Comedians Call On Sebastian Maniscalco And SiriusXM To Restore Lost Airplay And Royalties
Comedians are pushing back against Sebastian Maniscalco and SiriusXM after a channel rebrand sharply reduced airplay and residual royalties for hundreds of working-class performers. SiriusXM replaced its long-running Raw Comedy channel in April with Sebastian Maniscalco’s Comedy Radio, a 24/7 network headlined by the arena-filling comic. Advocacy group Stand Up for Stand Up reports that data from XMPlaylist shows the number of distinct comics receiving spins plummeted from 812 in April to 275 in September—a 66% drop—even as overall monthly play counts remained steady.
Comedians Detail The Financial Impact On Road Comics
Performers who depend on touring income say the loss of satellite radio royalty checks creates a severe financial pinch. Comedian Liz Miele posted an Instagram video explaining that the revamped channel heavily favors established stars and deceased icons such as Joan Rivers, Johnny Carson, Bob Hope, and Norm Macdonald rather than active road acts. Because of this action, hundreds of comedians will no longer be able to have these royalties,
Miele said, noting that working-class comics rely on the passive income to survive between tour dates.
Fellow comedian Greg Stone also addressed Maniscalco directly on Instagram, urging him to reconsider the programming shift. I’m going to assume you didn’t notice [the effects of the rebrand],
Stone said, asking listeners to call SiriusXM and demand the return of the Raw Dog brand. Additional comics, including Patton Oswalt, Michelle Wolf, Matt Ruby, and Matthew Broussard, have amplified the backlash across social media and newsletter platforms.
SiriusXM defends overhaul to improve listener experience
SiriusXM defended the network overhaul as part of an evolving strategy to deliver curated content to subscribers. SiriusXM works together with our creative partners to program the best possible experience for our listeners,
a company spokesperson stated, adding that the platform continues investing heavily in comedy offerings. Sources close to SiriusXM told Deadline that management viewed the change as necessary because the previous channel underperformed against listenership expectations, though public audience data has not been released.
How many comedians lost airplay on SiriusXM?
How many comedians lost airplay on the SiriusXM channel?
Data supplied by XMPlaylist to the advocacy group Stand Up for Stand Up indicates that the number of distinct comics receiving radio plays dropped from 812 in April to 275 in September.
What was the previous name of the SiriusXM comedy channel?
Before SiriusXM replaced it in April with Sebastian Maniscalco’s Comedy Radio, the satellite radio station operated under the long-running Raw Comedy and Raw Dog Comedy names.
Which comedians have spoken out against the channel changes?
Comedians Liz Miele, Greg Stone, Matt Ruby, Patton Oswalt, Michelle Wolf, and Matthew Broussard have publicly criticized the programming overhaul and its impact on working-class royalties.
The satellite radio provider launched Sebastian Maniscalco’s Comedy Radio in April, replacing a format that had supported hundreds of touring stand-ups with regular residual payments.
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