All Of The Moments That Damaged Matt Rife's Image

The following article contains mentions of sexual assault and domestic violence.

While most comedians try to avoid incurring the wrath of cancel culture, Matt Rife appears to go out of his way to court it. Ever since he started to make the leap from online concern to real world sensation in the early 2020s, the funnyman has continually found himself in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. And the Columbus, Ohio-born comedian often appears proud about the controversy he's caused.

"What am I gonna do? Get canceled?," Rife declared on stage at the Hollywood Bowl in 2024 after making jokes about transgender people (via Variety). "Cool, I'll do another Bowl show, awesome. You know that's not a real punishment ... nothing happens. Prison's a punishment." So how exactly has the stand-up built a reputation as one of this decade's most provocative comedians? From damaging past tweets and domestic violence jokes, to fake apologies and feuds with 6-year-olds, here's a look at his hall of shame.

Matt Rife's first public display of questionable behavior occurred on a 2015 episode of "Wild 'N Out," the improv show hosted by Nick Cannon which is essentially MTV's answer to "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" In this instance, one of the most successful Disney Channel graduates was the victim.

During a classic "Wild 'N Out" challenge that requires one person to fill their mouths with water and another to do their best to make them spit it out in laughter, future A-lister Zendaya was tasked with holding it in, with Rife attempting to break her. But the funnyman's line of attack only had the effect of inducing squirms. "Look, you're mixed, I want to be Black, let's make a Lifestyle movie," he told the "Euphoria" star, who politely smiled but never once threatened to break out into a giggle.

Things got even more uncomfortable when Rife clearly invaded Zendaya's public space, grabbing her face while demanding her to open her mouth so she could reel off her phone number. Even the comedian's own team members seemed taken aback by the gesture, with one remarking, "That was definitely a bomb, not only a bomb for the audience, but everybody on the cast was like: 'Woah, chill man.'" Unfortunately for Rife, the offending footage also resurfaced online eight years later amid his more high profile wave of controversy, with some suspecting Zendaya may be on the list of celebs who can't stand Matt Rife.

Shortly after overstepping his boundaries trying to make Zendaya spit with laughter, the oft-shady Matt Rife found himself in hot water. Clearly forgetting to cover his tracks once he became significantly more famous, in 2016, the comedian was called out for a series of past tweets which ranged from the insensitive to the downright offensive.

In one particularly disturbing tweet celebrating the 101 follower mark, he posted in part (via Complex), "Time to get my rep up! I'll be able to rape someone and get away with it." Among several other highly problematic terms, the "Your Mom's Gonna Love Me" author also used a homophobic slur on several occasions.

A panicked Rife belatedly decided to hit the delete button on the messages in question, but by this point, they were already blowing up on social media. Then, he seemed to make matters worse when he hit Snapchat to complain about the furore. "Matt Rife is what happens when you let people slide by on a really strong jawline," responded arts writer Louis Peitzman, a rather fitting comment considering how Rife next caused a stir.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

Matt Rife appeared to keep himself out of trouble, at least on a mainstream level anyway, over the next seven years. But he sure made up for it in 2023, starting with a TikTok for Men's Health in which he vainly declared his inherent beauty had acted as a barrier to his stand-up career. "People don't want to laugh at physically attractive people you don't want to walk on stage and people are looking at your arms rather than listening to your jokes," Rife boasted (via New York Post) before claiming that he had to work harder to win the apparently lustful crowd over.

Unsurprisingly, the comedian, whose mullet hairdo at the 2024 People's Choice Country Awards screamed Morgan Wallen wannabe, faced an almighty backlash for such conceited talk. But that didn't stop him from doubling down on all the self-love. Indeed, while appearing on "Today," Rife — who's fiercely shut down rumors he's had plastic surgery – claimed that all the criticism was cast iron proof of his struggle: "I would say it's harder because of the fact that this conversation is even happening but the fact that I said it and I'm doing Men's Health magazine, which seemed like the perfect context to talk about the shape you're in, I would say it definitely doesn't help."

Having built up a sizable following on social media and appearing in mainstream sitcoms "Fresh Off the Boat" and "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," Matt Rife was given the honor of his own Netflix special in 2023. And if you didn't know who the comedian was beforehand, you certainly did once "Natural Selection" debuted.

Rife sparked a major backlash with the set, particularly a "joke" that he unleashed within the first 5 minutes. Referring to the time he was served by a waiter sporting a black eye in a Baltimore restaurant, the star recalled (via CNN), "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?' And I was like, 'Yeah, but I feel like if she could cook, she wouldn't have that black eye.'"

