Highlights
- Matt Rife overcame the tragic loss of his father at a young age.
- Rife faced cancellation after making insensitive comments.
- Rife made inappropriate remarks towards a young boy and crossed boundaries with Zendaya on a TV show.
Matt Rife amassed a $30 million fortune through lucrative earnings from jobs he didn't particularly enjoy and the surge in popularity of his stand-up comedy routines on TikTok. However, Rife's scandalous dating history pales in comparison to the controversy stirred by his comedic jokes that offended numerous celebrities.
Despite the challenges of Rife's tragic past, he acknowledges his family's significant impact on his career, particularly their support during the initial stages of his stand-up comedy journey. However, Rife found himself embroiled in a cancelation scandal when his old tweets resurfaced. The situation garnered even more attention due to Rife's problematic and misogynistic comments made on his show.
What Happened to Matt Rife When He Was Young?
Matt Rife lost his biological father, Micheal Eric Gutzke, at an early age after committing self-harm. This early loss prompted a strong bond with his mother, April Rife. In an interview on Bertcast with Bert Kreischer, Rife opened up about his father's tragic demise, indicating a possible role of depression.
During the conversation, Rife recounted a distressing incident where his father, intoxicated, expressed thoughts of self-harm in the presence of his alcoholic grandfather. Instead of offering support, Rife's grandfather seemed to encourage him, uttering, "You won't do it."
Matt Rife's Details per Celebrity Net Worth | |
|---|---|
Full Name | Matthew Steven Rife |
Birthdate | September 10, 1995 |
Birthplace | Columbus, Ohio, US |
Place of Residence | Los Angeles, California |
Micheal Eric Gutzke | |
April Rife | |
Stepfather | Jason Sievers |
Siblings | Three older stepsisters and one younger half-sister |
In a November 2023 interview with Vogue Magazine, Rife mentioned:
"I don't talk about too much stuff too close to home. I've always been that way. Like, sometimes I'm so close to things I don't find them funny at all. Like when I talk about my upbringing and where I'm from and all that kind of stuff, people are so fascinated, and it's not funny at all to me."
Another influential figure in Rife's life was his late grandfather, Steve Rife, who served as a father figure. In a March 2023 interview with Numéro Magazine, Rife highlighted his grandpa's influence on his sense of humor, describing him as a "raunchy old man" with a great sense of humor.
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Rife's grandfather not only impacted his personal life but also played a crucial role in supporting his budding comedy career. During Rife's teenage years, performing at various clubs during open mic nights, his grandfather purchased all five required tickets to show his support. "In his eyes, I could do no wrong," Rife recalled on the 2 Bears, 1 Cave podcast.
How Did Matt Rife Get Canceled?
In his Netflix special, Natural Selection, Matt Rife starts with an anecdote about a visit to a Baltimore restaurant, discussing a hostess with a black eye. Rife's friend made an insensitive comment, leading to backlash online.
"... It was pretty obvious what happened. But we couldn't get over, 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.' And I was like, 'Yeah, but I feel like if she could cook, she wouldn't have that black eye.'"
Critics argued that Rife pandered to toxic masculinity instead of maintaining his female audience.Rife responded to the criticism through an Instagram story, posting a link to helmets for people with special needs with a message that said, "Tap to solve your issue." The controversy escalated as Rife's set included other moments of misogyny, like mocking women interested in the spiritual power of crystals.
Matt Rife's Work Salary:
- Total Request Live (TRL) Host - $15,000 Weekly
- PromleMATTic World Tour Ticket Gross - $30 to $57 Million
- David Cook Opening Act - $1 Million Monthly
- Instagram Sponsored Post - $10,000
- YouTube Revenue - $2.8 Million
The controversy reached its peak when Rife faced allegations of making inappropriate comments to a young boy. TikToker Bunny Hedaya's son criticized Rife's special on Instagram, highlighting factual errors and perceived unkindness towards girls.
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Rife allegedly replied to the boy's comments in a now-deleted comment. "Jupiter also has [a] ring. OH!… and Santa [Claus] isn't real. Your mom buys you presents with the money she makes on OnlyFans. Good luck." The incident stirred further backlash and raised concerns about the appropriateness of Rife's remarks towards a young child.
Matt Rife's Inappropriate Behavior Toward Zendaya Further Fueled His Cancelation
After facing backlash for the series of misogynist comments he made, Matt Rife's problematic attitude on Nick Cannon's show, Wild 'N Out. A resurfaced clip from his time on the show in 2015 has been circulating on the internet, which shows Rife going beyond the boundaries of comedic banter.
In the video, Rife participated in a common skit on the show, where comedian teams aim to make the opposing captain laugh, causing them to spit out water. Rife attempted to amuse their guest at the time, Zendaya, but it took an uncomfortable turn.
Matt Rife's Comedic Influences:
- Ricky Gervais
- Dave Chappelle
- Adam Sandler
- Robin Williams
- Jim Carrey
- David Spade
While trying to make Zendaya laugh, Rife remarked, "Look, you're mixed, I wanna be Black, let's make a lifestyle movie." When his initial attempt didn't elicit the desired reaction, Rife went further, grabbing Zendaya's face and saying, "Spit that water out, so I can get your number, please!"
Top 10 Highest-Paid Social Media Stars in 2023 per Forbes | ||
|---|---|---|
Name | Earnings | Total Followers |
1. Jimmy Donaldson (MrBeast) | $82 Million | 312 Million |
2. Olajide Olatunji (KSI) | $24 Million | 112 Million |
3. Jake Paul | $34 Million | 66 Million |
4. Rhett & Link | $35 Million | 51 Million |
5. Charli D’Amelio | $23 Million | 213 Million |
6. Logan Paul | $21 Million | 74 Million |
7. Elliot Tebele (F*ckJerry) | $30 Million | 17 Million |
8. Emma Chamberlain | $20 Million | 28 Million |
9. Matt Rife | $25 Million | 22 Million |
10. Brent Rivera | $17.5 Million | 96 Million |
The comedians on Zendaya's team immediately expressed their discomfort with Rife's actions. One comedian yelled, "Keep your hands off her, man!" while another exclaimed, "Don't be touching her like that!" In response, Rife insisted, "She can handle herself!"
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Amid the commotion, one comedian pointed out that Zendaya was "too young," to which another retorted that Rife was only 19. "So? He got acne and his fingernails dirty," Karlous Miller shouted.
- Celebrity
- Matt Rife
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