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 “E.l.f.ino,” 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.
