It's early afternoon in West Hollywood, Calif., and Sebastian Maniscalco is telling a story about how he recently performed in front of a tough crowd.
“One of my hardest audiences can be my children, Serafina, 7, and Caruso, 5,” he says with a chuckle. “It’s easy for me to make 20,000 people laugh during one of my shows, but when I’m reading a bedtime story to my kids, I sometimes struggle with the material.”
Fortunately for Maniscalco, who turns 51 on July 8, his most daunting critics are also his biggest fans.
“My kids think I’m entertaining and they’re quite funny themselves,” the comic admits. “My wife, Lana, has a very dry sense of humor, so laughter isn’t a foreign concept in our home.”
Photo by Peggy Sirota
A Comedy Star Is Born
Maniscalco was only 24 when he relocated from his native Illinois to Los Angeles to try his hand at stand-up comedy. It was 1998, and he juggled working as a waiter at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills with performances at open mics.
His unique brand of storytelling and physical comedy quickly made Maniscalco an audience favorite. His performances at iconic venues such as Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall in New York sold out, and this year, he embarks on his most ambitious tour to date.
In July, Maniscalco’s 47-city “It Ain’t Right” tour launches, including five appearances in Florida. He says the tour has a completely new look and that audiences can expect to hear all about wince-worthy prices, nonexistent manners and the social media circus.
“I’m continuing to perform my show in the round, but the stage and the way it’s set up is completely different than anything I’ve ever done,” he says. “I’m also doing a surprise entrance, I won’t be flying from the rafters, but it’s something I think audiences will find humorous.”
Known for his observational comedy, many of Maniscalco’s material is based on his own life experiences. In addition to his stand-up comedy tours, he’s starred in six comedy specials for networks including Netflix, Showtime and Comedy Central.
“I believe my comedy resonates with audiences because it’s relatable,” he says. “I joke about things we all deal with on a daily basis.”
Twenty years ago, when Maniscalco was single, he told stories about going on dates. Today, he speaks candidly about his experiences as a husband, father and son.
“With my parents getting older, our conversations are a lot different now than they were 30 years ago,” Maniscalco says. “These days, when they pick up the phone, I gotta hear about all their ailments.”
He’s also confident enough onstage
that he doesn’t shy away from joking about changes in his own life, such as aging and being an older father.
“Not that I’m old; I just turned 50 last year,” Maniscalco clarifies. “Yet at 50, you do start to see some rot on the car.”
Omar Dorsey (Ray) and Sebastian Maniscalco (Danny) in 'Bookie'. Photo Courtesy Of Max
The Year Of Sebastian
Maniscalco’s list of recent and upcoming projects is extensive, and he’s the first to admit he has a lot of irons in the fire.
Earlier this year, he began filming the second season of his Max television show, “Bookie.” The 30-minute sitcom features Maniscalco in the role of Danny, a veteran bookie who is juggling a mix of entertaining clients with the impending legalization of sports gambling.
“I love working on the TV show, although it’s very different from stand-up comedy,” he says. “With comedy you’re onstage and the crowd reacts to you in real time. With television, it’s completely silent and you don’t know if it’s funny until you see your performance or the director tells you.”
Maniscalco also co-hosts a weekly podcast, “The Pete and Sebastian Show,” with fellow comedian Pete Correale where the two engage in humorous and candid conversations that cover a wide range of topics.
“We’ve been doing this podcast for the last 10 years and it started because we loved talking on the phone and Pete always makes me laugh and vice versa,” Maniscalco says. “In the last six to eight months, we’ve expanded our show to include interviews with guests such as Jay Leno, Dane Cook and Whitney Cummings.”
In addition to his comedy tour and podcast, Maniscalco has also ventured into acting. Growing up in Arlington Heights, Ill., he admits he was a fan of television and movies but never envisioned himself onscreen. Today, he’s racked up an impressive list of credits in movies including “Spinning Gold,” “Somewhere in Queens,” “Green Book” and “The Irishman,” and he’s voiced the character Spike in “The Super Mario Brothers Movie.”
“My first love has always been stand-up comedy,” he admits. “Everything that’s happened outside of stand-up has been the result of my success as a comedian.”
Last year, Maniscalco co-wrote and starred in the movie “About My Father,” a comedy loosely based on his relationship with his own dad, Salvo. Robert De Niro portrayed Salvo in the film, an experience that Maniscalco describes as “surreal.”
“Growing up, I had posters of Robert De Niro on my walls, and years later I’m watching my father, an Italian immigrant hairdresser, teach Robert De Niro how to do a blowout on set,” Maniscalco says with a laugh. “It was unbelievable to have that experience with my father. I’m so proud of him and the movie is kind of like a love letter to him.”
Sebastian Maniscalco as himself and Robert De Niro as his father Salvo in 'About My Father'. Photo By Dan Anderson/Lionsgate
Finding A Work-Life Balance
Sebastian Maniscalco with his wife Lana and his children Seraphina and Caruso. Photo Courtesy Of the Collective You
When Maniscalco talks about his parents, his wife, Lana, and their two children, the pride and love for his family is obvious.
Lana, who grew up in Naples, Fla., is a multimedia artist and decorator who married Maniscalco in 2013. In addition to having her own successful business, she’s designed merchandise and materials for her husband’s comedy tour.
“Lana has an unbelievable eye when it comes to visuals, whether it be art, posters or websites,” Maniscalco says. “Having her design for my tour was just organic, since I always asked for her opinion. She’s a perfectionist, which helps when putting together promotional assets for a tour, TV show or movie.”
Since Lana’s parents still reside in Florida, Maniscalco says the family visits the state once or twice a year.
“In Florida, I feel like I’m in my own little cocoon,” he says. “I love the weather and the beaches and even as a child, I enjoyed spending time in Orlando and South Florida with my parents.”
Maniscalco says having quality time with his family is a priority and he works hard
to achieve a work-life balance. After a busy 2022, he took two years off from touring and when he returns to the stage this year, he and Lana plan to have their children accompany them for part of the comedy tour.
“My children are 7 and 5 now and it’s easier to travel with them since we don’t need to bring 300 pounds of equipment for 30 pounds of kids,” he says with a laugh. “We’re planning on taking them to more shows and they’re excited about seeing some of the cities we’ll be visiting on tour.”
When he’s not on the road performing, Maniscalco enjoys cooking, a pastime he shares with his wife and children.
“I’ve become extremely interested in cooking over the last 10 to 15 years,” he admits. “My wife likes baking and we both enjoy going to the grocery store and letting the kids pick out what they’re going to eat.”
Maniscalco has found that when his kids help to make meal decisions, they’re more invested in the experience.
“Instead of Lana and I just telling our kids that we’re making chicken and peas tonight, they’re a little more involved when we let them choose vegetables and other items,” he says. “My kids also participate in a lot of activities; I’m actually taking my daughter to gymnastics in the afternoon, so I feel a little bit like an Uber driver constantly driving back and forth.”
With a smile, Maniscalco admits, “I almost get as much pleasure cooking as I do from performing stand-up comedy.”