Matt Rife’s Controversial Netflix Special: Funny or Foul?
The Thin Line of Comedy
The Thin Line of Comedy
Welcome to this Netflix special and strap on your life jackets , or I dare say ‘helmets’— Matt Rife’s ‘Natural Selection’ dives headfirst into the kiddie pool with domestic violence them swims straight into the deep end— his way of testing the waters early in the show.
Can comedy go too far?
It’s a question as old as the art form itself, one that’s been thrown into stark relief by the recent antics of comedian Matt Rife in his Netflix special “Natural Selection,” which premiered on Nov. 15 2023. But when does edgy humor cross the line into outright insensitivity?
Rife’s special, which kicked off with a joke about domestic violence, immediately set the tone for controversy. The bit about a restaurant hostess with a black eye, coupled with his subsequent dismissal of the audience’s reaction as he admittingly was just testing the waters, certainly raised eyebrows as he said:
“I figured I would just start the show with domestic violence. The rest of the show should be pretty smooth sailing after that.”
(Video of the bit is near the end of the article)
In response to the intense backlash following his Netflix special, Matt Rife’s reaction was, frankly, a middle finger to his critics. Instead of showing any semblance of understanding or remorse, Rife doubled down on his controversial stance.
He posted an Instagram Story that was a mock apology at best. His post read:
“If you’ve ever been offended by a joke I’ve told, here’s a link to my official apology.”
But here’s the catch: the link he provided didn’t lead to an apology. Instead, it directed people to a website selling what he called “special needs helmets” for children and adults at medicaleshop.com. It was a mock apology that directed offended viewers to basically ‘fuck off.’
This not only sparked outrage but also questions about the responsibility comedians have towards sensitive topics, yet once again.
This move wasn’t just poking the bear; it was throwing gasoline on the fire. It showed a blatant disregard for the sentiments of his audience.
It wasn’t just about being unapologetic; it was about actively mocking those who took offense at his material, by trampling over yet another group of misfortunate people — a double punchline to those already knocked down by life. This action sparked a new wave of criticism and showed a side of Rife that many found distasteful and disrespectful.
Should comedians get an all access free pass to demean less fortunate groups of people under the guise of ‘comedy?’
Let’s imagine this instead: Matt Rife, the comedic prodigy, donning a ‘special needs helmet’ of his own, complete with a designer shiner. Is this the latest fashion in stand-up — protective gear for when your jokes hit back? Or maybe it’s a sneak peek at his new merch line, “Rife’s Regrets,” safety equipment for the comedy that’s too raw for those in the front row who get shitshow droppings from the stage itself.
Here’s Matt, mic in hand, about to drop another bomb of a joke that’s sure to knock himself out — figuratively speaking, of course. But don’t worry, he’s got his trusty pink helmet on, because why not add a layer of irony to the mix? It’s like he’s saying, “If my scapegoat comedy won’t protect me from my self inflicted punchlines, maybe this will.”
Is this an attempt at self-deprecation, or has the punchline literally become the punch?
Either way, Rife’s taking no chances. After all, in the tumultuous terrain of modern comedy, sometimes the only thing left to do is suit up and brace for impact.
Matt Rife’s ‘Natural Selection’ should’ve been called ‘Darwin’s Dumpster Fire.’ It’s like he aimed for the comedic gene pool and belly-flopped into the shallow end. His apology? A neon sign pointing to ‘Douchebagville,’ population: Rife. He didn’t just cross the line; he crashed and burned it at the starting line.
‘Natural Selection’ is the comedic equivalent of a drunk, blindfolded Funny Car driver careening down the dragstrip of bad taste — in reverse. His domestic violence bit isn’t just pushing the envelope; it’s blowing the tires at the burnout and crashing straight into the audience.
Rife’s next comedy special, “Darwin’s Dumpster Fire.” Here he could graduate from mocking the vulnerable to a full-blown satire on natural disasters. “Oh, you barely survived my punchline? Should’ve picked up a ‘Rife-Ready Helmet’ at the merch stand!”
Imagine a world where Rife’s brand of ‘humor’ is the gold standard. You’d actually need more than a helmet; you’d need a full-on hazmat suit to protect you from the toxic waste dump of his punchlines.
And that fake apology? That’s not just the cherry on top of an insult sundae; it’s the whole whipped cream can emptied onto the face of decency. It’s like he’s trying to play 5D offensive chess while everyone else is just playing checkers.
This isn’t comedy; it’s a cringe-fest wrapped in a train wreck. Rife’s jokes are so far past the boundary, they’re in a different time zone. They fell right off the edge of ‘flat earth’ and into the hands of cancel culture. The real ‘Natural Selection’ here is the audience selecting the ‘off’ button on their remotes.
