Indiana comedy enthusiasts were left disappointed this week when popular comedian Matt Rife unexpectedly canceled two sold-out performances in Bloomington. The abrupt cancellations, which occurred a mere 20 minutes after the first show was scheduled to begin, sparked outrage among ticket holders who had already endured a postponement from February.
As frustration mounted and social media erupted with criticism, the theater offered only a vague explanation, citing a health scare. Rife, recognizing the severity of the situation, took to Instagram to address the issue and express his remorse.
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In his heartfelt apology, Rife wrote, per TMZ, “I’m so f—ing sorry, but due to a last minute medical emergency i have to reschedule our shows tonight (again). I’ve been doing 40+ shows a month for a year and half and never had to do something like this, I’m so sorry.” He added, “i hope you understand and i love you so much.”
Rife, who rarely cancels performances, emphasized his love for his fans and hoped they would understand the unforeseen circumstances. However, it remains unclear whether his apology will be enough to appease the disgruntled audience members.
To make amends, Rife assured his followers that refunds would be issued and that he and his team were diligently working to ensure everyone received their money back. He took to X to reiterate his apology, showing his commitment to resolving the problem.
According to Deadline, Rife is experiencing “extreme exhaustion symptoms” and has been advised by his medical team to take an immediate two-week hiatus from his ProbleMATTic World Tour. The comedian was scheduled to perform eight shows at the Chicago Theater starting Thursday night but will instead step back from live performances to focus on his well-being.
“On the way to a recent show in Indiana, Matt experienced exhaustion symptoms and nearly fainted heading to the venue,” a statement from Rife’s team read. “Matt is currently under advisement from his medical team to take immediate time off from touring for two weeks.”
The Chicago Theatre has announced that the shows have been rescheduled for Dec. 26-30, and tickets to this week’s performances will be honored on the new dates. A run of shows in Nashville was also reported canceled. However, the last-minute cancellations have still caused anger among eager fans who had been looking forward to seeing the rising star live.
