The Truth About Matt Rife Is Tumbling Out
It wasn’t too long ago that comedian extraordinaire Matt Rife was ready to pack it in and quit the standup career he’d been struggling to get off the ground for nearly a decade. “I wasn’t selling any tickets at any comedy club, I couldn’t get any kind of break,” Rife recalled during a November 2023 appearance on “The Tonight Show” Starring Jimmy Fallon.” “At a certain point you go, ‘Am I delusional? Maybe I’m not funny.'”
In the midst of that soul-searching despair, everything changed when Rife posted a hilarious bit on TikTok, which he’d dubbed “The Lazy Hero.” The video went viral, garnering millions of views. Before long, Rife had become a TikTok sensation, leading his once-dormant standup comedy career to explode overnight. To capitalize on his newfound popularity, Rife hit the road for his ProbleMATTic world tour that was a hit before it even began; demand for the shows was so high that the Ticketmaster website crashed as 600,000 fans simultaneously attempted to scoop up presale tickets.
There’s no doubt that Rife’s popularity is continuing to soar, and he’s become a force to be reckoned with in the comedy community. Yet the success he’s experienced has also been accompanied by a healthy helping of controversy, something that Rife has not only refused to shy away from, but actually seems to take pride in. To find out more about this fascinating funnyman, read on to see why the truth about Matt Rife is tumbling out.
In June 2023, Matt Rife announced plans to embark on a massive world tour, sharing the news in a hilarious video (featuring a special guest star appearance from actor Ashton Kutcher, no less) that he posted on Instagram. The ProbleMATTic tour kicked off that July, boasting more than 100 shows. In addition to traveling throughout North America, the tour also took Rife to Australia, in addition to several European cities, including Paris, London, Dublin, Amsterdam, and Stockholm, among others.
Undertaking a tour of that duration proved to be a bit more taxing on Rife than he’d anticipated. In May 2024, he announced the cancellation of two shows — both in Bloomington, Indiana — hours before he was scheduled to take to the stage. “I’m so f***ing sorry, but due to a last minute medical emergency i have to reschedule our shows tonight (again),” he tweeted.
Further shows were cancelled, with the Los Angeles Times reporting that ticket-holders received an update about the situation via email. “On the way to a recent show in Indiana, Matt experienced extreme exhaustion symptoms and nearly fainted heading to the venue,” the email read. “Matt is currently under advisement from his medical team to take immediate time off from touring for two weeks.” He subsequently wrote a message on Instagram, revealing info about rescheduled dates, indicating he was on the mend. He resumed the tour in mid-June.
