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Matt Rife is a bona fide hit on Netflix and a bone of contention for comedy fans and comedians alike.
The 28-year-old comedian rocketed to viral fame during the pandemic—Rife has 18.2 million TikTok followers, another 6.4 million on Instagram, and a combined 40 million views for three specials released in the past year on YouTube. Netflix pounced, and Rife’s first special for the streaming giant has done boffo numbers, landing on the platform’s global Top 10 most-watched list for two consecutive weeks. Netflix reported an estimated 10.3 million views worldwide for Matt Rife: Natural Selection through Nov. 26.
But Rife’s also been the rage for incurring rage among comedy fans for opening his Netflix performance with a domestic violence joke. Whether Rife sincerely meant to mock a restaurant hostess for her black eye or if he merely wanted to prove something to his fans and critics by provoking outrage, his gambit hasn’t won over comedian and podcaster Marc Maron.