Matt Rife made an insensitive joke about domestic violence during his 2023 Netflix special Natural Selection that caused outrage among audience members.
Ohio native Anthony Haines shot to prominence in 2022 after his clip of him doing crowd work went viral on TikTok. His style of comedy can best be described as insult comedy.
He is a comedian
Matt Rife is a 28-year-old Ohio standup comedian who rose to prominence through viral videos of his set and audience interaction on TikTok. Although he did gain some traction through MTV shows and reality competition Bring the Funny, TikTok became his key platform of fame.
His videos feature crowd work in which he interacts with members of the audience and makes jokes about them, as well as some edgier bits addressing gender issues and stereotypes.
His new Netflix special, Natural Selection, caused widespread anger among women online. Particularly offensive was its joke about domestic violence which was met with widespread criticism; yet Rife seemed unfazed by this backlash and even defended it on Tana Mongeau’s podcast Cancelled.
He is an actor
Matt Rife has become a popular standup comic through TikTok and television appearances on shows like Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Fresh off the Boat. His jawline and gorgeous blue eyes stand out, giving him an air of charm that has enabled him to rub shoulders with celebrities.
He has appeared numerous times on Jimmy Kimmel Live and performed at numerous comedy clubs around the country. Additionally, his own standup special was released through Netflix.
He has been linked with many notable women, such as Kate Beckinsale who is more than twice his age and whom he briefly dated but their relationship ended due to different personalities. Fans love his style of humor and want more performances like what will take place this weekend in Chicago and Tennessee at Ryman Auditorium.
He is a boxer
Matt Rife hails from Ohio and has built up quite a following for himself through TikTok with his quirky humor. His main target audience consists of women, and his humorous personality often leads them to laugh at themselves and their mistakes. A talented comic, Matt has performed alongside some notable comics such as Kate Beckinsale and Cameron Boyce.
Rife made headlines for his debut Netflix special, Natural Selection, when he joked about domestic violence during an encounter at a restaurant where one of their servers had a black eye; some viewers found this comment offensive or said he pandered to toxic masculinity.
Rife’s acting credits also include guest spots on Wild ‘N’ Out and Brooklyn Nine-Nine; additionally he maintains his own YouTube channel and website where he sells his merchandise.
He is a writer
Matt Rife, 28, has become an overnight sensation with crowd work clips on TikTok that quickly amassed him a large, female fanbase – only for his Netflix special to open with jokes about domestic violence and spark outrage among viewers. However, when his new special debuted last month on Netflix under its Natural Selection brand name and began with an inappropriate joke, controversy ensued.
He has responded to critics by dismissing them, defending free speech while simultaneously forgetting that comedy should not be reduced to bland platitudes.
TikTok may have catapulted Matt Rife to fame, yet its platform may have given the appearance that he is unprepared to deal with larger audiences and scrutiny. Rife’s lack of familiarity with political debates surrounding comedy as well as an effortless white guy imperviousness to calls for self-reflection has earned him the name “Sim-faced comedian.”