Matt Rife

Last updated

Matt Rife
Matt Rife, 2021.jpg
Rife in 2021
Birth nameMatthew Steven Rife
Born (1995-09-10) September 10, 1995 (age 29)
North Lewisburg, Ohio, U.S.
Medium
  • Stand-up
  • television
  • film
Years active2010–present
Genres
Subject(s)
Website Official website

Matthew Steven Rife [1] (born September 10, 1995) [2] is an American comedian and actor. From the village of North Lewisburg, Ohio, Rife is best known for his self-produced comedy specials Only Fans (2021), Matthew Steven Rife (2023) and Walking Red Flag (2023), his 2023 Netflix specials Natural Selection and Lucid, as well as his previous recurring role on the sketch improv comedy and rap show Wild 'n Out .

Contents

Early life

Matt Rife was born in the village of North Lewisburg, Ohio, [3] and grew up in North Lewisburg. [1] He also lived in New Albany and Mount Vernon. [4] Rife first took an interest in comedy at 14 years old, when a teacher said that there would be a talent show at his high school. After a friend encouraged him, he did the show—and started performing professionally a year later at 15. [2] He has four siblings: three older stepsisters and one younger half-sister. [5] His father, Michael Eric Gutzke, died by suicide when Rife was 17 months old. [6]

Career

In 2017, Matt Rife was a host on the short-lived reboot of TRL and appeared on MTV's The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars . [7] [8] In 2018 he played a role in the B-movie slasher film Black Pumpkin. [9] Rife is also a paranormal investigator featured on the YouTube channel "Overnight". [10] [11] [12] [13] He was further featured on the television series Bring the Funny in 2019, [14] where he advanced to the Semi-final Showcase but was eliminated in week 8, and the Netflix special Natural Selection.

Rife has self-produced comedy specials Only Fans (2021), Matthew Steven Rife (2023), and Walking Red Flag (2023). [14] He also had guest roles on the sketch comedy and improv game show series Wild 'n Out , as Brandon Bliss on the comedy television series Brooklyn Nine-Nine , and as Logan on the sitcom television series Fresh Off the Boat . [15] The New York Times described him in 2022 as "just another struggling road comedian" who then became more popular from TikTok over the following year. [16]

In December 2022, Rife signed with Creative Artists Agency (CAA). [17] In April 2023, he released a self-titled special Matthew Steven Rife on Valentine's Day. [18] He then released another special in June 2023 titled Walking Red Flag, focusing on crowd-work. Rife states that he created an entire special surrounding the topic of audience "red flags" to stop audiences from interrupting his future sets with the bit. [19]

On November 15, 2023, Rife released his Netflix standup special Natural Selection, which Vulture reviewed as "half uninspiring dick jokes ... and entirely underwhelming." [20] Cracked stated of the special that the main take aways were "There are lots of women that Rife doesn't care for. He's got it in for waitresses with black eyes (why can't they stay hidden in the kitchen?), hippie chicks, his religious ex, flight attendants who insist on enforcing the rules and the "heavier set." The only women he claims to like are the grandmas he wants to bang." [21]

The special attracted controversy due to a domestic violence joke at the beginning. In a statement in response to the controversy, Rife linked a fake apology note to a website that offered safety helmets for people with disabilities. [22] Rife attracted further controversy in December 2023 after posting a message to a six-year-old child that claimed his mother purchased gifts for him from the profits she earned on the website OnlyFans. [23] [24] He deleted the message after a public outcry against his comments. [23]

Influences

Rife has said his biggest influences in comedy are Dave Chappelle, Ricky Gervais, and Dane Cook. Rife performed at Dave Chappelle's 50th birthday show at Madison Square Garden and has called Chappelle a mentor. [25] [26] He has also said Adam Sandler, Jim Carrey, Jim Varney, David Spade, Pauly Shore, and Robin Williams are people he found influence from. [27]

Personal life

Rife currently resides in Rhode Island nearby to Burrillville. [28]

Rife mentioned in his comedy special Only Fans (2021) that he had clinical depression and an anxiety disorder. [29]

