Matt Rife has put out another special on Netflix, and it has stirred up some controversy.
The American comedian gained popularity through social media by showcasing his work on platforms such as YouTube and Facebook.
Rife’s crowd work contributed significantly to his large fan base, and his new Netflix special highlights this aspect.
Entitled Matt Rife: Lucid – A Crowd Work Special, the 54-minute episode premiered on Netflix on August 13.
Last year, Rife released his first comedy special on the streaming service, but some of his jokes didn’t sit well with the audience.
A particular joke that upset many involved a story where Rife appeared to make light of domestic violence.
In the ‘joke’, the 28-year-old recounted an incident with a female waitress who had a black eye, suggesting that if she had remained in the kitchen instead of serving guests, she wouldn’t have gotten the black eye.
The anecdote was poorly received by some who criticized the joke as ‘the lowest of the low’.
Despite the backlash, Netflix has once again collaborated with the comedian, leaving many puzzled.
One Twitter user expressed: “@netflix why are you doing another matt rife special? i cringed so hard seeing his face pop up on my tv just now.”
Another Netflix subscriber commented: “He has the humour of a 13 year old boy omg who is watching this sh*t?? You people have no taste or standards.”
Someone else questioned: “Have yall thought about giving specials to people that are funny and do comedy?”
As of now, Lucid holds a 48 percent Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes.
While some are baffled by Netflix’s decision to release another special with Rife, others have enjoyed his latest performance.
A positive reviewer shared: “I haven’t laughed so much for a very long time! Everyone need to remember, it’s comedy!”
Another added: “You know it’s good when critics are accusing him of putting ‘plants’ in the audience.”
“It’s a special skill to pull the insane out of almost anyone, and foster an environment that allows the audience to feel comfortable enough to share their insanity,” said another reviewer.
Rife has previously addressed the criticism on his Instagram, stating: “If you’ve ever been offended by a joke I’ve told – here’s a link to my official apology.”
He included a link labeled ‘Tap to solve your issue’ that redirects to a medical website for helmets for people with special needs.