Before he became one of TikTok’s most popular comedians, Matt Rife grew up around the Columbus, Ohio area. “It was a very carefree -– irresponsible -– but carefree place to grow up,” he shared with Columbus Underground. “… I just remember it being a good place to grow up.”
Rife has also faced some tragedy in his life. His biological father died by suicide at the age of 20. “Because I’m 26 now, and when you think about your dad, no matter what state, you think about a grown man. But I’m older than my dad ever was,” he revealed on the “Bertcast” podcast with comedian Bert Kreischer in 2022. “It’s crazy to think about.” His mother eventually remarried, and Rife grew up in a full house with a younger half-sister and three older stepsisters. As for his daily life, Rife told Elite Daily that college wasn’t in his general plan for himself, and that he likely would have gone into the Army had he not pursued comedy.
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The main father figure in Rife’s life was his maternal grandfather, Steven, who died in November 2022. He even dedicated his 2023 stand-up special “Matthew Steven Rife” to his beloved “Papaw.” “Growing up without a dad, he was my father figure,” the comedian wrote in a touching Instagram tribute. “He taught me every single thing I know and gave his entire life for me … Thank you so much for being my best friend, my teacher, my father, my grandfather, my inspiration, my soul, my everything.”