Rife identifies as a Christian but is not religious, [30] in an Instagram post saying that "I wear a Jesus cross around my neck for the same reason regular dudes wear NBA player basketball jerseys — I've never met the guy, but I tell people I can dunk like him at LA Fitness." [31]

Filmography

Film

Film credits
YearTitleRoleNotesRefs.
2015Room 236Matt / Premier Poker Club Orlando [32]
2017Sophomore YearJake Riker
2018Black PumpkinFlash [33] [34]
The DebtMattShort film
2019American TypecastRobber No. 2Short film [35]
2021After MasksWolfSegment: "Winners" [34]
The ElevatorMichael Juniper [36] [37]
Death LinkDarrin [38]
Just SwipeColin
2022North of the 10Matt Downes [39]
The Curse of Wolf Mountain James [40] [41]
2023Karma's a BitchKyle Post-production [42]
Candy Flip†NathanPost-production
Trapped InnConnorAlso executive producer; post-production [43] [44]
The Private EyeMort MadisonCompleted [45]
Don't SuckEthanCompleted [46] [47]
I Live Here NowTravispost-production
Key
†Denotes films that have not yet been released

Television

Television credits
YearTitleRoleNotesRefs.
2014Average JoeDanny3 episodes [34]
2015–2017 Wild 'n Out Self16 episodes [48]
2015–2016 Gamer's Guide to Pretty Much Everything Doyle O'Doyle2 episodes [49]
2016Wild 'N on TourMatt Rife10 episodes
2016WTH: Welcome to HowlerJesse7 episodes [50]
2017–2018 The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars Self8 episodes [51]
2019 Brooklyn Nine-Nine Brandon BlissEpisode: "The Tattler" [8]
Stalked by My Doctor: A Sleepwalker's NightmareLeoTelevision film [52]
Bring the Funny SelfEpisode: "The Open Mic 1" [53]
2020 Fresh Off the Boat LoganEpisode: "Mommy and Me" [8]
2021Burb PatrolAlex10 episodes [54]
2024 That '90s Show TravisEpisode: "Friends in low Places"

Stand-up

YearTitleNotesRef(s)
2020ATL Comedy Arts Fest, Volume 2Also writer [55] [56]
2021Matt Rife: Only FansAlso writer and executive producer; YouTube special [29] [14]
2023Matthew Steven RifeAlso writer and executive producer; YouTube special [57] [14]
Walking Red FlagAlso writer; YouTube special [58] [14]
Natural SelectionAlso writer and executive producer; Netflix special
2024Lucid: A crowd work special(Netflix special)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Chappelle</span> American comedian and actor (born 1973)

David Khari Webber Chappelle is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He starred in and co-created the satirical comedy sketch series Chappelle's Show (2003–2006) before quitting in the middle of production during the third season. After a hiatus, Chappelle returned to performing stand-up comedy across the U.S. By 2006, Chappelle was called the "comic genius of America" by Esquire and, in 2013, "the best" by a Billboard writer. In 2017, Rolling Stone ranked him No. 9 in their "50 Best Stand Up Comics of All Time".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wayne Brady</span> American TV host and actor (born 1972)

Wayne Alphonso Brady is an American comedian, actor, and singer. He is a regular cast member on the American version of the improvisational comedy television series Whose Line Is It Anyway? He was the host of the daytime talk show The Wayne Brady Show, the original host of Fox's Don't Forget the Lyrics!, and he has hosted Let's Make a Deal since its 2009 revival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Burr</span> American comedian (born 1968)

William Frederick Burr is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and podcaster. He has released multiple stand-up comedy specials, including You People Are All the Same (2012), I'm Sorry You Feel That Way (2014), Walk Your Way Out (2017), and Paper Tiger (2019).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keith Robinson (comedian)</span> American comedian

Keith Robinson is an American stand-up comedian and comic actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neal Brennan</span> American writer, comedian, and producer (born 1973)

Neal Brennan is an American comedian, writer, producer, director, and podcaster. He is best known for co-creating and co-writing the Comedy Central series Chappelle's Show (2003–2006) with Dave Chappelle and for his Netflix stand-up comedy special 3 Mics (2017).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Mulaney</span> American comedian and actor (born 1982)

