Jim Jefferies has just announced a massive tour of Australia – one of the biggest in comedy history – which is all the excuse we need to pin the comedian down for a chat…
And look, the man can chat. When going through the transcript from our interview, I realised that I didn’t really ask him many questions, and when I did, he would use it as a jump off point and start going off with stories or anecdotes or opinions. It was so entertaining that I lost track of what I was supposed to be doing and ended up sitting there simply listening.
Maybe not the best interview of my life, but before I start giving myself Chinese burns over it, I’ve gotta remind myself that talking, telling stories, and getting his opinions out there is Jim Jefferies’ superpower…
From his early days as a touring standup turned sitcom star through to his acclaimed news program The Jim Jefferies Show on Comedy Central, he’s always talked in a way that sits somewhere in between banter and preaching. It’s like you’re stepping into a conversation two drinks behind him, but despite his loud, Aussie as fuck voice, he’s not a shit talker – he’s given thought to everything that comes out of his mouth. It’s probably why he resonates so widely around the world.
Having sold out shows all over North America and Europe over the past couple of years, he’s returning Down Under for his Son Of A Carpenter tour, hitting lots of venues that have “arena” in their name. Check out the dates below, along with some parts I picked out from our chat, while I go give myself that Chinese burn.
You’ve interviewed some huge names in the world of politics and “ideas”. How do you approach an interview with, say, Jordan Peterson?
I liked that in that piece, I asked him about whether a baker should make a cake for a gay couple. And he goes, ‘They should, but whether they should have to are two different things.’ And I said, ‘Well, if they don’t like Black people, should they make a cake for them?’ And then he went, ‘No, you know what? Maybe you’re right.’
That happens so rare in conversations. So rare. I didn’t see that as a moment of weakness from that man… I hate this idea that we have to hate people we don’t agree with. We don’t have to hate people we don’t agree with. We can all just… I’m not going to be as blase… But can’t we all just get along? My father has the opposite political beliefs to me, and he’s getting more in that direction. And there’s no one on earth I love more.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO9j1SLxEd0
It’s weird when it becomes cannibalistic that you’re not left enough or you’re not right enough, and each side even starts eating their own.
I’ve always seen myself as a right-wing Australian and a left-wing American. I believe in fairly tight borders and things like that, but I also believe in a woman’s right to do what she wants with her body. I believe in national healthcare. I believe in social services and all that type of stuff. And I’m an anti-gun guy. But those beliefs make me the biggest hippie on earth in America. I’m a left-wing extremist in America. And then in Australia, people are like, I’m all right.
I don’t think that religion should be in our politics. They think religion should be in their politics. God bless America, all this type of bullshit. 80% of us are moderates. 80% of us are sitting in the middle and we’re the most silent. And then we’ve got 10% extreme left, 10% extreme right.
Do you miss doing The Jim Jefferies Show these days?
I’m very happy that I don’t do that show anymore. Because I wouldn’t want to be hosting a show right now and having to talk about people from ICE shooting people in the streets. I don’t want to dissect the bloody Epstein files. I don’t want to talk about every week something stupid that Trump said. I am so glad that I don’t have that show in 2026.
I had a great time doing that show, and I made a lot of friends and that type of stuff. But if I had to do another comedy program, I want to do a sitcom is all I want. I want to do a multi-cam sitcom. I want to do Friends. Comedians are meant to perform in front of audiences, that’s when we’re at our best. Give me an audience and give me a script, and off we go.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rR9IaXH1M0
Are you in any group chats that would get you locked up if they were exposed.
I have a couple of group chats that I don’t think would land me in jail. But people speak quite freely on it, you know what I mean? With a few comedians. Look, comedians in dressing rooms – if you want to see edgy material, you won’t see it on stage, you’ll see it in the dressing room in a comedy club. That’s when they really cut loose.
My favourite group chat is me and my brothers. That’s the loosest one, but it’s mostly just bagging on our parents. I don’t think anyone would be interested in it as much as we are. I don’t think, if it got leaked, anyone would get canceled for it. But if you knew my family, you would think some of the comments are pretty racy. Some of the cousins might be upset.
If comedy had a championship belt, who would hold it right now?
The current title holder would be Shane Gillis. He’s the one selling the most tickets. He’s the one that seems that the left and the right love the most. And also, he was cancelled and he’s completely fine. You know what I mean? But he would be the one that would be the biggest. For ticket sales, Gabriel Iglesias. No one sells more tickets than Gabriel Iglesias, man. He sold Dodgers Stadium twice.
I’m just happy with where I’ at… Even if I’m at the bottom of the table, I’m happy to be playing in the Premier League. And I could be relegated at any time.
