The Heartbreaking Story Of Comedian Matt Rife's Late Dad

This article contains mentions of suicide and addiction.

Matt Rife is a stand-up comedian and actor who shot to fame after videos of his stand-up went viral on TikTok. Rife is known for audience interaction bits — and for the way to handles hecklers. Of course, he's very easy on the eyes, too, which has made him super popular amongst the ladies. 

With sold-out shows all over the United States, Rife is having great success doing what he loves: Making people laugh. And while things are going extremely well for him professionally, Rife's life hasn't been as easy as one might think. 

Rife is extremely close to his family, including his mom, April Rife. The comedian's father, Micheal Eric Gutzke, died when he was young. Rife shared this information during a 2022 interview with Bert Kreischer on "Bertcast." While talking about his family, Rife revealed that his father died by suicide when he was a baby. 

When Kreischer asked Rife about his father's death, Rife responded, "He was 20, I think. It's weird to think about. 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 said. 

And while Rife never really got to know his dad, the love of his family has made him the artist he is today.

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During his interview on "Bertcast," Matt Rife said that his dad suffered from depression. "He was living with his dad at the time who was a massive alcoholic. I guess the story is, my dad came home drunk to his dad's hotel and was talking about killing himself, and apparently, his dad was egging him on, like, 'You won't do it,' is the story, I suppose. I don't know," Rife said, candidly. 

Although Rife's mom did get remarried, the comedian told Numéro that he never really "had a connection" with his stepfather. Instead, his maternal grandfather became his biggest role model. He explained that he and his mom lived with his granddad until he was 5 and they remained close. Rife said, "Even through being a teenager. I would go to his house every weekend ... Our big thing was watching movies together every weekend."

Those movie nights, Rife says, introduced him to his greatest comedic influences, outside of his grandfather: Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, and Jim Carrey. 

"Watching those films and being around him all the time, helped me develop the sense of humor I have now," Rife told the outlet. In November, however, Rife's grandfather died. He shared a touching tribute to him on Instagram shortly after his passing. "The greatest man I've ever known. I've never loved someone so much. I've ever made you laugh — it's because of him," Rife wrote.

Matt Rife has opened up about his dad from time to time, and will often turn his comments into jokes. For example, on the "Dropouts" podcast, Rife recalled talking to his mom about not being able to grow facial hair. His mom noted that Rife's dad also didn't have much facial hair, but Rife was quick to point out that his dad was only 21 years old when he died. "He didn't really get a chance," Rife said, jokingly. 

In an interview with Elite Daily, Rife proved that he has a dark sense of humor. When talking about his dating life, he told the outlet that if he went on a date and the girl made a joke about his dead dad, he might actually think that she was "the one." The reason? Most people don't have "the balls to actually go for it."

Someday, Rife says, he'd like to be a dad himself. "I know I am just in my mid-to-late 20s, but still, I do want a wife and a family and a prominent home life that makes me feel comfortable, safe and is my peace," he told Esquire in April. Something tells us his future looks bright.

Matt Rife has shared tributes to his father, Michael Gutzke, on social media over the years, occasionally posting old photos of the two of them together before his dad died. For example, on July 1, 2016, Rife shared a photo of him sleeping on his dad's chest when he was a baby. "Today would've been my dads 41st birthday. Love and miss ya pops! Thanks for lookin over me," Rife captioned the Instagram photo. 

The following year, Rife uploaded a throwback photo of him and his dad in honor of Father's Day. "Happy Fathers Day pops! Love and miss you everyday, wondering how different things would've been if you were still here. Regardless God had it planned unfairly, but it's only made me stronger as a man," he captioned that snap. 

In June 2020, Rife shared another old photo of him and his dad on Father's Day on Instagram, taking a minute to thank his dad for his "round head" — in typical Rife fashion. Rife hasn't shared any photos or posts about his father in 2023, but based on what he's shared in the past, it seems clear that he holds his dad's memory close, even if he isn't posting publicly.