John Edmund Mulaney is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Mulaney first rose to prominence for his work as a writer for the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 2008 to 2013, where he contributed to numerous sketches and characters, including Stefon, a recurring character that he and Bill Hader co-created. Since his departure from SNL, Mulaney has hosted it six times, becoming a member of the SNL Five Timers Club in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohammed Amer</span> Palestinian American comedian

Mohammed Mustafa Amer is a Palestinian American stand-up comedian. He is known for his Netflix comedy special Mo Amer: The Vagabond and as a member of the comedy trio Allah Made Me Funny. Amer also appeared in the Hulu sitcom Ramy for two seasons, where he played the character Mo, Ramy's cousin who owns a diner. Additionally, he starred in the film Black Adam and created and stars in the Netflix series Mo, which is loosely based on his experiences as a Palestinian refugee. The show was released in August 2022. Amer also hosted the 2023 season of Doha Debates' flagship series, filmed in Qatar's Education City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nazeem Hussain</span> Australian comedian

Nazeem Hussain is an Australian comedian, actor, television and radio presenter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theo Von</span> American comedian and podcaster (born 1980)

Theodor Capitani von KurnatowskiIII, known professionally as Theo Von or The Von, is an American stand-up comedian, podcaster, actor, influencer, and former reality television personality. He is the host of the This Past Weekend podcast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarah Cooper</span> Jamaican-American comedian and author (born 1977)

Sarah Anne Cooper is an American author and comedian based in New York City. She worked in design for Yahoo! and in user experience for Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides while also performing stand-up comedy. Cooper left Google to focus full-time on writing and comedy. Her first two books, 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings and Draw What Success Looks Like were published in 2016. Her third book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings, was published in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taylor Tomlinson</span> American stand-up comedian (born 1993)

Taylor Elyse Tomlinson is an American stand-up comedian, writer, and television host. She has released three Netflix stand-up specials: Quarter-Life Crisis (2020), Look At You (2022) and Have It All (2024). She is the host of the CBS late-night show After Midnight, which premiered on January 17, 2024.

<i>Sticks & Stones</i> (2019 film) Stand-up comedy show starring Dave Chappelle

Sticks & Stones is a 2019 American stand-up comedy television special starring comedian Dave Chappelle and directed by Stan Lathan. It was produced by Chappelle and Lathan and distributed by Netflix, the special is detailed as "a provocative perspective on the tidal wave of celebrity scandals, the opioid crisis, and more".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shane Gillis</span> American comedian and actor (born 1987)

Shane Michael Gillis is an American stand-up comedian, actor and podcaster known for his Netflix comedy specials and series Tires.

<i>8:46</i> (special) 2020 performance by Dave Chappelle

8:46 is a 2020 performance special by American comedian Dave Chappelle about violence against African Americans. The special was released via YouTube on June 12, 2020. The performance is not a traditional stand-up comedy special, as it was recorded at a private outdoor venue due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ohio and features long stretches without humor. Critical consensus was positive for the comedy and the social commentary.

<i>Sarah Cooper: Everythings Fine</i> American comedy special

Sarah Cooper: Everything's Fine is an American comedy special starring comedian Sarah Cooper with a series of sketch comedies featuring guest appearances from various celebrities. Netflix released the special on October 27, 2020. The special was created by Cooper, Maya Rudolph, and Natasha Lyonne, and was directed by Lyonne.

<i>The Closer</i> (2021 film) Stand-up comedy special by Dave Chappelle

The Closer is a 2021 American stand-up comedy special written and performed by Dave Chappelle for Netflix. It was directed by Stan Lathan and recorded over the course of seven sold-out performances at The Fillmore Detroit, which ran from August 10 to 15, 2021. The Closer is Chappelle's sixth and final special under his 2016 deal with Netflix, with the other five being Deep in the Heart of Texas, The Age of Spin, Equanimity, The Bird Revelation and Sticks & Stones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Tell Comedy</span> Live stand-up comedy company which creates pop-up comedy experiences across the U.S.

