Comedian Matt Rife addresses backlash for domestic abuse joke with thoughtful response

Comic Matt Rife addresses controversy over a domestic violence joke in his latest comedy special Natural Selection.

In response to criticism, Rife, 28, took to Instagram and posted a link to his “official apology.” The link led to a website selling helmets for people with special needs.

The joke from Natural Selection, which premiered on Netflix, sparked backlash for trivializing domestic violence. The bit involved a woman with a black eye taking his order at a Baltimore restaurant.

“During the special, Rife shared a controversial quip about the woman’s lack of cooking skills leading to her abuse, saying, ‘I feel like if she could cook, she wouldn’t have that black eye,'” sparking criticism.

Adding to the controversy, Rife later remarked, “I figure we start the show with domestic violence, the rest of the show should be pretty smooth sailing after that.”

Rife gained popularity on TikTok and sold 600,000 tickets to his ProbleMATTic World Tour within 48 hours. His tour dates extend through October of 2024 across the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Australia.

The comedian has previously appeared on popular shows like Wild ‘n Out, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Fresh Off the Boat. He’s also released two other specials this year, titled Matthew Steven Rife and Walking Red Flag.

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