Sanders supporters eat hot peppers to feel the Bern

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 (UPI) — The Internet cooled off last year with the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Now, in the name of Sen. Bernie Sanders, many are heating up by chowing down on hot peppers and chugging Tabasco sauce.

The “Feel The Bern Challenge” asks Sanders supporters to make videos of themselves eating jalapeños, taking shots of hot sauce, or otherwise working up a sweat and then battle through the burn to explain why they support the Socialist senator from Vermont in his run for the Democratic nomination for president.

Feelthebernchallenge.com features several videos of Sanders supporters in burning agony, including “Paranormal Activity” director Oren Peli and digital consultant Scott Goodstein.

The Sanders campaign has embraced the bizarre viral sensation, adding links to the site on the campaign’s donation page and encouraging supporters to use the hashtag #BernChallenge.

The website for the social media campaign says it was inspired by the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, where participants had to film themselves being doused with ice water.