He became popular on TikTok in 2022 and quickly amassed a following among women before Netflix offered him his first stand-up special, called Natural Selection, that opened with an offensive joke about domestic abuse.
Jokes that ensued were offensive and offensively demeaning of all types; quickly being passed along on social media by users.
What’s he like?
Matt Rife is an up-and-coming TikTok comedian with an enormous female following on TikTok and a new Netflix special to his credit. Unfortunately, as an extremely white guy with an air of privilege surrounding him, his immuneness to serious criticism or reflection becomes paramount – something Rife needs to work on himself in order to grow professionally and personally.
Rife’s humor mainly targets female audiences, though not exclusively so. His humorous approach takes an unconventional tack; his unique perspective on life shows in each routine he performs.
Misogynist men find Rife’s jokes about domestic violence especially humorous as a means of validating their extreme animus toward women and venting all that pent-up anger and aggression that has been holding them back from physically taking its course. That power gives misogynist men great pleasure; that power also explains why Rife remains popular with his female audience despite them sometimes finding him offensive.
He’s a nerd
Rife’s appearance and charm have elevated him to celebrity, yet his uninhibited humor has caused some serious issues for both himself and those close to him. Jokes about domestic violence often provoke outrage among both women and men alike.
This comedian first gained recognition through crowd interaction clips posted to TikTok that went viral, particularly those featuring him flirting with women in his audience – these segments gained such widespread acclaim that he dedicated an entire special to them!
He became so popular that Netflix offered him two specials to produce for them and is creating a workplace comedy series. Additionally, he’s touring America on his ProbleMATTic World Tour but unfortunately had to cancel some shows at IU Auditorium due to unanticipated scheduling conflicts; these ticket holders will be reimbursed. In June he’ll return back in Nashville at The Ryman for another leg of the tour.
He’s a comedian
Matt Rife rose to fame through TikTok and media attention; however, his true breakthrough came when Netflix offered him his own special. Netflix specials provide comedians with access to an enormous audience who might otherwise never have witnessed their work.
Unfortunately, it also puts more pressure on comedians to ensure their comedy is actually amusing. Natural Selection debuted in the top 10 on Netflix and earned 16 percent on Rotten Tomatoes; however, its jokes have come under criticism due to being both offensive and regressive even within its genre of bigotry and misogyny.
As such, his performances at Chicago Theatre from Thursday through Sunday and Tennessee’s Ryman Auditorium have been postponed until December or later and all ticket holders will be reimbursed accordingly.
He’s a jerk
Ohioan Kevin Hart started off his comedy career appearing on multiple MTV shows before his performances went viral on TikTok. His look and personality attracted female audiences which enabled him to sell out huge venues like Hollywood Bowl. Now he is working on developing a Netflix workplace comedy.
But his debut special, Natural Selection, has caused much consternation among audiences. On Rotten Tomatoes it only earned 1 percent and multiple user reactions were written that included such words as “unfunny” and “jerk”.
Rife’s jokes may rile up viewers, but it’s unclear whether they are actually funny. Unfortunately, he doesn’t seem aware of or care that his material doesn’t adhere to his core message – leading him astray, including an extended segment about children with intellectual disabilities and an explicitly homophobic joke that almost parodies Ralphie May.