Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco shares his perspective on artificial intelligence (AI), discussing its potential impact on stand-up comedy and his personal use of AI for email writing and home redesign.
Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco isn't entirely sure what to make of artificial intelligence (AI) in the entertainment industry. While he believes live entertainment will remain a mainstay, he acknowledges the potential for AI to make an impact.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Maniscalco expressed his uncertainty about the effects of AI on stand-up comedy. He said, "I don't know how it's going to affect stand-up comedy. I guess we haven't really seen that yet."
However, he has personally embraced AI in certain aspects of his life. He shared how his wife has utilized AI to visualize kitchen renovations and how he relies on AI for email grammar assistance.
"I've often taken what I want to say in an email and ask AI to write it with correct grammar and tense," Maniscalco explained. "So, it takes Rocky Balboa and makes me sound like I went to Yale."
He joked that while this practice may seem "inauthentic," it ensures clarity in his communication. "If I wrote it, you might go, 'What?' So, that's how I'm using AI in my daily life."
Maniscalco emphasized that AI translates his informal speech into grammatically correct text, something he attributes to the way he speaks and writes. "The way I speak is the way I write," he said. "And I've often used the phrase 'Would you would of,' and then like, 'Would you would of.' It's not even — it's so, so bad grammatically. … But you understand what I'm talking about. I made a living at it, so."
Despite his reliance on AI for email grammar, Maniscalco does not "edit" himself when writing jokes. He believes that comedians are more popular than ever because their performances offer unedited and real entertainment.
"I would be lying to you if I said, 'Oh, I don't know, is it worth doing that joke because it might cause a, b and c?'" he said. "There's a little of that, but I don't know. I've been all over the country, and I feel like the people who are coming to at least my shows are dying to laugh, whether it be appropriate, inappropriate. I mean, I hate to use the word 'inappropriate.'"
Maniscalco recognizes that a small portion of the population may object to certain comedic material, but he believes the majority seeks laughter and entertainment.
"But I'd say, for the most part, the majority are just looking for an outlet to laugh," he added. "And comedians are more popular than ever because I think that's the only real form of entertainment now that's going on that's really unedited and real."
As Maniscalco prepares to embark on his nationwide "It Ain't Right" stand-up tour, he continues to ponder the potential implications of AI. While he remains optimistic about the future of live entertainment, he recognizes the transformative power of AI in various aspects of modern life.
