!

[@spiesonmars]

That was great - very informative! 👍👍

[@TheDanBlanchet]

This guy is glorious. One of the best tech support host ever. Love him.

[@ellam3442]

the way he’s so excited about the new record😂😂😂

[@alecdannmayr328]

I really appreciate Eds enthusiasm and knowledge, It's great when someone is so passionate about something!

[@thepracticalblade9013]

My dude carries a Civivi knife. Respect.

[@AbdulaOblongata]

According to the Cleveland Clinic, Milk contains a protein called casein, which can break down capsaicin - much in the same way that dish soap can cut through grease.

[@williamwolf2844]

Also, the fat in milk as well as the fat and many other things will coat your tongue and thereby slow down the absorption of the spicy molecule and decrease the sensation of heat.

[@georgejanzen774]

Crazy if true. Casein is not an enzyme, so it shouldn't have catalytic activity

[@summerlaverdure]

this guy is so chill i love him

[@smievil]

he's so chilli

[@summerlaverdure]

@@smievil well played

[@Playingwith3D]

I think Habaneros are the threshold pepper for a lot of people. You can either handle the heat of one and therefore can go on to hotter peppers or you can't tolerate the sting at all then habs are where you stop.

[@chrismenezes]

Yesss, habaneros are my threshold for me. Ive definitely had some habaneros hotter than others as well. Oddly enough i feel like ive had half a habanero, thats been hotter than a quarter of a scorpion / chocolate 7 pot. Why, no idea..

[@notforwantoftrying1]

It's partly because it is a different sub-species of pepper. All of the milder peppers (bell peppers, jalapenos, serranos, birds eye chillis etc.) are botanically considered capsicum annuum. Habanero and all other super-hots are a different sub-species called capsicum chinense and have a unique flavor (often referred to as "chinense flavor") and MUCH higher scoville rating.

[@williamwolf2844]

This is true for me. And even with an habanero, I cannot use an entire pepper, not even a small one, in a meal. In fact, much less than that. Maybe something less than half the size of my pinky finger covered by the fingernail. A very small amount. More than that I can tolerate, but it doesn't make the food taste better.

[@MiguelGraves]

I got so nervous watching him cut that orange pepper!!!!

[@Mari.005]

Crazy how that lady just hit FULL SEND with that pepper💀🥲

[@Imshady69]

Declaring peppers won't hurt you is mighty bold. Might not hurt then, but they're going to hurt later and directly tied to said peppers

[@OldDemonTooth]

He's a farmer NOT a scientist or a doctor. He REALLY shouldn't be talking about the medical aspects of peppers.

[@Nightwishmaster]

@@OldDemonTooth Him and his company have done extensive testing and researching on peppers over the years. He's THE guy in the industry, you don't have to be a doctor to have researched a subject enough to have simple answers to questions like they were asking.

[@MW_Asura]

@@OldDemonTooth What kind of farmer doesn't know the composition of their products and the effects they have on the body? It's common sense

[@williamwolf2844]

​@@MW_Asura This most certainly is not common sense. Whether you're a farmer, chemist, or physician, knowing about the chemical composition of crops and foods has to be learned. It is therefore not common sense.

[@davidbentley6399]

Smokin Ed is the man!!! I love watching him explain and elaborate on all things pepper.

[@hiddemoens82]

I want to know how Ed tackles the toilet issues after eating all those peppers😂

[@SavaFiend]

I have eaten some really hot and spicy foods and peppers and I've never had any kind of toilet issues afterwards. Feel like I must be some kind of alien because everybody always jokes about having bathroom issues after eating spicy stuff and knock on wood, hasn't happened to me yet

[@floatinghatchet7893]

Put some wet wipes in the fridge the day before!

[@smievil]

@@SavaFiend i don't tend to go further than what i'm comfortable with, but i never really had stomach issues i'd associate with chilies

[@LilyPenguin123]

I eat a lot of super spicy stuff, not a brag just saying, I generally only have bathroom issues if I eat something that's hotter then what I usually do, I think the skin just gets used to it like ur mouth. No science for this, just a guess.

[@justachipofftheiceberg6313]

She handled that extremely well

[@Dean2427]

"you might experience the burning ring of fire" best quote ever.

[@bushibayushi]

Great, in-depth responses!

[@JacobThornton-vs5gq]

What i love and respect is that you can tell this man is peppers he is truly a expert of the true natural form

[@daniels-mo9ol]

8:51 none of these compound numbers add up to the SHU formula. We still don't know what a Scoville is.

[@RoyalMasterpiece]

Loved him on Hot Ones, too.

[@aerltot]

Real question. If only mammals have that capsaicin receptor, can birds and amphibious animals experience spice?? I need to know! 0:21

[@toneranger7813]

For years you've told/shown us the Pepper X was a mustard pod, but nearly all Pepper X sauces are red. Why is that?

[@PinkPanthful]

I had to be OC sprayed for my job training and his description of oleoresin on your skin brought back some bad memories.

[@juankruger2598]

What a happy dude.

[@Clowntvv]

i love this guy. I have learned so much watching him! gonna grow some peppers come spring

[@renukristin1976]

I Just LOVE chilli and youre persona!

