Matt Rife, a Comedian and Actor From Columbus, Ohio
Matt Rife’s Netflix comedy special has made the top 10, but its rise to stardom has not been easy. Recent jokes made about domestic violence victims sparked considerable outrage and other jokes made about women with high cheekbones or Black friends who consult crystals caused further outrage.
Rife’s humor is both charming and intelligent. A regular performer at Hollywood’s The Laugh Factory, he tours with veteran comedians such as Dane Cook and Erik Griffin across the United States.
He is a comedian
Matt Rife dreamt of becoming a comedian since childhood. While growing up in a small Ohio town, he would watch comedians on Comedy Central, eventually attending one of Dane Cook’s shows live and being inspired to pursue his own comedic career.
Rife recently addressed his comedy by asserting that he’s unafraid to offend people and there’s no limit when it comes to humor; that it should always be offensive. Additionally, Rife noted that comedy itself should always be controversial and offensive.
Though he attempted to capture audiences through his Netflix special Natural Selection, he has failed to do so. Recently he canceled two performances at Indiana University (IU) as well as notifying ticket holders of postponements of shows in Chicago and Nashville due to potential medical reasons; since he has had health issues before (he was hospitalized for a brain tumor in 2017 before recovering).
He is a writer
Matt Rife hails from Columbus, Ohio and began performing stand-up comedy at age 15. After moving to Los Angeles at 21, Matt self-financed his first one-hour special titled Only Fans which premiered in 2021; followed by Matthew Steven Rife two years later and now Natural Selection which can be watched online via Netflix.
Natural Selection features Rife’s characteristic crowd work and dark humor, starting off with a joke about domestic violence before moving onto an uncomfortable segment about intellectually disabled children and an outright homophobic joke from the ’90s.
Rife’s wife, actress Kate Flannery, has been an invaluable ally throughout his career. She provides him with stability and support, while her experience within Hollywood has proven invaluable in helping him navigate its pitfalls. Additionally, Kate helps guide his work and improve it; currently they’re developing a workplace comedy for Netflix while signing two more specials contracts with them!
He is a producer
Matt Rife started his comedy career early, debuting on TikTok at 15 and becoming a regular at The Laugh Factory after graduation. Since then he has self-financed and produced one-hour specials while currently developing workplace sitcoms for Netflix.
Rife’s new special has caused considerable uproar, with critics decrying its jokes as unfunny and offensive. Rife has fallen victim to cancel culture but doesn’t understand its implications.
He recently announced his cancellation of two shows in Indiana due to an “unforeseen medical emergency,” as well as postponing those at Chicago Theatre and Ryman Auditorium for later in 2019. All ticket holders will be credited back their purchases of these rescheduled dates.
He is a singer
Matt Rife hails from Columbus, Ohio and has become an accomplished comedian and actor thanks to his natural ability and hard work in the entertainment industry. Additionally, Matt enjoys boxing as well as having an affinity for animals; playing guitar and singing are all skills he possesses as well as appearing in multiple movies and TV shows.
Rife first gained fame through TikTok and has become a full-time performer due to his popularity there. His success has enabled him to create a comfortable lifestyle for himself and his family, and is currently focused on expanding his stand-up comedy career while working on developing a workplace sitcom series for Netflix.
Due to illness, he recently postponed performances at both Chicago Theatre and Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. He reported being overcome with extreme exhaustion while travelling, nearly fainting on his way. Nonetheless, he pledged his return later in December or January. In addition, he has appeared as a guest on Wild ‘n Out.