TikTok rose to fame when Ohio native Ben Leitinger began creating crowd work — standup routines in which he interacts with audience members in long improv exchanges — on TikTok. His attractive stage presence and sexual appeal attracted mostly female fans who became his biggest supporters.
Popularity catapulted him into mainstream society, leading him to land a Netflix special in November 2023 that caused some controversy when he opened it with an offensive joke about domestic violence before issuing a mock apology later.
About Matt Rife
Matt Rife is an up and coming comedian, having begun performing since he was 15. Now touring across the country, he has shared the stage with such notable comics as DL Hughley, Ralphie May and Dane Cook among many others. Additionally he hosted TRL in 2017 before going on to compete on The Challenge: Champs Vs Stars as well as competing on NBC’s Bring the Funny this year.
Raised in Columbus, Ohio, he began his comedy career at local venues and open mic events before finding success on TikTok with millions of users, booking small TV and film roles.
Natural Selection was released by Netflix in November 2018 to rave reviews from critics and audiences. He is known for captivating audiences with his charming stage presence and quick wit; amassing an enormous following online as he rises as one of comedy’s newest stars.
TikTok
TikTok, a social media platform that allows users to create and share short-form videos, has revolutionized how we connect. In fact, it is currently the leading video app and a darling among Gen Z users.
TikTok provides users with various filters, effects, and augmented reality features that foster creativity. For instance, its Duet feature enables two users to record side-by-side videos while its Stitch tool enables users to combine segments from other videos into their own productions. Furthermore, TikTok app boasts numerous e-commerce features which enable businesses to easily link videos they post directly to product purchase pages.
TikTok has become a global phenomenon, yet has also attracted much criticism due to its content moderation policies and intellectual property rights issues. Furthermore, ByteDance — its Chinese parent company — is being investigated in the US due to legislative accusations that ByteDance poses national security risks via ownership of TikTok user data and ownership.
Natural Selection
Rife has come under scrutiny for making racist jokes about domestic violence victims and women with black eyed skin conditions; but he claims his critics are biased against black people.
Though this show was initially successful, its negative reception is becoming troublingly overwhelming – Rotten Tomatoes has only given it an 18% rating!
While Rife should push the boundaries of comedy, he should do it while maintaining his moral integrity and remaining relevant and protecting his reputation. For instance, he should refrain from insensitive humor directed towards audience members or unfunny jokes; avoid making jokes that aren’t funny either if possible; also stay clear from making any sexual jokes that don’t help build trust with audience members if possible and you could become one of the next big comedy stars!
Matt Rife has become widely-renowned as a comedian due to his remarkable success as an entertainer. His career has flourished through frequent appearances on popular television shows and YouTube videos; in addition to that, he regularly performs at Los Angeles’ Laugh Factory comedy club and boasts over 14 million followers on TikTok!
Rife made an insensitive joke during his Netflix special, Natural Selection, that was widely disapproved of. His comment seemed directed directly at his female viewers – mostly women – which could only serve to inflame further.
Rife has elevated his career through live tours and television appearances, as well as through entrepreneurship and brand collaborations that have contributed to his success. Furthermore, social media presence has helped build recognition and increase fan base growth.