Matt Rife prompts backlash with joke in Netflix special. Is he performing in Tennessee?

This story mentions domestic violence. If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.

Comedian Matt Rife is sparking controversy online after leaning on domestic violence material in his latest Netflix special, "Natural Selection" which premiered on Nov. 15. The comedian, who will be appearing in Nashville in 2024, has responded to the backlash, however, he now faces a slew of new criticisms.

Here's what we know.

Who is Matt Rife?

Matt Rife is a comedian and actor from Ohio who has until now, enjoyed a mostly female fan base. He skyrocketed to fame in recent years thanks to TikTok where he is known for posting his stand-up routines that mainly consist of "crowd work," in which he speaks to and engages audience members.

Rife has also appeared on multiple episodes of MTV's "Wild 'N Out" as well as "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," “Burb Patrol” and “Fresh Off the Boat.” He’s released three comedy specials - "Only Fans," "Matthew Steven Rife," and most recently the Netflix Special "Natural Selection."

What was said during Matt Rife's comedy special?

Rife opened “Natural Selection,” in front of a Washington D.C. crowd talking about how much he loves the area and the state of Maryland, except for Baltimore.

He goes on to tell a story about being in what he described as a “ratchet” Baltimore restaurant with a friend and noticing their female hostess had a black eye.

"And we couldn’t get over the fact that we’re like, ‘This is the face of the company? This is who you have greeting people?’ And 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?'" he said. "And I was like, ‘Yeah, but I feel like if she could cook, she wouldn’t have that black eye.’”

Rife admitted to the crowd he was "testing the waters" to see if they would be "fun" or not.

“I figure if we start the show with domestic violence the rest of the show should be smooth sailing," he said.

More: Know the signs: How to be more aware of when a relationship can turn deadly

How did Matt Rife respond to the backlash?

“Natural Selection,” garnered so much attention following its debut that Rife went on his Instagram stories on Nov. 20 to issue what appeared to be an apology.

“If you’ve ever been offended by a joke I’ve told, here’s a link to my official apology,” he wrote alongside a link that said, “Tap to solve the issue.”

When tapped, the link took followers not to a video or an apology written in the Notes app, but to a health website where they could purchase special needs helmets. This prompted a wave of new criticisms and accusations of ableism.

Will Matt Rife be coming to Tennessee?

Yes, Rife is scheduled to appear at The Ryman in Nashville on June 6 -9 during his "ProbleMATTic World Tour." He will also be appearing in Knoxville at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium on Feb. 15 and the Orpheum Theatre in Memphis on Feb. 16.

'You're just not that f****** funny,': Response to Matt Rife online

Drew Afualo, a TikToker and social media influencer who has built a platform of responding to misogynistic men online, quickly responded to Rife's comments.

In a TikTok video posted Monday, Afualo broke down why she wasn't surprised by Rife's comments and why she believed the jokes weren't funny. She said white, heterosexual comics will often rely on misogyny during their stand up routines.

She was however surprised by Rife's upfront stance of trying to alienate his female audience and appeal more to his male audience.

In a recent interview with Variety, Rife discussed wanting to leave behind the idea that his content was aimed solely at women and a desire to cater more to his male fans.

"And 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," he told Variety. "I would argue this special is way more for guys."

Afualo explained she found the idea not just misogynistic but also not very business savvy since brands and studios love female demographics. She added that if women make up the majority of your following, success is inevitable as women are often the ones who deem what's popular.

"So if you want to appeal to exclusively misogynistic men who are mediocre and couldn't afford veneers, then maybe you're just not that f****** funny," she said.

In a follow up video, Afualo backed up her statements by providing the example of Travis Kelce's new found female following thanks to his involvement with Taylor Swift.

According to the Associated Press, jersey sales for the Kansas City Chiefs tight-end skyrocketed after Swift's trip to watch the Chiefs play against the Chicago Bears on Sept. 24. According to the report, Kelce's jersey saw nearly a 400% spike in sales.

In the video Afualo also responded to criticisms saying she simply needed to get over the joke.

"The irony of that entire situation is that it takes a great deal of intellect and wit and a unique perspective in order to write quality jokes," she said. "But it takes a single digit IQ to laugh at a joke where the punchline is you hitting women."

More: How Tennessee's legal system can support domestic violence victims — and let them down

Diana Leyva covers trending news and service for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Why Matt Rife's joke is sparking controversy ahead of Tennessee stops