Matt Rife will take some time off his tour after suffering extreme exhaustion symptoms on the road, according to an email sent out to ticket holders for his IU Auditorium performances.
Natural Selection may have become a hit (it has remained in the top 10 for two weeks now) but has also generated quite a lot of debate and opposition from various individuals and groups.
What’s his story?
Matt Rife is an esteemed American actor and comedian best known for his appearances on MTV comedy show Wild ‘N Out. Additionally, Matt has self-produced several of his own comedy specials.
Ohio native Tyler Benham first made headlines after a clip of his crowd work from a stand-up routine went viral on TikTok in 2022. With a large female fan base supporting him instantly, and Netflix quickly offering his own comedy special called Natural Selection for release – success was quick to follow suit!
Rife has made headlines around the country thanks to his comedic mentors such as DL Hughley, Tommy Davidson, Dane Cook and Erik Griffin. Currently he’s a regular at Hollywood’s Laugh Factory as well as making history by becoming the youngest person ever featured on BET’s ComicView program and recently hosting his own podcast called Problem Math.
What’s his style?
Matt Rife is known for taking risks with his comedy. After gaining massive online popularity, the American comic was granted his own Netflix special called Natural Selection but its premiere wasn’t without controversy – Rife opened his act by making jokes about domestic violence which provoked strong responses from audience members and led directly into an angry booing by many in attendance.
Since then, Rife has gone on to produce multiple comedy specials on his own and tour America for his sold-out ProbleMATTic World Tour. Despite any controversies he may cause online and in real life, women seem particularly drawn to him. Even after losing out against Ali Siddiq and The Chris and Paul Show in Bring The Funny’s top 12, his latest special has become one of Netflix’s most-viewed ever!
What’s his message?
Rife rose to fame in 2022 after TikTok users shared videos of his “crowd work”, or portions of standup routines where the comedian engages audience members in long improv dialogues. These clips went viral quickly, earning Rife millions of views and cementing him as a TikTok superstar.
The 28-year-old comic admits being taken aback by his sudden success, noting it’s only been since recently he first set foot into this realm as an artist. While the sudden fame has brought many great things, there has also been some push back due to this sudden surge.
Rife’s health issues notwithstanding, he’s continuing to tour on his ProbleMATTic World Tour with two additional shows scheduled this month at Hollywood Bowl and one at Chicago Theatre (reportedly forced to cancel), ticket holders were promised rescheduled dates instead and in development for a Netflix workplace comedy series!
Where is he from?
Rife hails from North Lewisburg, Ohio, and has become one of the most in-demand comics on the comedy circuit. He has opened for acts like DL Hughley, Ralphie May and Tommy Davidson; as well as appearing in Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Fresh Off the Boat on television and hosting YouTube paranormal investigation show Overnight.
Matt Rife stands out from the competition with his ability to combine observational humor with personal anecdotes, garnering him wide appeal among audiences of all ages. Rife’s online presence includes sketches, behind-the-scenes content and engaging engagement with his fan base.
Rife boasts over 14 million followers on TikTok, having self-funded and released his one-hour comedy special Only Fans via YouTube in 2021. He is currently working on new projects with Netflix.