Comedian Matt Rife faces backlash for telling autistic man to 'remove yourself from earth'

Comedian Matt Rife is facing criticism online after a social media exchange with a self-described paranormal investigator escalated into a personal attack, with Rife reportedly telling the man to "remove yourself from this earth". The investigator, Chris Mac, later said he is autistic, prompting further backlash against the comedian.

The exchange has drawn particular attention from members of the paranormal investigation community, who have previously criticised Rife and his collaborator Elton Castee over their involvement with the Haunted Warren Museum in Salem. Rife and Castee acquired the property last year, which houses a collection of allegedly haunted objects including the infamous Annabelle doll.

The circumstances surrounding the online argument remain disputed. Comments that preceded Rife's response are reportedly no longer visible, while a source close to the comedian has claimed that Rife was responding to what he considered online bullying.

How the Matt Rife controversy began

The dispute started after Rife and Castee promoted an upcoming event at the Haunted Warren Museum on social media.

Mac, who describes himself as a paranormal investigator, reportedly responded to the post by discussing the history of the Salem Witch Trials. The exact reason Rife took issue with the comment is unclear from the remaining exchange.

Rife subsequently referred to Mac as a "lifeless douchebag" and told him to "please remove yourself from this earth."

Mac later addressed the exchange on social media, identifying himself as autistic and accusing Rife of targeting him because of his condition.

"I don’t want ever ever want [to] see Matt bully a person with autism again do I make myself clear not ok to say with a person with autism I have autism."

Mac also called on Castee to intervene and suggested that Rife seek therapy over the incident.

Did Matt Rife know Chris Mac was autistic?

One of the central questions surrounding the controversy is whether Rife knew about Mac's autism when he responded to him.

There is currently no evidence in the publicly visible exchange that Rife was aware of Mac's diagnosis before making the remarks. According to TMZ, the comedian frequently receives hostile comments on social media and sometimes responds to people who attack him.

Those commenters can subsequently delete their original posts, leaving Rife's replies without the context of what prompted them.

The same explanation has been offered in relation to the exchange with Mac. However, the original comments are not currently available to independently establish the full sequence of the interaction.

As a result, while Mac has publicly described the remarks as bullying directed at an autistic person, there is no confirmed evidence that Rife knew Mac was autistic at the time.

Why is the paranormal community angry with Matt Rife?

The latest confrontation appears to be part of a longer-running disagreement between Rife, Castee and sections of the paranormal investigation community.

Rife and Castee purchased the Haunted Warren Museum last year. The Salem attraction contains a collection of objects associated with paranormal claims, including Annabelle, the doll made famous by stories surrounding alleged supernatural activity.

The pair have since hosted and promoted events at the property. Their commercial approach has not been universally welcomed by paranormal investigators, some of whom have accused the duo of turning the field into a business.

Mac has reportedly criticised Rife and Castee previously, including over the price of admission to the museum. According to reports, tickets can cost as much as $166, a figure that has become a particular point of contention among some paranormal enthusiasts.

Critics argue that paranormal investigation should be approached as a passion or area of study rather than primarily as a commercial enterprise.

Matt Rife's history of online backlash

Rife has developed a substantial online following through stand-up comedy and social media, particularly TikTok and Instagram. He began performing stand-up at 15 and later built a larger audience through online comedy content.

His comedy specials include 'Only Fans' and 'Walking Red Flag', while his Netflix special 'Natural Selection' further expanded his mainstream profile.

That visibility has also made Rife a frequent target of criticism online. His representatives have previously maintained that he receives significant amounts of abusive and hostile commentary on his social media accounts.

According to a source close to Rife, the comedian sometimes responds to people who provoke him, only for the original comments to disappear later. The source argued that this can make his replies appear more aggressive because readers can no longer see what prompted them.

That explanation has become part of the discussion surrounding his exchange with Mac, although the deleted material means the complete context cannot currently be verified.

Who is Chris Mac?

Chris Mac is a self-described paranormal investigator who does not have the same large social media following as Rife. Following the exchange, however, supporters and followers rallied around him online.

Mac has presented himself as part of the paranormal investigation community and has previously criticised Rife and Castee over their activities at the Haunted Warren Museum.

His latest response brought additional attention to the dispute after he disclosed that he is autistic and objected to Rife's language.

The backlash has since extended beyond the original disagreement about the museum and paranormal investigation, with users focusing on the seriousness of telling another person to remove themselves from the world.

Neither the full context of the deleted exchange nor Rife's knowledge of Mac's autism at the time of his response has been independently established.