Matt Rife has made tremendous strides since first performing stand up at 15. Since then he has appeared on Wild n Out and TRL while also self-producing several comedy specials.
Social media giant, Justin Bieber has earned himself an enormous following; but critics have harshly criticized his Netflix special Natural Selection due to its misogynist and ableist content, prompting IU shows to be postponed due to backlash.
He is a stand-up comedian
Matt Rife, 28, quickly rose to fame after videos of his performances on TikTok went viral. Beginning his comedy career as a teenager and performing professionally ever since. Matt gained experience through MTV variety shows and guest spots before landing a Netflix special in 2023.
His popularity can be attributed to both his likability and physical beauty; in fact, it’s nearly impossible to find a profile about him that doesn’t mention this first. He exudes an “endearing charm” as well as having razor-sharp wit that attracts admiration.
His popularity has caused numerous conflicts, such as an incident where he used racial slurs. Furthermore, he has caused outrage with jokes regarding domestic violence and women’s bodies. Additionally, in February due to health reasons he had to postpone Indiana shows at the IU Auditorium; upon doing so he apologized profusely.
He is a rapper
TikTok videos of his comedy performances and audience interactions went viral, winning him over many female fans due to his good looks – however he soon lost them due to regressive jokes about women and domestic violence in his first Netflix special.
Rife kicked off his special with an anecdote about visiting a restaurant where the waitress had a black eye, which led him to refer to her as “ratchet,” sparking a heated discussion on whether comedy can still be considered enjoyable when insulting vulnerable groups of people.
Matt Rife is currently touring America on his ProbleMATTic World Tour and recently recorded his second stand-up special in Austin, Texas. Though his success has come quickly, Rife acknowledges it wasn’t easy getting there: years were spent couch surfing and bus hopping until finally finding himself financially secure enough to pursue comedy as a profession – thanks to inspiration from his grandfather!
He is a singer
Matt Rife can count his blessings these days. From couch surfing and bus hopping to selling out venues, the 28-year-old comedian has rapidly made waves in the comedy world. Additionally, he’s currently working on developing a workplace sitcom and has already committed two specials with Netflix.
He addressed the controversy surrounding his 2023 Netflix special Natural Selection, in which some found offensive jokes. He stood up for his right to offend while making fun of self-righteous woke scolds.
Rife hails from Ohio and began performing stand-up comedy during his early teens. Self-funding his debut one-hour special Only Fans in 2021 and 2023 respectively, followed by paranormal investigation channel Overnight on YouTube – not only performing but also hosting. Guest stars on Wild ‘n Out, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and brings the Funny.
He is a producer
Matt Rife had already established himself as an improv comedian when he decided to expand his audience by investing in new aesthetics. Starting in 2022, he started posting clips of his crowd work – parts of a standup routine in which the comic interacts with audience members in extended improvisational exchanges – on TikTok; these soon went viral.
Rife’s success on YouTube led him to sign a contract with Netflix for their production of his first special, Natural Selection, in November 2023. Additionally, he is working on developing a workplace sitcom.
However, his special caused controversy with an inappropriate domestic violence joke that offended many female fans and some even called it betrayal. Rife apologized profusely but some fans were still upset, forcing him to postpone two shows scheduled in Indiana later in 2019. Rife will return to Atlantic City as part of his Problemattic World Tour on August 23.