[@angelovillasanta2606]

11:18 is a new sentence

[@lazybear5314]

Not gonna lie, this video made me hungry. Especially the part with the hot sauce.

[@f.b.jeffers0n]

I had a ghost pepper straight off the plant this year, and what a rush!

[@eblake3617]

I would love to see Ed just talk about his history and timeline of his breeding.

[@chapativsmcd]

Love you Ed Currie you are a genius..Congrats on the world record

[@PepperPeaches-n3h]

What a great guy. So interesting! I live in Mexico now and my bf here eats habaneros like candy. I'm still at jalapeno level. Lol. Mad props to Heather for eating that ghost pepper. Badass!

[@MikeTallon]

i'm literally watching this eating 2 chopped ghost peppers with my humus and veggie chips lol would love to try that pepper x

[@TrollAlert-xv6qg]

You don’t

[@dancegreen333]

That man really said "I wouldn't recommend anyone eating a whole [carolina reaper] pepper" right after making his colleague do it. DEAD.

[@Sir_Loin_Of_Beef]

That woman's a trooper

[@Matt-my7pz]

So well done

[@JumperTheGamer12]

I’m very very big fan of the peppers 🫑 🌶️, and I love this video!

[@aaronweaks8837]

Can't wait for Johnny Scoville to be able to eat one of these bad boys

[@196cupcake]

Heck yeah, Ed is cool.

[@stacyk.8112]

I read this as pRepper and thought it was going to be a while different q&a but I'm so glad I watched it. I have a new found love for peppers!

[@stefanburlacu335]

Wooweee Thank You For having this Guy do his Talk!

[@Jennifer_nice_girl]

Your videos are a testament to your artistic creativity

[@noob4head]

Okay, I was genuinely shocked when she ate the entire pepper in one go. I thought she was just going to take a small bite.

[@Nucleite]

When he describes what happens to your body when you eat a Carolina Reaper, it sounds like it feels like a panic attack.

[@shadowharu]

Very similar, and it can trigger one if you're susceptible to them. Ask me how I know.

[@shaunpeters7103]

Him and Paul Giamatti look like brothers. We need a movie!

[@pjforde1978]

Ed Currie is a true gem of a human being. I wish I could give him a big hug.

[@containedhurricane]

He really does know a lot about peppers and I bet his spice tolerance is extremely high

[@mythical_pizza]

He’s said in the past he sometimes eats 3 reapers a day

[@containedhurricane]

@@mythical_pizza Wow, I guess he would win any chili-eating contest. Maybe his TRPV1 receptors are already damaged because of years of eating reapers

[@tsumikiayato1560]

There's footage of him going through his garden and just... pluck reapers and snack on them like berries

[@containedhurricane]

@@tsumikiayato1560 Savage

[@Efreeti]

Ed's a recovering addict and I believe he's credited peppers with helping him get clean. As he describes it like a runner's high, it has replaced his need for a drug high. So, he might literally be addicted to the pepper high, chasing a higher and higher high, which led him to breed them. Dude's an inspiration for people getting clean.

[@Zicora]

This was amazingly well done.

[@jeffkopp6046]

Thanks to this video, I will never forget how to say TRVP1 receptors.

[@kidkazma5118]

Some people collect Pokemon cards, Ed Currie collects pepper seeds.

[@Bawa1.]

She handled that whole pepper better than I handle a handful of sweet tarts...

[@evanvavoulas4011]

5:43 what happens when you try to do this with a chilli plant and a pot plant?

[@KaedennYT]

A couple years ago, my then-girlfriend and I were making some food and a jalapeno slice fell on the floor. Her cat started sniffing it and decided to bite it. "Tesla, you don't want to do that." A couple seconds later, he jumped three feet in the air and vanished under the couch. He was fine.

[@smievil]

was eating salmon at mom's place some time ago, and her cat decided to steal a tomato... he tend to want oranges as well, other cat's usually don't seem to like that

[@vsznry]

I don't like the taste of vinegar in hot sauces. So I always watch-out for it.

[@DeeDubious]

13:18 Lmao

[@dankygnome5083]

This guy is a hero.

[@gauthi09]

I would like to hear more about the Apollo pepper, heat,taste and is it even real

[@ClassifiedRanTom]

Pepper X was just the prototype name, but someone told Ed “Yeah, good name.” As for the name for Pepper Y, might I suggest Pepper Why?

[@JonasKFriedChicken]

Guy busts out the binder of seeds like he’s collecting pokèmon cards

[@JohnJones-is8cu]

This guy has the perfect last name

[@keldonpremuda2494]

Thank you. Very interesting information.

[@Itsjustbeans_]

I’m a simple man, when I see pepper Ed, I click.

[@matthewmcalley392]

That was great Very informative I am very low down on the pepper journey so that was good👍

[@RochaRocks]

Hi Ed, when will Pepper X arrive in Brazil?

[@rilkeanheart]

i really learned a lot in this one!

[@braingasim]

Woohoo, Bella had a cameo!

[@mctooch]

anyone else freakin out at 3:19 when he using that sharp knife in the direction of his fingers