Matt Rife has many fans. As one of the hottest comedians around today, his shows consistently sell-out.

He gained notoriety with TikTok videos that went viral, and eventually was even awarded his own Netflix special.

He’s a regular performer at The Laugh Factory and has shared the stage with notable comedians such as Ralphie May, Dane Cook and more.

About the Comedian

Matt Rife is an accomplished comedian who has left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry. Though his short career has presented many obstacles and stereotypes, Rife remains undeterred from pursuing his passions.

TikTok became his platform of choice after one of his stand-up gigs went viral and garnered over 40 million views and 5 million likes, catapulting him into pop culture consciousness.

So he began appearing in MTV variety shows and sitcoms like Brooklyn Nine-Nine as an occasional guest star or small role, self-producing his one-hour Netflix comedy special Natural Selection in response to backlash resulting from his regressive approach to comedy which many view as bullying, victim-blaming or offensive humor that seemingly targets vulnerable groups of people. But has his approach gone too far? Unfortunately so. Critics have accused him of bullying, victim blaming and offensive humor which directly targets vulnerable groups of people.

TikTok

TikTok comedy acts can rely on it for income, but that doesn’t guarantee their success. Zarna Garg of New York Comic fame gained financial independence through TikTok after amassing over 4 Million Followers through popularity gained on TikTok platform. She pursues comedy as full time career.

Washington’s national security concerns regarding TikTok has led to legislation providing TikTok and ByteDance nine months to sell or face US ban. TikTok has taken legal action against this legislation arguing that forced sales would involve moving millions of lines of software code and that Chinese restrictions make selling its algorithm impossible.

It also alleges that Congress’ attempt to regulate TikTok violates free speech rights by singling out this app for regulation. According to this argument, this action amounts to licensing broadcasters for their statements since both practices reduce personal speech. Finally, the lawsuit requests a ruling from a judge declaring the Biden administration law unconstitutional.

The Laugh Factory

Rife rose to fame through his flirtatious stage presence and large female fan base, touring alongside notable comedians as well as performing on multiple MTV variety shows as well as small featured roles on sitcoms such as Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Although his fame has skyrocketed, Rife has maintained his sense of humor. His debut Netflix special, Natural Selection, debuted within two weeks and quickly rose into the top 10. However, some critics deemed its opening joke pandering to toxic masculinity and said Rife was pandering to such ideas.

Sasha Ramos, an Indiana University junior participating in “Ladies’ Night Comedy”, expressed that Rife did the right thing by maintaining his sense of humor. She didn’t find his joke offensive because “if it makes you laugh, it’s funny”. Mizejewski, an IU fourth-year majoring in strategic communication noted how dark comedy can provide light relief without resorting to low-effort, unsatisfying punchlines – though comedians must understand their audience and know how best to execute jokes correctly.

Natural Selection

Rife’s comedy special Natural Selection includes him discussing his career and various issues. One of the more contentious jokes involved domestic violence. Though humor is subjective, some viewers have called out Rife for his comments.

TikTok was where this comedian first established himself and attracted much of his following, particularly among women who find him attractive. Speaking with Variety about his new special, he insisted it was more tailored toward male audiences rather than his female fans; seemingly disassociating himself from female audiences experiencing it at all.

Rife’s defensiveness manifests itself online through antagonism on social media, where Rife frequently attacks those who dislike his comedy. Either unaware or overconfident in his assertions that his critics are wrong, Rife seems unaware of the damage he’s doing and overconfident in defending himself against their criticisms. Furthermore, Rife appears unaware of the difficulty involved with being a stand-up comedian: holding an audience’s attention for long sets requires special skills and should not be undertaken lightly.