Domestic Violence Jokes: The Rise and Fall of TikTok Star Matt Rife

Matt Rife became one of the most popular comedians on TikTok almost overnight. He is followed by more than 18 million people on the platform and his videos reach thousands of viewers every day. However, when his Netflix special was released on November 10, his steep career came to an abrupt end.

Matt Rife is a 28-year-old American best known for his comedy sketches. He started his comedian career in 2014 and worked as an actor. In early 2022, he started posting clips of his performances on TikTok and went viral. Since then, his following has grown rapidly and he now has almost 25 million followers across all platforms.

But it wasn’t just his skits that helped him succeed, but also his good looks. Because of his blue eyes, toned body and angular jawline, Rife’s fan base consists largely of women. His good looks increasingly became the theme of his comedy. He often complained that he was “too hot” to be taken seriously as a comedian.

In most of his performances he also did so-called ‘crowdwork’. You do crowdwork when, as a comedian, you interact with the audience and spontaneously make jokes in response to their answers. Rife’s crowdwork often involved flirting with women in the audience.

But what helped him rise is now also his downfall. In his new Netflix special ‘Natural Selection’ (which got a whopping 17% on Rotten Tomatoes), the comedian made himself extremely unpopular, especially among women.

In the first ‘joke’ of his special, he made fun of domestic violence. He told me about a waitress who served him at a restaurant and had a black eye. He was angry that she was the “face” of the restaurant, saying, “If a waitress has a black eye, put her in the kitchen,” he continued, “Even if she had been in the kitchen from the beginning.” and could cook, she probably wouldn’t have a black eye at all.”

These statements caused a lot of excitement online. Dozens of creators were indignant about Rife on TikTok and resurfaced fragments in which it became clear that the comedian was already making critical statements. Videos of interviews emerged in which Rife said he didn’t actually want to make content for women and preferred a male fanbase. This wish has now come true.

The American responded to the shitstorm with a story in which he wrote: “If you’ve been offended by my jokes lately, click the link for my apology and a solution to your problem.” The link led to a website that sells helmets for people with disabilities.

After these actions, Matt Rife lost most of his good reputation online. Videos of people condemning him and wanting his tour canceled are piling up on TikTok. Some creators have also made it their mission to make fun of comedians themselves, but Rife suddenly sees no fun in it anymore.

A critical video that immediately went viral was uploaded by a plastic surgeon. In it, the surgeon wrote: “The moment when you give a celebrity the most beautiful jawline ever and then he is immediately canceled.”

Although Rife’s name was not mentioned in the video, many immediately made the connection with the comedian and he was linked thousands of times in the comments. He then commented on the post saying, “Lying about your medical procedures is illegal, just so you know.” The video has been viewed 30 million times so far.

But RFe didn’t just hire cosmetic surgeons, he also hired children. A mother filmed her son reacting to a video of the comedian. In the original clip, Rife joked about astrology, saying, “I’m so tired of women blaming their bad decisions on planets. Just because Jupiter has a ring and you don’t doesn’t mean you need him as a role model.”

The 7-year-old then replied, “Actually, Saturn has a ring and I don’t like you being mean to women.” The video also went viral and reached Rife as well. Then he said, “Jupiter also has rings. Furthermore, Santa Claus doesn’t really exist. Your mother buys you presents with the money she earns from OnlyFans.

A statement that made Matt Rife anything but popular.