Comedians Criticize Sebastian Maniscalco's SiriusXM Channel for Reducing Airplay for Working Comics
Critics argue the shift from Raw Comedy to Sebastian Maniscalco's Comedy Radio has significantly decreased the number of unique comedians receiving royalties.
Sebastian Maniscalco is facing criticism from fellow comedians regarding his SiriusXM comedy channel, which they claim has reduced airtime for numerous working stand-up artists, impacting their royalty earnings.
In April, SiriusXM replaced its established Raw Comedy channel with Sebastian Maniscalco's Comedy Radio. The satellite-radio provider has described the new 24/7 channel as being "curated and headlined" by Maniscalco, a popular comedian known for filling arenas.
Comedians, including Liz Miele and Greg Stone, have publicly urged Maniscalco and SiriusXM to reconsider the change. They contend that the revamped channel disproportionately features more established performers, leading to a sharp decline in airplay for less prominent comics.
Data provided by XMPlaylist, as cited by Stand Up for Stand Up, an advocacy group for comedians, indicates a substantial drop in the number of distinct comedians receiving airplay. The figures show a decrease from 812 unique comics in April to 275 in September, representing a roughly 66% reduction, while the total monthly playtime has remained relatively consistent.
Miele expressed concern in an Instagram video, stating, "Raw went from playing 800 working class comedians to now playing less than 300 celebrity comedians like Joan Rivers, Johnny Carson, Bob Hope, Norm Macdonald." She added that the loss of airplay is particularly damaging for comedians who rely on these royalty checks to supplement their income while touring, calling the situation "devastating."
Greg Stone also addressed Maniscalco directly in a video, suggesting the comedian might not have been aware of the consequences of the programming shift. "I’m going to assume you didn’t notice [the effects of the rebrand]," Stone said, "Cause no Italian is going to take money out of the hardworking man’s pocket."
Stone encouraged listeners to contact SiriusXM to advocate for the return of the previous programming, referencing the former channel's branding as Raw Dog Comedy.
Other comedians, such as Patton Oswalt, Michelle Wolf, and Matthew Broussard, have also drawn attention to the issue.
SiriusXM defended the programming change, asserting it was part of a broader effort to evolve its content. A spokesperson for the company stated, "SiriusXM works together with our creative partners to program the best possible experience for our listeners. The launch of Sebastian Maniscalco’s Comedy Radio introduced a new creative direction and a regularly evolving programming mix for the channel, and SiriusXM continues to invest in comedians more than any other audio platform to deliver a wide range of comedy offerings across our channels."
Sources close to SiriusXM indicated to Deadline that the company viewed the rebranding as a necessary step, suggesting the previous channel was not meeting listener expectations. However, SiriusXM has not publicly released specific audience data for the channel.
The extent of Maniscalco's personal involvement in selecting the specific comedians and routines featured on the channel remains unclear.