Matt Rife

Matthew Steven Rife (born: ), better known online as Matt Rife is an American comedian and actor.
==History==
===Early Life===
Matt Rife was born in Columbus, Ohio, https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/talent-roster/matt-rife/ and grew up in North Lewisburg. https://www.dispatch.com/story/entertainment/comedy/2023/06/08/who-is-matt-rife-tiktok-world-tour-columbus-ohio/70304199007/ He also lived in New Albany and Mount Vernon. https://www.dispatch.com/story/entertainment/local/2019/09/11/television-central-ohio-native-matt/3141297007/ 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. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Rife#cite_note-5 He has four siblings: three older stepsisters and one younger half-sister. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzTg8imNTH4 His father, Michael Eric Gutzke, died by suicide when Rife was 17 months old. https://www.obitsarchive.com/obituaries/usa/ohio/columbus/columbus-dispatch?lname=Gutzke&fname=Michael&formDate=1997&kwinc=&sort=dsc 
===Career===
Matt Rife has self-produced comedy specials Only Fans (2021), Matthew Steven Rife (2023), and Walking Red Flag (2023). He was further featured on the television series Bring the Funny in 2019, https://columbusunderground.com/comedy-spotlight-get-to-know-matt-rife-gw1/ where he advanced to the Semi-Final Showcase but was eliminated in week 8, and the Netflix special Natural Selection. 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. 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. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/08/style/matt-rife-tiktok-comedian.html 
In December 2022, Rife signed with Creative Artists Agency (CAA). https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/matt-rife-caa-1235282164/ In April 2023, he released a self-titled special Matthew Steven Rife on Valentine's Day. https://www.cinemablend.com/interviews/how-tiktok-blew-up-comedian-matt-rifes-career-and-onlyfans-his-hourlong-special 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" in order to stop audiences from interrupting his future sets with the bit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HkmMXprPwI&t=3s
==Personal Life==
Rife currently resides in Los Angeles, California. https://hauteliving.com/2019/08/matt-rife/673243/ Rife briefly dated English actress Kate Beckinsale in 2017 and 2018. https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/kate-beckinsale-and-matt-rife-are-hanging-out-again/https://people.com/movies/back-on-kate-beckinsale-45-steps-out-with-former-flame-matt-rife-23-at-comedy-show/ Rife mentioned in his comedy special Only Fans (2021) that he had clinical depression and an anxiety disorder. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzgFwZEAHZQ
==Controversies==
===Domestic Violence Joke===
On November 15, 2023 Rife released his Netflix standup special Natural Selection, which Vulture reviewed as "half uninspiring dick jokes ... and entirely underwhelming." https://www.vulture.com/article/matt-rife-natural-selection-netflix-comedy-review.html 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." https://www.cracked.com/article_40216_matt-rifes-blinding-handsomeness-didnt-stop-me-from-hating-his-new-special.html 
The special attracted controversy after it began with making a domestic violence joke. 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. https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/matt-rife-backlash-domestic-violence-joke-fake-apology-1235803818/ 
===Feud with 6 Year Old===
In December 2023 Rife posted 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. https://globalnews.ca/news/10162156/comedian-matt-rife-argument-6-year-old-instagram/ He deleted the message after a public outcry against his comments. https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/comedian-matt-rife-faces-backlash-for-allegedly-telling-6-year-old-how-his-mother-affords-presents
==Filmography==
===Film===
*Room 236 (2015)
*Sophomore Year (2017)
*Black Pumpkin (2018)
*The Debt (2018)
*American Typecast (2019)
*After Masks (2021)
*The Elevator (2021)
*Death Link (2021)
*Just Swipe (2021)
*North of the 10 (2022)
*Wolf Mountain (2022)
*Karma's a Bitch (2023)
*Candy Flip (2023)
*Trapped Inn (2023)
*The Private Eye (2023)
*Don't Suck (2023)
===Television===
*Average Joe (2014)
*Wild 'N Out (2015-2017)
*Gamer's Guide to Pretty Much Everything (2015-2016)
*Wild 'N on Tour (2016)
*WTH: Welcome to Howler (2016)
* The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars (2017-2018)
*Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2019)
*Stalked by My Doctor: A Sleepwalker's Nightmare (2019)
*Bring the Funny (2019)
*Fresh Off the Boat (2020)
*Burb Patrol (2021)
===Stand Up===
*ATL Comedy Arts Fest, Volume 2 (2020)
*Matt Rife: Only Fans (2021)
*Matthew Steven Rife (2023)
*Walking Red Flag (2023)
*Natural Selection (2023)
==References==
Category:Comedy YouTubers
Category:Film YouTubers
Category:One million subscribers
Category:Two million subscribers
Category:American YouTubers
Category:Users who joined in 2011