We’re living in a world where being offensive is often mistaken for being funny. Rife’s antics are like playing Russian roulette with comedy — eventually, you’re just shooting yourself in the foot. And in this twisted game, the only thing getting laughed out of the room is his sense of decency.
In the end, Rife’s career may survive this — controversy sells, after all. But at what cost? If the future of comedy is a race to the bottom of the barrel, then maybe it’s time we start barreling down a different path. Because when the punchline of a joke is someone’s pain, maybe the real joke is on us for listening.
If you haven’t figured it out by now, this situation hits particularly close to home for me. Watching Rife’s special with my wife, who’s a huge fan, or was, our anticipation quickly soured.
However, we turned it off within 20 minutes, bored and unimpressed by his apparent pursuit of shock value over genuine comedy well written witty comedy. Within moments of the Netflix special, it was clear Rife’s material was missing the mark.
So, where does this leave Rife’s career? Criticism has been harsh, and his show’s dismal 15% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes reflects a disconnect between his humor and public taste.
But let’s be real: controversy sells. As they say, ‘bad news is good news’ when it inadvertently and freely advertises the controversy that encourages people to run toward and see for themselves.
And on that note, here’s the sad part. Brace yourselves for the spectacle where taste comes to die:
The backlash against Rife has inadvertently shone a brighter spotlight on his work. Does this mean his career is over? Unlikely. Comedy, after all, is subjective and often rebounds from controversy.
But here’s the crux: as a parent of special needs children, the ‘helmet’ response doesn’t just feel offensive; it’s personal.
Comedy, in its purest form, is a reflection of life, holding a mirror to society’s absurdities and injustices. But when it punches down at vulnerable groups, it loses its edge and becomes a blunt instrument of insensitivity.
Rife is young, and youth often comes with a side of recklessness and poor judgment. I remember those days — saying dumb things without the burden of a massive audience, or a camera to capture every sentence like in today’s capture culture.
But in the modern connected world, a microphone and a Netflix special amplify words far beyond a barroom joke among immature friends.
So, should we just shrug off Rife’s antics as ‘just a joke’? Hell no. We’re tiptoeing on a razor-thin line here between silencing comedians and making them answer for the weight of their words.
Sure, comedy is about pushing boundaries, shaking up the status quo, but, FFS, for Matt’s sake, it’s not about trampling over the dignity of those it targets.
There’s a stark difference between a sharp wit that challenges and a crass joke that dehumanizes. We’re not just talking about ruffling feathers; we’re talking about jokes that can widen the chasm between those with disabilities and those without.
And let’s talk about domestic violence — using it as fodder for a cheap laugh isn’t just in poor taste; it’s a pretentious slap in the face to survivors. It’s not just crossing a line; it’s sprinting miles past it. When your punchline leaves a more bitter taste than a chuckle, especially among those who are already struggling to have their voices heard, it’s time to take a long, hard look in the mirror.
For Rife, the clock’s now ticking.
Will he evolve from this shitshow or keep riding the shockwave? Only time, and maybe his next special, will tell. But let’s get real — hoping his ‘Natural Selection’ doesn’t mean selecting the lowest hanging fruit of comedy: mocking the vulnerable and playing the ‘too edgy to care’ card.
Maybe Rife’s next act should be called ‘Unnatural Selection,’ where the punchline isn’t a bruised hostess or a ‘sorry not sorry’ helmet link, but an actual fucking apology.
In the meantime, let’s cross our fingers that comedy as a whole doesn’t follow Rife’s ‘survival of the unfittest’ approach. It’s high time we bring back humor that doesn’t need a safety helmet to be enjoyed. The kind of comedy that split sides, not communities.
Is the laughter you’re provoking worth the pain you’re causing? If your humor is built on the backs of those who can’t fight back, then maybe, just maybe, the joke’s on you. Because when the laughter comes at the cost of someone’s dignity, maybe the only natural selection we need is choosing better comedians.
As Rife dons his own metaphorical pink helmet, one can’t help but wonder if it’s padded enough to soften the impact of his plummeting reputation. The metaphorical bruised eye, a painful badge of his comedic misfires, begs the question:
Is he the butt of the universe’s joke now? With his microphone poised, Rife’s next words might just determine whether he rebounds or spirals further into the abyss of notorious comedic history.
Let’s hope this gear gives him the safety net he needs because, at this point, his special ‘Natural Selection’ seems to be choosing him for extinction.
For Rife, only time will tell if he learns from this backlash or continues down a path of controversial shock comedy. For now, let’s hope comedy can find its way back to being funny without being cruel, thought-provoking without being offensive, and reflective without being degrading.
Because at the end of the day, the best comedy is that which unites us in laughter, not divides us in disdain.