Comic Matt Rife has issued what seemed to be a mock apology to offended viewers of his closely criticized Netflix particular, directing them to an internet site promoting particular wants helmets.
The 28-year-old American comedian had been swiftly gaining reputation on-line forward of the Nov. 15 launch of his comedy particular Pure Choice. After it dropped on the streaming service, some viewers of Rife’s Netflix particular expressed outrage that the comic opened the present with a joke about home violence.
In entrance of a stay viewers, Rife recounted a visit to a “ratchet” (slang that means classless or dysfunctional) Baltimore restaurant the place he and a good friend have been greeted by a hostess with a black eye.
Rife mentioned he and his pal have been shocked by the girl’s look, however not for speculative causes on how she obtained the harm.
“It was pretty obvious what happened,” Rife mentioned in his particular. “We’re like, ‘This is the face of the company? This is who you have greeting people?’”
Though Rife said his friend “felt bad” for the woman, they both suggested she ought to be working in the kitchen “where no one has to see her face,” rather than as a front-of-house staff member.
“I feel like if she could cook, she wouldn’t have that black eye,” Rife joked, incomes laughter from the gang.
Rife then advised the viewers he was “just testing the waters” to see if the gang was going to be “fun or not.”
Many followers of Rife have lambasted the particular since its launch and have known as on the comic to apologize for the joke about home violence.
On Monday, Rife addressed his critics in an Instagram story. Alongside a photograph of himself in Pure Choice, Rife wrote, “If you’ve ever been offended by a joke I’ve told- here’s a link to my official apology.”
The hyperlink, labelled “Tap to solve your issue,” directed his followers to a well being web site promoting particular wants helmets — seemingly a callback to a raunchy Pure Choice joke a few former classmate with particular wants.
Rife’s mocking apology solely added gas to the flames and additional outraged his critics.
Matt Rife’s Instagram story. The hyperlink directed viewers to an internet site promoting particular wants helmets.
Instagram @mattrife
Rife, who has been working within the comedy scene for over a decade, solely just lately reached viral fame — and have become particularly fashionable amongst gen-Z girls on the social media app TikTok. He was shortly branded by some because the ‘hot comedian,’ given his standard attractiveness.
Rife, nevertheless, appeared to take some challenge with the labelling, and the hordes of younger girls who have been usually recorded heckling at his reveals.
Rife has talked about how his comedy profession was comparatively unsuccessful earlier than he reached what he’s known as a “second puberty” in recent times, and subsequently gained a fanbase consisting of many ladies.
Nonetheless, he has been adamant that his comedy just isn’t focused particularly to girls. In an interview with Selection, previous to the discharge of Pure Choice, Rife mentioned the audiences of his standup reveals are normally a “50/50” break up of women and men.
“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,” Rife mentioned. “I would argue this special is way more for guys.”
Rife additionally advised the outlet that he doesn’t “adhere to this whole sensitivity rumor in the comedy world that you can’t say anything anymore.”
“You can say whatever you want. Now, you have to prepare for repercussions. But at the end of the day, it all comes down to how do you sleep at night,” he mentioned.
Rife mentioned that for a comic, every little thing should be about “intent.”
“Everything that leaves my mouth on stage is purely with the intention of making people laugh,” he mentioned. “It’s never any deeper, never any more or never any less than that.”
Rife’s critics don’t appear to agree — and have loved poking enjoyable on the comic on-line because the launch of Pure Choice.
Matt Rife: Pure Choice is at the moment streaming on Netflix.
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