Why Everyone’s Talking About Matt Rife and Annabelle

It all started with a smirk and a mic.

Matt Rife known for his quick wit, good looks, and relentless crowd work has found himself in the middle of one of the weirdest internet moments of 2025. This time, it wasn’t hecklers or dating rumors. It was something… paranormal.

The cursed doll Annabelle.

Yes, that Annabelle.

The viral moment exploded after a short backstage video began circulating online late Friday night. In the clip, Rife jokingly points at a life-sized replica of the haunted doll during a soundcheck and says, “You think I’m scared of you? Girl, I’ve dated worse.” Laughter erupted from the crew but what happened next is what fueled a full-blown TikTok obsession.

Seconds later, the stage lights flickered, a speaker let out a weird static pulse, and Rife tripped walking off the set. The video cuts out right there.

Coincidence? Maybe. But not to the internet.

Within hours, hashtags like #AnnabelleCursedMatt, #RifeHexed, and #HauntedComedyTour were trending. TikTok users began dissecting the clip frame-by-frame. Some claimed you could see Annabelle’s eyes move. Others swore the speaker distortion said, “Run.” One creator even used a spirit box app over the clip claiming the word “Joke’s on you” came through.

Naturally, Matt Rife leaned into it.

On Instagram Stories the next day, he posted a photo of Annabelle with the caption, “She’s not my type but I respect her power.” Then he followed up with a TikTok of himself holding sage, saying, “Just in case…”

Whether Rife intended it or not, this moment tapped into something the internet loves: the intersection of comedy, chaos, and creepy lore.

Annabelle has always had a firm grip on pop culture’s throat. First introduced in The Conjuring universe, she’s since become an icon of modern horror and the idea of her crossing into real life (even as a joke) is enough to reignite people’s fascination with cursed objects and haunted dolls. Combine that with Matt Rife’s massive Gen Z following, and you’ve got a recipe for algorithmic mayhem.

Fan edits of “Annabelle x Matt” started popping up. One even reimagined them as an enemies-to-lovers horror-comedy couple. Another went viral for digitally inserting Annabelle into Rife’s stand-up sets nodding, smirking, or slowly turning her head during his punchlines.

The creep factor mixed with Rife’s usual charm created a unique storm: scary enough to get attention, funny enough to not be off-putting, and weird enough to keep people talking.

Brands jumped in too. A candle company released a “Haunted Roast” scent as a joke. One merch store dropped shirts that read, “She cursed me, and all I got was this T-shirt.” Even Spirit Halloween reposted the clip with the caption, “Annabelle’s looking for a new tour manager.”

It’s unclear if Rife will turn this into an actual bit in his next special, but if history’s any guide he will.

What’s most fascinating here isn’t just the viral speed. It’s how the internet transforms even the strangest moments into shared experiences. A 12-second joke with a doll became a cultural checkpoint reaching horror fans, comedy stans, paranormal TikTokers, and even skeptics.

This might be peak 2025 internet: a haunted doll meme, a viral comic, a fake ghost hunt, and a crowd of millions watching waiting for what happens next.

Whether you believe in curses or not, one thing’s for sure: Matt Rife’s biggest haunting isn’t a ghost. It’s the unrelenting attention of the internet itself.

And Annabelle? She’s just sitting there.

Smiling.

Note: Isn’t it wild how a doll and a joke can stir an entire generation’s imagination? Whether you laughed, got chills, or both you were part of it. That’s the power of viral culture. Stay weird, internet.