Don't Tell Comedy is a live stand-up comedy company that creates pop-up comedy shows in unique, non-traditional locations in over 200 cities worldwide. Founded in 2017, the company is based in Los Angeles, California.

<i>Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special</i> 2022 Netflix stand-up special

Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special is a stand-up comedy special featuring Norm Macdonald, consisting of 50 minutes of previously unreleased material recorded by Macdonald in June 2020, and a half-hour roundtable discussion featuring his friends and colleagues reflecting on his life and career. It was released on Netflix on May 30, 2022, eight months after Macdonald's death from acute leukemia.

This is a timeline documenting events and facts about English-speaking stand-up comedy in the year 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hannah Berner</span> American comedian (born 1991)

Hannah Lucy Berner is an American comedian.

References

  1. 1 2 Moorwood, Victoria (June 8, 2023). "Who is Matt Rife? Facts to know about the comedian and TikTok star from Central Northern Ohio area". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Matt Rife Q&A". September 10, 2018. Retrieved February 15, 2023– via YouTube.
  3. ↑ "Matt Rife". mn2s.com. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Central Northern Ohio native Matt Rife falls short of finale in NBC's 'Bring the Funny'". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Bertcast # 513 – Matt Rife & Me". April 14, 2022. Retrieved May 18, 2023– via YouTube.
  6. ↑ "Columbus Dispatch Obituaries (1985–2023) – Columbus, OH".
  7. ↑ Deville, Chris (October 5, 2017). "MTV's New TRL Is A Vapid, Obnoxious Mess". Stereogum. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 Vogel, Emily (June 8, 2021). "Join a Conversation on 'Cancel Culture in Comedy' with Maz Jobrani, Skye Townsend, Matt Rife and Suni Reyes" . Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Who is Matt Rife? Five things to know about the Columbus native and comedian". The Columbus Dispatch.
  10. ↑ Casiraghi-Brody, Chiara (December 22, 2017). "Matt Rife: The Funny One". Lapalme Magazine. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  11. ↑ Grobar, Matt (September 29, 2020). "'Lowkey Outside Comedy' Producers Matt Rife & Paul Elia On Bringing Live Stand-Up Back To Los Angeles: 'Comedy Will Find A Way'". Deadline. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Matt Rife Interview". Naluda Magazine. January 9, 2017. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Pop Culturalist Chats with Matt Rife". Pop-Culturalist.com. December 7, 2017. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 Walters, Grant (August 30, 2019). "Comedy Spotlight: Get to Know Matt Rife". Columbus Underground. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  15. ↑ Drury, Sharareh (November 14, 2023). "Matt Rife Talks New Special 'Natural Selection,' TikTok Fame, and Not Stressing About Offending Anyone". Variety. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  16. ↑ Kurutz, Steven (July 8, 2023). "Making Them Laugh, and Swoon". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved February 21, 2024.
  17. ↑ Chan, J. Clara (December 14, 2022). "Comedian Matt Rife Signs With CAA". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  18. ↑ McCobb, Jeff (February 15, 2023). "How TikTok Blew Up Comedian Matt Rife's Career And OnlyFans, His Hourlong Special". Cinemablend. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Matt Rife: Walking Red Flag". June 23, 2023. Retrieved June 26, 2023– via YouTube.
  20. ↑ VanArendonk, Kathryn (November 16, 2023). "Matt Rife Works a Crowd of His Own Making". Vulture.
  21. ↑ Solomon, Matt (November 15, 2023). "Matt Rife's Blinding Handsomeness Didn't Stop Me From Hating His New Special". Cracked.com.
  22. ↑ Sharf, Zack (November 21, 2023). "Matt Rife Ignites Backlash Over Domestic Violence Joke in Netflix Special and Mock 'Apology' That Links to Website for Special Needs Helmets".
  23. 1 2 "Comedian Matt Rife faces backlash for allegedly telling 6-year-old how his mother affords presents". Fox News. December 13, 2023.
