Comedian Liz Miele recently experienced a significant decrease in her earnings, a situation shared by many others in the industry. SiriusXM made the decision to discontinue its Raw Comedy/Raw Dog channel, which showcased over 800 comedians, and introduced a new channel led by top comedian Sebastian Maniscalco.
This change has left Miele and numerous working-class comedians without a vital source of income and visibility, as well-known celebrity comics now dominate the channel. Miele mentioned that Sirius XM had been crucial for her financially, helping her and countless other comedians sustain themselves during tough times.
Despite promises from Maniscalco and SiriusXM about providing opportunities for comedians at various career stages, industry advocacy group Stand Up for Standup revealed contrasting data. Previously, Raw Comedy featured more than 800 comedians monthly, each earning $15 US in royalties per performance. However, the revamped channel only showcased 275 comedians last month, with the top 50 artists, including Chris Rock and Kevin Hart, receiving the majority of plays.
The shift has led to what Miele described as a concentration of wealth, with a small group of comedians earning substantially while others struggle. The absence of platforms like SiriusXM could hinder future generations of comedians from achieving success as some established talents did.
Canadian comedian Danish Anwar disclosed a significant decline in his royalties, impacting his colleagues who relied on the income to sustain their careers, especially those needing it for work visas in the U.S. High-profile comedians, such as Patton Oswalt, Michelle Wolf, and Marc Maron, have urged Maniscalco to support emerging comedians and ensure their place in the industry.
While Maniscalco clarified that he was not involved in discontinuing Raw Comedy, SiriusXM confirmed the decision was made due to the channel’s underperformance before his involvement. Maniscalco pledged to collaborate with SiriusXM to offer opportunities for a diverse range of comedians on his channel.
Toronto-born comedian Steph Tolev encouraged U.S. comedians to follow the example set during a similar situation with SiriusXM’s Canada Laughs channel, where public pressure led to a reversal of the decision. Anwar highlighted the need for unity in the comedy industry to address issues such as fair pay and treatment, emphasizing the challenging financial impact of the recent changes.