Comedian Matt Rife Faces Backlash Over Joke About Domestic Violence in New Special
Comedian Matt Rife has come under fire for a controversial joke about domestic violence in his new comedy special, Natural Selection. The 28-year-old comedian took to Instagram to respond to the criticism, posting a link to an “official apology” that directed users to a website selling helmets for people with special needs.
The joke in question, which premiered on Netflix last week, revolved around a woman with a black eye who took Rife’s order in a Baltimore restaurant. “And my boy who I was with was like: ‘Yeah, I feel bad for her, man. I feel like they should put her in the kitchen or something where nobody has to see her face, ya know?'” Rife said during the special. “And I was like, ‘Yeah, but I feel like if she could cook, she wouldn’t have that black eye,” suggesting that the woman’s inability to cook led to her abuse.
Rife further added fuel to the fire by joking, “I figure we start the show with domestic violence, the rest of the show should be pretty smooth sailing after that.”
The comedian, who went viral on TikTok last year, is no stranger to controversy. Despite the backlash, Rife has seen success in his career, selling around 600,000 tickets to his ProbleMATTic World Tour in just 48 hours. He currently has tour dates booked in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Australia through October of 2024. Rife has also appeared on shows like Wild ‘n Out, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Fresh Off the Boat, and has released two other comedy specials this year, titled Matthew Steven Rife and Walking Red Flag.
Rife’s response to the backlash and the controversy surrounding his new special has sparked a heated debate on social media. Whether or not the comedian’s joke crossed the line is up for debate, but it’s clear that his brand of humor continues to push boundaries and provoke strong reactions from audiences.