Even among the fans who were no doubt anticipating some near-the-knuckle humor, there were gasps of amazement that Rife had resorted to such blatant misogyny. "I figure if we start the show with domestic violence the rest of the show should be smooth sailing," he added unrepentantly. And the star was equally remorseless once the special had aired.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

Matt Rife may have been raked over the coals for making a joke about domestic abuse. But as someone who's built his reputation on saying the unsayable, the comic was never going to offer any humble and sincere words of contrition. Instead, the motormouth appeared to deliberately rile up his detractors even further.

Rife responded to all the controversy from his 2023 "Natural Selection" Netflix special with an Instagram Story he captioned (via Page Six), "If you've ever been offended by a joke I've told — here's a link to my official apology." Anyone who clicked the link — titled "Tap to solve your issue" — was subsequently directed to a Medicaleshop page selling special needs headwear. Yes, not content with offending victims of domestic violence, the stand-up decided it would be oh-so-hilarious to make fun of those with a disability, too.

And Rife — who you may not know has a connection to Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis – still didn't appear to have learned his lesson several months on. In 2024, he took to the Hollywood Bowl stage where he interacted with a fan who was previously imprisoned for assault. Turning to the ex-con's date, he then remarked (via Variety), "Ma'am, are you okay," before adding, "Guys, I'm kidding. Domestic violence is not funny, ever, ever, on any comedy special ever."

You would think that having landed a Netflix special, sold out shows across America, and accrued over 17 million followers on TikTok that you'd be grateful to the fans responsible. Not Matt Rife. No, ahead of dropping the controversial "Natural Selection" on Netflix, the funnyman was at pains to argue that despite his predominantly female audience, he's very much a man's man.

"That's one thing that I wanted to tackle in this special was showing people that like despite what you think about me online, I don't pander my career to women," Rife told Variety before making a direct appeal to the opposite sex. "I would argue this special is way more for guys ... I think if people would just give it the chance without going into it and being like, 'Oh, only girls like him' or 'People only like his face.' If you give it an opportunity, I think you'd like it."

The comic made a similar point while appearing on the "BFFs" podcast later that year. Although he chivalrously expressed gratitude toward his previous demographic for helping to elevate him to the comedy world's A-list, he freely admitted he's now aiming to actively court the dudes who previously never gave him a moment's thought.

So it turns out even elementary schoolers aren't safe from the no-holds-barred approach favored by Matt Rife. Yes — suggesting that while the comic can dish it out, he certainly can't take it — the 20-something comic started an online beef with a 6-year-old boy!

The mismatched feud started when the child responded to a joke about the opposite sex's apparent reliance on astrology in his Netflix special, "Natural Selection." "Just because Jupiter has a ring, and you don't, doesn't mean that's what you're supposed to look up to for this magical advice," Rife asserted during the special (via Independent). In the 6-year-old's Instagram post, the boy took umbrage with Rife's assertion that Jupiter has a ring, clarifying that Jupiter's rings are much fainter, and Saturn was the planet he should have mentioned instead before criticizing the comic for his meanness to girls.

The seemingly thin-skinned Rife then responded to the shade with a since-deleted Instagram comment in which he insisted that Jupiter also has a ring and Father Christmas is a fake. He then added, "Your mom buys you presents with the money she makes on OnlyFans. Good luck." The child's mother Bunny Hedaya then revealed all in a TikTok video that was watched over nine million times, denouncing him for assuming any woman online is doing sex work, which she clarified she doesn't.

In 2023, several months after he appeared on the "Cancelled with Tana Mongeau" podcast, co-host Brooke Schofield revealed she previously dated Matt Rife. And it doesn't sound like he was exactly Boyfriend of the Year material.

Schofield revealed to her listeners she believed Rife was the true definition of a nice guy when they first started going out. But things started to go a little south when the comic started to get jealous about her male friends and insisted she shouldn't even glance at another man. Despite love bombing her whenever they were apart, the stand-up was strangely reluctant to spend time with her whenever the opportunity arose.

Rife later told Schofield that his crazy work schedule left him unable to focus on a relationship, and the pair appeared to go their separate ways amicably. But the podcast host was left perturbed when Rife pretty much pretended to now know her while guesting on "Cancelled with Tana Mongeau." Soon after, she discovered via TikTok that Rife had been seeing another lady at the time they were together. In fact, she later found out he'd been dating no fewer than seven! "For a man who doesn't have time, this man had the most time," she quipped (via Us Weekly).

Matt Rife may have continued to pull in the crowds for his own stand-up shows following his string of controversies. But a rare venture into the mainstream proved that the wider world hadn't bought into his provocative style. Indeed, in 2025, the comic and "RuPaul's Drag Race" alum Heidi N Closet played lawyers in a parody commercial for e.l.f. Cosmetics. Unfortunately, audiences didn't see the funny side.

