What did Matt Rife say? Domestic violence joke controversy explained as comedian faces cancellation online

Comedian and actor Matt Rife has recently come under fire over a domestic violence joke in the newly released Netflix special Natural Selection. The 28-year-old, who went viral on TikTok during the pandemic, has experienced a meteoric rise in the stand-up comedy realm after he released two specials on YouTube that racked up nearly 30 million views.

While many consider Matt Rife talented, his staggering good looks as a young comedian have also aided his swift rise to fame due to his popularity with women on social media. Rife, who is aware of his appeal with women, has leaned into his desirability, churning out jokes with a carefully measured mix of self-pity and swagger.

In one of the bits documented in the self-produced YouTube special, Matt Rife jokes about how his good looks are a curse with women as they only serve as a detriment to his confidence and anxiety because, as he puts it:

“I can’t even hang myself because my jawline will cut the rope.”

While the joke landed well with viewers, consisting mostly of women, his recent comments on the Netflix special landed him in hot water as audiences found his domestic violence humor deeply offensive.

Rife begins the Netflix special Natural Selection by describing Maryland as equal parts beautiful and “ratchet” before diving straight into a joke about domestic violence.

Rife then segues into his time at a restaurant, where he encounters a hostess with a black eye that makes him and his friends uncomfortable. Rifer’s friend then wonders aloud why the hostess wasn’t moved to the kitchen so the patrons wouldn't have to feel uneasy:

“My boy was like I feel bad for her man. 'They should put her in the kitchen or something where nobody has to see her face, you know.'"

The comedian responds:

"And I was like, 'Yeah, but I feel like if she could cook, she wouldn’t have that black eye.'"

As the stunned audience laughed, Matt Rife went on to add he was testing the waters with the joke to see if they were going to be fun:

"If we start the show with domestic violence. The rest of the show should be pretty smooth sailing after that."

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Matt Rife's joke about domestic violence was not well-received among Netizens

Matt Rife is now being slammed by viewers over the Netflix special joke where he flippantly quipped about domestic violence. A social media user said:

“Matt Rife opens his special with a “if a woman could cook she wouldn’t have a black eye” joke. Really? This is your god?”

Meanwhile, other netizens likened the comedian to Dane Cook, who was canceled after he was accused of plagiarism and making jokes about the Colorado shooting.

Rife has also faced calls for cancellation as viewers accused him of peddling s*xist jokes despite his audience being mostly women. Throughout his special, Matt Rife does appear to pejoratively target women, leading viewers to slam his material as misogynistic.

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However, Matt Rife seems unfazed by the criticism since he appeared on the Stiff Socks Podcast earlier this where he relentlessly derided women. Defending himself against the controversy at the time, Rife told the New York Times:

“You’re mad at somebody that’s just trying to make you laugh? That’s such an insane concept to me."

While comedians often push boundaries to induce a laugh, there is a fine line between what is considered funny and offensive. Many comedians who smudge the line have found themselves in trouble for off-kilter jokes. Well-respected comedians such as Trevor Noah, Stephen Colbert, and Joan Rivers have been accused of taking a joke too far and ruffling a few feathers in the process.