Comedian Matt Rife has released a new Netflix holiday special called Matt Rife: Unwrapped – A Christmas Crowd Work Special on December 2, 2025. The special, directed by his friend Erik Griffin, was filmed in Phoenix, Arizona. In it, Rife wears Santa pants and interacts with the audience, joking about gifts, holiday traditions, and other funny topics. To make the promotion extra special, Rife brought together veteran actors Macaulay Culkin and Charlie Sheen for a surprise video, marking the first time the two stars have collaborated.
Matt Rife Brings Culkin and Sheen Together Special
Rife shared how he managed to involve the two Hollywood actors. He contacted Macaulay Culkin through his agents, and Culkin immediately agreed to join the promo. Around the same time, Charlie Sheen started following Rife on Instagram. After sending a friendly direct message, Sheen agreed to appear in the video following a lunch meeting. Rife described the experience as fun and inspiring, especially since it was the first time the two actors had ever met. Their professionalism and energy on set impressed him greatly.
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The special itself focuses on crowd work, which is Rife’s signature comedy style. He explained that crowd work is exciting because every audience is different and unpredictable. During the filming, several funny and wild moments occurred, including interactions with couples and families who shared very open stories. Rife enjoyed these moments and said they made the show unique. He also included some magic tricks in the special, adding more surprise and entertainment for viewers.
Aside from comedy, Rife is also pursuing acting projects. He is set to appear in the series The Altruists alongside Julia Garner, where he plays a trader involved in real-life events connected to FTX. He described this role as a challenging and exciting opportunity to explore drama beyond comedy. Additionally, he is writing a comedy project called The Chasm, inspired by the climbing community and the story of Alex Honnold from Free Solo. These projects show Rife’s ambition to grow as both a comedian and actor.
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Rife reflected on his achievements in 2025, including breaking arena records and performing at Madison Square Garden twice as the youngest comedian to sell it out. He also shared personal highlights, like buying the Ed and Lorraine Warren Occult Museum and hosting a toy drive for children in Rhode Island. Overall, Rife described 2025 as an incredible year of growth, creativity, and giving back, while looking forward to exciting projects in 2026.
Author: Purnima s
Purnima | Entertainment Blogger 4+ yrs writing fun blogs on movies, celebs & trends. Pop culture addict serving fresh, binge-worthy content!
