Sebastian Maniscalco Defends Himself Amid Siriusxm Comedy Controversy

WHO:

TMZ - Sebastian Maniscalco is a comedian involved in the controversy regarding SiriusXM's Raw Comedy channel.

Fox News - Comedians Patton Oswalt and Michelle Wolf are among those criticizing the changes made by SiriusXM.

WHAT:

TMZ - SiriusXM decided to replace its Raw Comedy channel, which has led to backlash from the comedy community.

Deadline - SiriusXM stated that the decision to end Raw Comedy was made prior to Maniscalco's involvement with the channel.

Fox News - Comedians are urging Maniscalco to reverse the rebranding of the SiriusXM channel, claiming it negatively impacts working-class comics.

WHERE:

Deadline - The controversy is centered around SiriusXM, a satellite radio service.

WHY:

Deadline - SiriusXM's decision to end Raw Comedy was described as a move to support the comedy community, according to a spokesperson.

HOW:

TMZ - Maniscalco addressed the backlash through Instagram Stories, stating he had "nothing to do" with the decision to end the channel.

(UPDATED October 8, 2026 02:17 UTC)

SiriusXM's decision to replace its Raw Comedy channel has sparked significant backlash from the comedy community, with comedians like Patton Oswalt and Michelle Wolf voicing their criticism. Sebastian Maniscalco, who was involved with the channel, has stated on Instagram that he had "nothing to do" with the decision, which SiriusXM claims was made to support the comedy community. Many comedians are now urging Maniscalco to reconsider the rebranding, arguing that it negatively affects working-class comics.