[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
2023, the year of the most terrible apologies EVER!
First, there was Colleen Ballinger‘s mind-boggling ukulele apology. Now TikTok sensation Matt Rife has raised the bar… and generally lowered standards for comedy across the board…
The stand-up comedian, who grew popular on the social platform, has been taking heat after opening his newly released Netflix special, Natural Selection, with a joke about domestic violence. In the show, which hit the streamer last Wednesday, the jokester recalls walking into a “ratchet” Baltimore restaurant with a friend and being greeted by “the hostess” who “had a black eye,” saying:
“A full black eye. It wasn’t like, ‘What happened?’ It was pretty obvious what happened.”
Related: Queer Eye Crew Was Instructed To ‘Not Talk About’ Bobby’s Exit?!
Alluding to domestic violence, the Wild ‘n Out alum continued:
“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.’”
Badum-psh? Blech.
People immediately called him out for the “disrespectful” and “offensive” quip. But he’s standing his ground — by issuing a fake ass apology!
On Monday, the performer — whom you probably know from his beef with Pete Davidson and their shared ex Kate Beckinsale, as opposed to any great piece of comedy writing — took to his Instagram Story with a message for his haters, saying alongside an image of him on stage:
“If you’ve ever been offended by a joke I’ve told – here’s a link to my official apology.”
The link, titled “tap to solve your issue,” didn’t go to a statement. Instead, it directed fans to purchase special needs helmets from Medicaleshop (see HERE). Disturbed by the “ableist” response, critics hit back at the 28-year-old’s inappropriate reaction, arguing on the ‘gram and X (Twitter):
“Matt Rife making a sexist/DV ‘joke’…then sending people to a website to special needs helmets as his ‘apology’. There’s a difference between an edgy joke and just being disrespectful and distasteful”
“f**k you @mattrife people with disabilities aren’t your punchline after making a misogynistic dv joke. be funny without being a gross human or you’re just not funny???”
“Not Matt Rife building his platform on catering to his female audience and then opening his Netflix special with a domestic violence joke”
“matt rife isn’t pushing the envelope yall….making fun of women and domestic violence is tacky and also unoriginal lmao.”
“‘Comedian’ Matt Rife was catapulted to fame mostly due to women but as soon as he gets a special he lets his true nature come to light. Starting off w/a joke abt domestic violence & adding in some ablest ‘jokes’ really tells you who he is. He is a walking red flag.”
Yeah, this is just not it. Reactions to Matt’s fake apology? Sound OFF (below)!
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. Consider calling the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233, or text START to 88788, or go to https://www.thehotline.org/.
[Image via Tonight Show/Netflix/YouTube]