The way Matt Rife, at the mere age of twenty-eight, has ascended throughout the stand-up comedy scene is something to behold.
Through viral clips of his audience interactions on TikTok and Instagram, Rife has built a vast audience who admire his approach to comedy.
Now, on August 13, Netflix has released his second special, Matt Rife: Lucid. Incredibly, it’s chockful of only the crowd-work that helped build his career! But, how does it affect that newfound fame?
Who Is Matt Rife?
Born in Columbus, Ohio, Rife knew from a young age his passion would be stand-up comedy. Beginning touring at the age of 15, Rife went on to have a decent career. He would self-fund his own specials, such as 2021’s Matt Rife: Only Fans to get his own material out there. Plus, he also made guest spots on several well-known shows. He appears in Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-21) and Nick Cannon’s Wild ‘n Out (2005- ), just to name a few.
However, the real fame for him personally came with his examples of crowd-work on comedy tours found on social media. Rife’s observations and remarks towards his audience members garnered significant attention. So much so, in fact, that he quickly gained 19 million followers on TikTok! The clip below is only a recent sample of this trend so many people love.
With the spotlight firmly on him, Rife signed a contract with Netflix. While seemingly a smart move, his debut special on the platform, 2023’s Matt Rife: Natural Selection, did not stir up the same positive reception. Many were disappointed by the material and felt the special lacked memorable jokes. There also was considerable controversy over an opening joke making light of domestic violence. That, coupled with some other drama regarding personal relationships, has created somewhat of a lull for the comedian.
What is Crowd-Work?
While I’d be surprised if many of you aren’t already familiar with this trend, crowd-work for comedians is a rather simple phenomenon. Whether the conversation is started by the comedian or an audience member/heckler, it involves the two parties interacting. It usually results in the comedian making fun of the audience members in some capacity.
Much like how crowd-work has given Matt Rife success, these clips on platforms like Instagram and TikTok are great ways to draw attention to comedians’ tours and their overall comedic stylings. Has this sudden explosion of it been because of what Rife has done? It’s hard to say. But it is true he’s most likely the comedian best known for doing this across the country.
Is Lucid Funny?
Despite the drama that has now come with fame, Rife continues chugging along. However, if I’m to be honest, I wasn’t exactly excited to watch Lucid going in. I have seen a lot of his crowd-work on social media. I found the clips to be quite funny. Rife appears good-natured despite the ribbing, and he has a natural charisma about him.
That charisma is almost nowhere in Natural Selection, his special from last year. I watch a lot of comedy specials in my spare time, and to be frank, that one was one of the worst I’ve ever watched. Putting aside the controversy, I just found the material to be very…generic. Every ounce of passion that you could see from the crowd-work he did felt missing.
Now, Rife gives Netflix their first ever comedy special solely dedicated to crowd-work. At under an hour, Rife sets the theme for Lucid: dreams. What kinds of dreams? Any kind: job aspirations, nightmares, even missed opportunities to achieve dreams. Rife says in the special that this is the theme because he is living his dream. I think setting those parameters allows for a somewhat relaxed atmosphere, and for overall connectivity between the performer and the audience.
As for Rife’s overall performance, I think he fares better than his last special. He seems more in his element. Some of his reactions are priceless, and he can transition between odd anecdotes well. However, there are still bits of material here that you can tell were prepared, and they are the weakest parts of the special. I’m just not convinced he’s a great comedian that can come up with good observational material.
What is Next for Matt Rife?
Rife’s contract with Netflix guarantees at least one more special. He’s also pitching the streaming service on a sitcom set in a gym, and he’s looking to try and find more gigs as an actor. It’s safe to say he has big plans, no matter how many people like or dislike him.
I did somewhat enjoy myself watching Lucid. There are far worse ways to spend an hour. However, while it’s a step in the right direction, I’m not sure I trust Rife beyond his crowd-work. A well-rounded stand-up comedian should get the audience to crack up at the jokes they write, as well as with audience interactions. I’m not sure Rife is there yet. I’ve barely seen anyone fawn over his scripted material, whether from Netflix or his days of self-financed specials.
It also doesn’t bode well for Rife that the largest laugh at his special from me was from an audience member’s comment. I won’t spoil what it is for full effect, but it’s a reference to a previous mother-daughter anecdote relating to a pilot’s anecdote. It was so quick and filled the room with laughter. As solid as Rife is in the special, he never lived up to that moment.
So, should you watch Lucid? Maybe. If you enjoy stand-up and crowd-work, you might get a kick out of it. If you’re looking for a changed Matt Rife, you won’t find it here. Honestly, I think Rife has made his target audience clear, as well as what he finds funny. You’ll know if that’s up your alley or not.