  24. ↑ "Comedian Matt Rife under fire for alleged argument with 6-year-old – National | Globalnews.ca". globalnews.ca.
  25. ↑ Miller, Rosemarie. "Comedian Matt Rife Shares The Best Advice Dave Chappelle Has Given Him". Forbes .
  26. ↑ "He Steals the Show".
  27. ↑ "Laughing it up with the handsome Matt Rife". Bello. August 13, 2019. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  28. ↑ Khan, Melina. "Comedian Matt Rife buys home in Rhode Island. Why he decided to move to the state".
  29. 1 2 Matt Rife: Only Fans (FULL SPECIAL), December 17, 2021, retrieved June 3, 2023
  30. ↑ Omar, Shella. (November 29, 2023) "Beyond Comedy: Is Matt Rife a Christian? Explore his spiritual side!" Zlurr.
  31. ↑ Matt Rife. Instagram.
  32. ↑ Lezmi, Josh (March 6, 2019). "Who Is Matt Rife: Kate Beckinsale's Ex-Boyfriend?". Showbiz Cheat Sheet. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  33. ↑ Black Pumpkin (2018) | Full Movie | Ellie Patrikios | Matt Rife | Grayson Thorne Kilpatrick, February 3, 2023, retrieved June 3, 2023
  34. 1 2 3 "Black Pumpkin (Review)". Horror Society. October 28, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  35. ↑ American Typecast Cast Members List – FamousFix , retrieved June 3, 2023
  36. ↑ Bellamy, Nolan (November 29, 2021). "Celebrities Came out to Support 'The Elevator' Film Premiere Released by Amazon Starring Eric Roberts and Eugenia Kuzmina Directed & Produced by Award Winning Mukesh Modi". The Hollywood Digest. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  37. ↑ "The Elevator". Passion River Films. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  38. ↑ "Death Link – Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  39. ↑ "North of the 10 – Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  40. ↑ @mattrife (March 23, 2021). "Oh yeah, I'm in this too" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  41. ↑ "The Curse Of Wolf Mountain | Film Threat". May 23, 2023. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  42. ↑ McArthur, Amanda (March 16, 2023). "Actress Jaime Adler Talks Karma's a B**** and Her Big Plans for 2023". Sweety High. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  43. ↑ Matt Rife as Connor – Trapped Inn The Movie (2021), May 17, 2021, retrieved June 3, 2023
  44. ↑ "Trapped Inn". Sweden Film Awards. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  45. ↑ N'Duka, Amanda (November 30, 2020). "Matt Rife, Clare Grant Star In 'The Private Eye'; Gravitas Ventures Acquires 'The Friendliest Town'; Darius McCrary, Arclight Films Sets 3-Picture Deal – Film Briefs". Deadline. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  46. ↑ Don't Suck (2023) , retrieved June 3, 2023
  47. ↑ Don't Suck (2023) – Official Trailer, March 3, 2023, retrieved June 3, 2023
  48. ↑ Mulka, Angela (June 6, 2023). "Comedian Matt Rife to make 2 Michigan stops on his worldwide tour". Big Rapids Pioneer. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
  49. ↑ Gamer's Guide to Pretty Much Everything – Season 2 Episode 9 – Video Detective, October 1, 2016, retrieved June 3, 2023
  50. ↑ Welcome to Howler – ep 1, October 21, 2016, retrieved June 3, 2023
  51. ↑ Schumann, Rebecka (November 21, 2017). "Meet MTV's 'The Challenge: Champs Vs. Stars' Cast". International Business Times. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
  52. ↑ "Stalked by My Doctor: A Sleepwalker's Nightmare". TV Guide. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  53. ↑ Dilip, Mangala (August 30, 2019). "Matt Rife admits NBC's 'Bring the Funny' is the hardest thing he has ever done in his career so far". MEAWW.com. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  54. ↑ Burb Patrol | Season 1 Ep. 1: "The Dank Rank", March 22, 2021, retrieved June 3, 2023
  55. ↑ ATL Comedy Arts Fest – Volume 2, February 9, 2023, retrieved June 3, 2023
  56. ↑ "ATL Comedy Arts Fest, Vol 2 (2020)". Radio Times. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  57. ↑ Matt Rife: Matthew Steven Rife (2023) , retrieved June 3, 2023
  58. ↑ Matt Rife: Walking Red Flag (FULL SPECIAL) (2023) , retrieved June 26, 2023
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.