The 28-year-old issued what he called his "official apology" in response to criticism about domestic violence jokes in his comedy special.
However, Rife's Natural Selection has drawn criticism since it was published. His response to the controversy, which some have deemed problematic, and several jokes he makes in the hour-long comedy special that make light of domestic abuse and violence are the main causes of the uproar.
Take a look at Rife's ascent to prominence and the comments that have caused him controversy.
Who is Matt Rife?
In the click-heavy world of social media, Rife shot to fame. He has 6.4 million Instagram followers and 18.2 million TikTok followers. In the past, he used his fame to finance self-produced comedy specials. While Matthew Steven Rife and Walking Red Flag had already appeared on the free video streaming platform earlier in the year, Matt Rife: Only Fans made its YouTube debut in December 2021. Additionally, he has appeared on multiple episodes of MTV's Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Wild 'n Out.
After launching his self-produced specials, Rife had been doing comedy for more than ten years, so his rise to success on Netflix was undoubtedly a victory for the comedian.
"I had to release them independently, which was incredibly gratifying in and of itself. I had an exponential increase in my fan base," Rife said earlier this month to Variety. "I was incredibly appreciative of how well received it was. However, to have someone say to you, "Hey, we like what you're doing," that you're doing something different. We appreciate the work you've done on yourself. You are cordially invited to collaborate with us. It has a warm feeling. It feels inviting," he continued, noting that “You work your entire career to feel accepted by a network standard."
The divisive humour found in Natural Selection
In the opening scene of Natural Selection, which was filmed at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., Rife talks about going to Baltimore, Md. with a friend to a "ratchet" restaurant where they met a hostess who had a black eye on her face.
"I have only visited Baltimore once. The hostess who sat you down at the restaurant had a black eye when I went there for lunch. A whole black eye, Rife informed the assembly. The question was not, 'What happened?' The events were rather clear. We were unable to accept that this was the company's public face. Is this the person who greets people for you?"
"Yeah, I feel bad for her, man," exclaimed the boy he was with as he carried on with the joke. I think they ought to put her in the kitchen or somewhere else where no one has to see her face. A few people in the audience laughed as Rife remarked, "Yeah, but I feel like if she could cook, she wouldn't have that black eye."
"We're testing the waters, figuring out if this will be enjoyable or not," Rife went on. "I think we start the show with domestic violence, and it should be fairly easy sailing from there."
In response, Rife's willingness to make jokes about domestic violence, particularly against women, drew criticism from a number of users on X (formerly Twitter).
Even though the majority of his TikTok viewers are female, Rife acknowledged in the same Variety interview that, although he hopes all viewers enjoy the special, Natural Selection may be more popular with men.
"One of the biggest misconceptions of things I get ridiculed online for is people are like, 'Oh, he only has a female fan base,'" he stated to Variety. "Yes, initially, as I did become very popular on the predominantly female TikTok platform. I understand that viewpoint, then. This special, he continued, "is way more for guys." I intended to give everyone something truly unique. I take great satisfaction in creating humour that appeals to all. Not for a particular group of people."
Rife's response to the criticism
Rife released a statement in an Instagram Story on Monday that only heightened the outcry among viewers, even though he didn't directly address the controversy that has arisen in relation to his jokes about domestic abuse.
"Here's a link to my official apology if any of my jokes have offended you," he wrote. The text on the link said, "Tap to solve your issue." It took viewers to the medical website Medicale Shop, which specifically linked to a place where they could buy helmets for individuals with special needs, rather than an apology.
Rife commented once more on Instagram a few hours later, writing, "We on the naughty list," along with a winky-smile emoji. There was a fresh link with the title "This one's real this time." It did, however, send fans to his YouTube page, where a humorous video titled "Bad Santa" was available. In the video, Rife performed stand-up and joked around with the audience, making fun of a couple who were amused by the jokes.
Rife has not commented further on the jokes in his special or his responses to the criticism outside of his Instagram posts. Representatives for Rife and Netflix were contacted by Yahoo Entertainment for comments, but as of the time of publication, no responses had been received.
Netflix is presently offering Matt Rife: Natural Selection for streaming.