In fact, the affordable brand was bombarded with complaints from viewers who took umbrage with their use of a man who'd previously and proudly joked about domestic violence. "This campaign aimed to humorously spotlight beauty injustice. We understand we missed the mark," a representative admitted on an official Instagram post (via Independent). But this apology wasn't enough for e.l.f. Cosmetics to pull the offending promo.

"Obviously we're very surprised," said Kory Marchisotto, the company's CMO, to The Business of Fashion about the backlash. "There is a big gap between our intention and how this missed the mark for some people ... We always aim to deliver positivity, and this one didn't. So we find ourselves in a position where, quite honestly, that doesn't feel good for us." Unsurprisingly, Rife hasn't been asked to appear in a major advertising campaign since.

After a year-long relationship that, to many outsiders, seemed slightly unexpected, provocative comic Matt Rife and Hollywood actor Kate Beckinsale decided to call it a day sometime in 2017 or 2018. And it didn't take long for the mudslinging to start. While discussing his ex-girlfriend's new romance with Pete Davidson in 2019, the stand-up advised his fellow comic to run.

"Enjoy it while you can," Rife told TMZ at the time in one of several passive-aggressive remarks. "I hope they're both happy, I hope that it can build to where it's an established, good relationship ...I don't really have any solid advice, just be careful." But while discussing his remarks in an interview with Elle several years later, the man not typically renowned for his remorse offered a sincere apology for stirring the pot.

"I gave the advice to be careful because I had just gotten out of a relationship with somebody that I unfortunately found out we weren't compatible," Rife reasoned. "And I always want people to, you know, protect their emotions and their personal feelings." The funnyman then said sorry to both Davidson and Beckinsale directly, adding, "I shouldn't have said that." The plot thickened again in 2025 when Rife parked romance rumors with the very same ex he'd once warned about.

Matt Rife didn't exactly endear himself to the female population when he guested on the charmingly titled podcast, "Stiff Socks," in 2023. As talk turned to the topic of female genitalia, the comic made it clear in no uncertain terms about his specific preferences. And unsurprisingly, he wasn't exactly chivalrous about it.

"Am I supposed to f*** you or thumb wrestle you?" he told hosts Michael Blaustein and Trevor Wallace (via HuffPost), followed by more "jokes" referring to a certain part of the female anatomy. Rife was subsequently called out for this crude display of body shaming by several listeners, including sex educator Zoya Ali, who told Metro, "Rife perpetuates the notion that women must conform to an impractical and unachievable beauty ideal to be considered appealing."

Then, Rife's former love interest also entered the conversation during an episode of her own podcast, "Cancelled with Tara Mongeau." Indeed, Brooke Schofield expressed her horror (via Glamour) at hearing his comments, which were made shortly after they'd been together. "Imagine how I felt, he literally just went on a podcast and was like, 'Yeah, I'm f***ing repulsed by this b***h.'"

In 2025, Sydney Sweeney appeared to become the internet's punching bag thanks to a series of promotional stunts that were deemed problematic. First, she caused controversy by apparently infusing water she'd bathed in into a range of special edition soaps. Then, she was accused of helping to promote the beliefs of eugenics with a denim campaign for American Eagles, which featured the tagline, "Sydney Sweeney has great genes."

Matt Rife — who's not exactly a stranger to rubbing people the wrong way — might not necessarily be the first person you would want to spring to your defense. But the stand-up did just that in a response to Sweeney's comments about the bathwater drama. It seems unlikely, however, that he made the situation any better.

"I keep seeing people mad at Sydney Sweeney for noooothing," Rife tweeted before attacking pretty much everyone who wasn't the "Anyone But You" actor. "She's learning that the internet is full of absolute garbage losers who will twist anything you say into a c***y misinterpretation. People are awful."

Matt Rife proved he's not averse to the odd diva tantrum in 2025 when he took to social media to blast Delta Airlines for apparently robbing him of the first-class experience. The "Natural Selection" star claimed that despite having splashed the cash on a ticket in the more exclusive part of the aircraft, he was forced to slum it in economy with the mere civilians instead.

"F*** you to pieces," Rife began his ranting tweet (via Mirror) which he tagged the offending firm in directly. "I hate your airline. A billion points on here — paid money for a first class ticket, just to lose my seat for a 'random aircraft reason'?? Goooo f*** yourself." The stand-up didn't exactly garner much sympathy from his followers, who saw the tantrum as a clear example of celebrity privilege. But he wasn't done there, later taking aim at the whole airport process, too: "I don't think there's been one time in the last seven years of me flying, that by the time I reach my gate I'm not pouring sweat from walking two miles, carrying 65lbs of luggage."

This wasn't the first time Rife had spoken out about an aspect of air travel. While appearing on the podcast, "BFFs," the funnyman put forward the disproved theory that passengers are only encouraged to place their heads between their knees in the likelihood of a crash to guarantee instant death.