Comedian Matt Rife is returning to Netflix on August 13 with his new crowd work special, Lucid. In the trailer, Rife mocked cancel culture and those offended by his previous special.
Matt Rife made his Netflix debut in 2023 in the form of his special, ‘Natural Selection,’ which caused an eruption of backlash online after Rife made a joke about domestic violence at the beginning of his set.
Rather than apologizing, he doubled down and mocked his critics – something the 28-year-old did once more in the trailer for Lucid.
In the trailer, Rob Riggle plays a Netflix exec at the streaming platform’s HQ, where he holds a pitch meeting to discuss Rife’s next special.
LUCID – AUGUST. 13th – @netflix pic.twitter.com/hFQlTUtD3u
— Matt Rife (@mattrife) August 6, 2024
Riggle then asks a team of Netflix employees, all played by Rife, about the concept for the special and rebukes common misconceptions about the comedian.
“Wasn’t he canceled?” one asks.
“He didn’t get canceled. He’s been out on tour for a year and a half, sold out, worldwide,” Riggle fires back.
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“Didn’t his last special, like, totally flop?” asks a blue-haired version of Rife.
“It was the most-watched special of the third and fourth quarter of last year and that was by watch time, not just views. And it wasn’t even close.”
Eventually, a janitor, also played by Rife, wanders into the meeting and suggests that the next special should focus on his crowd work – something that Rife has become famous for.
“We’re actually gonna give the people what they want,” Riggle proclaims as the trailer ends.
Rife’s new special comes as Netflix is seemingly gearing up to sign comedy podcast Kill Tony. Netflix has been getting more involved with live content, such as securing the rights to Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson and WWE programming in 2025.
Lucid will debut just over one week after Joe Rogan’s Netflix return with his live special, Burn the Boats, which aired on August 3.