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Matt Rife has hit back at his apparent cancellation over a controversial joke he made about domestic violence.
The 28-year-old US comedian began his 2023 Netflix special, Natural Selection, with an anecdote about a waitress with a black eye, which provoked a major backlash in some quarters.
“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,’” Rife joked.
Rife responded to the criticism at the time with an Instagram Story aimed at those offended by the joke. “Tap to solve your issue,” read a URL link, which directed his followers to a website selling helmets for people with special needs.
In a new interview with the New Yorker, he addressed the controversy, explaining that comedy could be used as a way “to heal”.
“Whether it’s depression or a physical disability, not everyone wants to be seen as a victim,” he said, claiming that hundreds of victims of domestic violence had reached out to support him in the aftermath of his joke controversy.
“They also want to laugh at themselves,” he continued. “Sometimes people need to laugh to heal through the things that make them uncomfortable.”
The Wild N Out star also went on to reveal the advice that fellow comedian Dave Chapelle gave him following the backlash.
“Even when the world turned against me after the special, Chappelle was like, ‘Don’t f**kin’ give in. It doesn’t matter what you do,’ ” Rife said. “ ‘If you apologise, you still lost.’”
Ahead of the release of his Netflix special, Rife told Variety that Natural Selection was aimed at men, despite a widespread perception that his core audience were women.
“One thing I wanted to tackle in this special was showing people that, despite what you think about me online, I don’t pander my career to women,” he said. “I would argue [Natural Selection] is way more for guys.”
After the special was released on 15 November, several X/Twitter users called Rife out for the “misogynistic” joke about domestic abuse – especially considering his online fan base is predominantly comprised of women.
One user wrote: “The way women catapulted Matt Rife into popularity and the second he gets a comedy special on Netflix he immediately betrays them with a joke about domestic violence, crazy innit”.
The national domestic abuse helpline offers support for women on 0808 2000 247, or you can visit the Refuge website. There is a dedicated men’s advice line on 0808 8010 327. Those in the US can call the domestic violence hotline on 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org
