Lisa Ann and Matt Rife Feud Over Removal
Lisa Ann says Matt Rife keeps showing video of her 2023 detention at his Radio City Music Hall shows.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Comedy
Comedian Lisa Ann was removed in handcuffs from Matt Rife's 2023 Radio City Music Hall show and detained by the NYPD. The two have since publicly feuded over what led to her removal.
Why it matters
The dispute over a single incident at a major New York venue has drawn attention to how comedy performances and audience conduct are handled. Competing accounts from the comedians and a venue-linked source leave the cause of the removal disputed.
Lisa Ann was detained for 45 minutes before being released after her 2023 removal from the Radio City Music Hall show. She says she still receives a few texts a week about the incident, and the reason for her removal remains disputed.
The players
Lisa Ann
Lisa Ann is a comedian and actress who was removed from the 2023 Radio City Music Hall show and detained by the NYPD.
Matt Rife
Matt Rife is a stand-up comedian whose Radio City Music Hall show Lisa Ann was removed from in 2023.
The details
Lisa Ann says she was not on her phone during the 2023 incident, while Matt Rife wrote that she broke the rules. The New York Post claimed footage shows her on her phone before she was removed, and Rife has shown video of her detention before each performance this past year.
Timeline
2023: Lisa Ann is removed from Matt Rife's Radio City Music Hall show in handcuffs.
This past year (2025): Matt Rife shows video of her detention before each performance.
November 7, 2026: The feud is reported in a TMZ article.
Industry Dynamics
The feud reflects how stand-up comedians increasingly use public platforms, podcasts and social media to contest accounts of incidents at live shows. Rife's repeated playing of the detention video before performances turns a single 2023 removal into an ongoing public narrative.
Audiences attending live comedy shows may see their conduct and any removal scrutinized as these disputes play out publicly. Ticket holders should be aware that venue staff may remove patrons for disorderly behavior, which can lead to police involvement.
The takeaway
Live performances can be shaped by a single incident that outlasts the event itself. Audiences and performers alike benefit from clear venue conduct rules and accurate reporting of what happened.
Further reading
For more on live performance culture, see Comedy coverage in New York City.
