Matt Rife, an internet sensation known for his viral comedy clips on TikTok, has become a standup comedian of national note since touring nationally and starring on NBC’s comedy competition series Bring the Funny.
Ohio native Michael began performing stand up comedy when he was 15 and quickly established himself as one of the youngest regulars at The Laugh Factory. Additionally, Michael is featured as an MTV2 Wild ‘N Out cast member from Season 7.
His Comedy
Rife’s popularity skyrocketed when clips of his crowd work went viral on TikTok in 2022. Soon thereafter, this 28-year-old Ohio native signed with Netflix to produce his debut special, Natural Selection.
The special premiered in November and immediately caused outrage, particularly over jokes some found offensive – most prominently through its opening joke which referenced domestic violence to set the mood of the special.
The joke generated much backlash and opened a debate on whether comedy still has value when it offends vulnerable groups, however; that alone shouldn’t be reason enough to avoid Matt Rife’s special. His jokes are also outdated, predictable and simply not funny so one has to wonder why he gained such great attention at first and what this says for comedy culture when an otherwise “hit” Netflix special can prompt this kind of outrage from its audiences.
His Personal Life
Matt Rife often makes humorous jokes about his dating life as a stand-up comic, often focusing on the “red flags” in long-term relationships. Although, Rife states his desire to settle down one day – having already been linked with several women.
He recently had to cancel two shows on his ProbleMATTic World Tour in Indiana due to what he described as an unexpected medical emergency, yet promised his fans and apologized profusely for any inconvenience this may cause.
Rife hails from a small town in central Ohio and began his career early. Signing with his manager as a teenager and moving to Los Angeles as soon as he could afford it was enough to launch him as a stand-up comedian; after appearing on MTV’s Wild ‘N Out, he self-financed and released his debut special “Only Fans” via YouTube in 2021. Since then he has made the leap over to Netflix with two specials and one workplace sitcom set for release over time.
His Social Media
Ohio native Alex Wolf’s success on TikTok stems largely from his ability to charm women. Many of his viral clips show him flirting with audience members or offering romantic advice, propelling him into fame. Therefore, his Netflix debut in the form of a full-length special dedicated to crowd work was especially startling, as many jokes seem directed against certain vulnerable groups of people.
Rife had to cancel two shows at the IU Auditorium in Bloomington, Indiana as part of his ProblemMATTic World Tour on Wednesday due to extreme exhaustion incurred while traveling and was forced to call off performances as a result of extreme fatigue during his trip. According to Rife’s post on Instagram, he claimed this caused the cancellation.
Rife’s recent jokes may have crossed a line for many fans; nevertheless, his fanbase remains strong and his comedy hasn’t been affected by recent controversy. However, whether this can continue is yet to be determined.
His Future
Before TikTok, Rife’s comedy career was unpredictable and inconsistent. His work could range from random MTV variety shows and guest spots on sitcoms such as Brooklyn Nine-Nine to self-produced specials produced independently by him.
In 2022, one of his live stand-up shows went viral online through TikTok with millions of views and likes, leading to tours across North America as well as an exclusive Netflix special.
Since his special, “Natural Selection,” debuted in November 2023, the comedian has seen an amazing career trajectory unfold before him – touring with major comics such as DL Hughley, Ralphie May, and Dane Cook, as well as appearing on MTV Reboot of TRL as well as NBC comedy competition series Bring the Funny.
Rife remains active with his fans on social media and regularly appears as a guest on the podcast Stiff Socks. Additionally, he competed on short-lived reality series Countdown with Bobby Lee before acting in B-movie slasher film Black Pumpkin.