2 days ago
Matt Rife's ELF Makeup Ad Sparks Backlash
A new ad campaign from cosmetics brand e.l.f. starring comedian Matt Rife was met with more hate than laughter as observers slammed the company for choosing a celebrity who joked about domestic violence to be the face of its product line. 'Is Matt Rife here to sell us concealer for black eyes from domestic violence?' read one comment with over 10,000 likes.
In the ad, Rife plays fictional injury lawyer ' alongside partner 'Schmarnes,' depicted by drag performer Heidi N Closet. The commercial was an obvious reference to attorneys Cellino & Barnes, whose ads were often seen in the Tri-State Area during the 2000s.
'Hey, girl. Has over-priced beauty hurt your wallet?' Rife says in the parody. 'I know a thing or two about red flags. And pricey makeup? You deserve better than that.' Despite the ad's fun tone, e.l.f. fans were not having it. Viewers were quick to bring up misogynistic bits from the comedian's 2023 Netflix special Matt Rife: Natural Selection. At one point in the special, he joked about a woman receiving a black eye for not cooking well.
Following backlash at the time, the comedian offered a stale apology, then told a 6-year-old that the boy's mom bought his Christmas presents with money she earned from OnlyFans.
'ELF IMMA HOLD UR HAND WHEN I SAY THIS…just cuz u got a drag QUEEN in the mix DOES NOT MEAN ITS A GREEN LIGHT FOR MATT RIFEEEGEE??!?,' @kristians_makeup said on Instagram.
Rife's e.l.f. ad comes weeks after American Eagle faced scrutiny over its Sydney Sweeney jeans campaign, which some people said promoted white supremacy. Regardless of the original intent, American Eagle's campaign became a cultural debate as right-wingers and MAGA officials commended Sweeney and the ad.
'Did nobody sit there and say, 'Hey, in 2025, when there is an absolute epidemic of violence against women, let's not choose to have the face of our campaign be a man who jokes about domestic violence. Let's not platform Matt Rife,'' Clark said in a video garnering over 160,000 likes.
