Matt Rife Under Fire Over Social Media Response

Comedian and paranormal enthusiast Matt Rife is facing criticism over his response to a social media comment made by an autistic man. The exchange has drawn attention online, with some users taking issue with Rife’s choice of words.

Rife has faced criticism from the paranormal community since purchasing the Warren Occult Museum, which the famous ghost hunting duo, Ed and Lorraine Warren, previously owned.

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Matt Rife and business partner Elton Castee are promoting the visit of the infamous Annabelle doll to Salem, Massachusetts, this month for a temporary exhibit. In their social media post, paranormal investigator Chris Mac reportedly wrote a lengthy post discussing the Salem Witch Trials, which, for some reason, irked the comedian.

Rife clapped back at Mac, allegedly writing, “sir, you are lifeless douchebag. Please remove yourself from this earth. Absolutely nobody is reading your novels in these comments. You do not matter to anybody. The event has already sold thousands of tickets. Now watch as i block you and you fall back into non existence,” per TMZ.

Paranormal Investigator’s Father Wants An Apology

Mac’s father is speaking out following Rife’s online attack on his son. According to him, his son, who has autism, is “mentally handicapped” and has been negatively affected by the public attention on him.

The paranormal investigator’s family claims Rife’s words were “unprovoked,” saying that Mac only requested the comedian not to place the Annebelle doll at a specific spot in the museum. Now, they want a public apology from Rife.

Mac also explained to TMZ that his message came from a place of concern. In the paranormal world, Annabelle is widely believed to be inhabited by a negative entity that may cause physical harm or misfortune to those who interact with it.

Mac said he was angered by Rife’s post and said, “Why should I forgive him? He’s not going to say sorry.” He also responded on Facebook, writing, “I don’t ever want 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.”

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An insider close to the comedian said Rife has been receiving “vile” comments and is frequently targeted in his social media posts. The comedian sometimes responds to these comments, only for users to later delete their original messages, leaving Rife’s responses online without context.

The source claimed there is also missing context in the exchange with Mac, and there is no proof to suggest the comedian knew he had autism.

Rife’s comments garnered mixed reactions. Many argued that his comments were offensive, regardless of whether or not the person was autistic. “Classic Matt Rife being a terrible and unfunny person,” one wrote

Some defended Rife, saying there must be a reason why he responded that way. “Y’all act like autistic people can’t be a-sholes too & can never do anything wrong,” commented one user.

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Rife doesn’t hold back when responding to people online.

In a screengrab of an exchange, an online user accused the comedian of telling them to “unalive” themself twice. “Stop being a d-ck and I’ll stop,” Rife clapped back, adding another comment saying that “a-sholes” shouldn’t be in his comments section. “You’re mad at me for defending myself – that’s psychotic,” Rife noted.

In 2023, as The Blast previously reported, Rife ripped into a 6-year-old, who commented on a joke from his comedy special. In a since-deleted comment, he wrote, “Santa isn’t real,” adding that his mother buys his presents with money she made from OF.

Per a 2025 report from The Blast, Rife and Castee purchased Ed and Lorraine Warren’s property in Connecticut, which includes the Occult Museum that houses Annabelle. While they own the home and museum space outright, they serve as “legal guardians” of the hundreds of artifacts in the museum for at least five years.

Some paranormal investigators criticized the duo, accusing them of prioritizing profit over historical preservation. The duo has plans to launch an exhibition space, and the original house is open to overnight stays. Admission prices for exhibitions exceed $100, prompting many to believe that Rife is running a tourist trap.

The Warrens’ grandson, Chris McKinnell, also weighed in on Rife’s purchase and said bringing the artifacts on tour was a “betrayal” of his grandparents’ legacy. “This legacy matters. It’s not a brand. It’s not content. It’s not entertainment. It’s sacred,” McKinnell wrote.