“The rise is always better than the peak.” — Jim Jefferies
Sydney native Jim Jefferies (@jimjefferies) is one of the most popular and respected comedians of his generation, entertaining audiences across the globe with his provocative, belief-challenging, and thought-provoking comedy. He created and starred in the sitcom Legit and the Comedy Central late-night show The Jim Jefferies Show. Jim was honored as Stand-Up Comedian of the Year at the Just for Laughs Festival in summer 2019. At the end of 2019, he embarked on his new tour Oblivious, performing all around Europe and North America. He is currently working with NBC on a multi-camera pilot that he will star in from writer-producer Suzanne Martin, Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner’s Hazy Mills Productions, and Universal TV.
Jim’s new podcast I Don’t Know About That will debut on Tuesday, May 5th, and his ninth stand-up special will be released later this year on Netflix.
Please enjoy!
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform. You can also watch the conversation on YouTube.
This podcast is brought to you by Laird Superfood and “5-Bullet Friday.” More on both below.
This episode is brought to you by Laird Superfood. Founded by big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton and volleyball champion Gabby Reece, Laird Superfood promises to deliver high-impact fuel to help you get through your busiest days. Laird Superfood offers a line of plant-based products designed to optimize your daily rituals, from sunrise to sunset.
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This episode is also brought to you by “5-Bullet Friday,” my very own email newsletter, which every Friday features five bullet points of cool things I’ve found that week, including apps, books, documentaries, gadgets, albums, articles, TV shows, new hacks or tricks, and—of course—all sorts of weird stuff I’ve dug up from around the world.
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What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.
SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…
Want to hear another episode with a standup comedian? — Listen to my conversation with Whitney Cummings in which we discuss emotional intelligence, how to overcome workaholic tendencies, managing instant gratification, and much, much more.
SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE
- Connect with Jim Jefferies:
Website | Podcast | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
- Legit
- The Jim Jefferies Show
- INXS
- Enmore Theater, Sydney
- St Ives High School, Sydney
- Woolloomooloo Area Guide, Time Out
- Clever Cockatoos Learn to Open Sydney Wheelie Bins and Drink from Bubblers, The Guardian
- The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferriss
- Slip! Slop! Slap! The Original Sid the Seagull Video, Cancer Council Victoria
- Bondi Beach, Sydney
- The Skin Cancer Foundation
- The Comedy Store, Sydney
- Serial Killer: The Claremont Killer, Crime Junkie Podcast
- The Flying Dutchman (Der Fliegende Holländer), Opera Online
- Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA)
- Kalgoorlie
- ‘Skimpies’ Night: The Western Australia Pub Tradition That Refuses to Die, The Guardian
- Punchline
- Strathfield Car Radios
- When the Towers Fell, National Geographic
- The Comedy Store, London
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe
- Just For Laughs Montreal Festival
- The Scotsman
- The Telegraph
- The Comedy Store, Manchester
- Jim Jefferies Attacked on Stage at Manchester Comedy Store, 2007, Reddit
- Seinfeld
- Friends
- Cheers
- Where J.K. Rowling Wrote Harry Potter in Edinburgh, Independent Travel Cats
- The Elephant House
- Harry Potter Complete Boxed Set by J.K. Rowling
- Fleabag
- How Phoebe Waller-Bridge is ‘Spicing Up’ James Bond, BBC News
- Monty Python’s Flying Circus
- Monty Python’s Life of Brian
- Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life
- Monty Python And The Holy Grail
- Jabberwocky
- Melbourne International Comedy Festival
- Gun Control According to Jim Jefferies, Netflix Is A Joke
- Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting, Wikipedia
- Jim Jefferies: ‘Life of Brian Taught Me More about Religion than Sunday School’, The Guardian
- Eddie Murphy — Delirious
- Discover Los Angeles
- Los Angeles Crips and Bloods: Past and Present, EDGE
SHOW NOTES
Note from the editor: Dear listeners, the timestamps will be added shortly.
- Contrary to popular Australian belief, I’ve never played guitar for INXS. Here’s Jim’s Tim Farriss story.
- Beautiful birds, awful sounds, and the unforgiving sun and currents down under.
- When Jim had to perform his comedy set under parental supervision, and how a serial killer’s murder spree turned out to be a big break.
- If comedy didn’t work out, what was Jim’s plan B at age 17?
- Why Jim wound up leaving Australia for the UK (after a stint as a terrible car stereo salesman).
- Why Jim would argue that those early days as an expatriate comedian in the UK were the happiest in his life, and how the British and American comedy scenes differ.
- When did Jim first notice he was achieving some level of success as a comedian?
- On getting punched in the head by a heckler in Manchester, traveling the world for free, and the fleeting nature of fame and fortune.
- What keeps Jim going these days?
- J.K. Rowling, the beauty of Edinburgh, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
- The time Jim had John Cleese over for dinner, and where someone curious but inexperienced with Monty Python should start.
- How a story about taking a friend with muscular dystrophy to a brothel became the seed of Jim’s two-season sitcom Legit.
- The story behind Jim’s gun control piece, a peek into his writing process, and how new material gets tested.
- What is it about Monty Python’s Life of Brian that makes it a perfect movie in Jim’s estimation?
- What comics does Jim see as inspiring and formative to his own development as a comic?
- Does Jim plan on calling L.A. home for the foreseeable future?
- To what does Jim credit his longevity in comedy?
- Today, what might give Jim a high comparable to the first time he was able to write “standup comedian” as the occupation on his customs form?
- How does Jim know when he’s being a good dad?
- What can we expect from Jim’s upcoming I Don’t Know About That podcast?
- Parting thoughts.
PEOPLE MENTIONED
- Tim Farriss
- Michael Hutchence
- Elli Overton
- Rich Thompson
- Forrest Shaw
- Richard Gill
- Richard Wagner
- Hugh Jackman
- Gary Who
- Tom Hanks
- David Spade
- Kevin Nealon
- J.K. Rowling
- Phoebe Waller-Bridge
- Stephen Fry
- Hugh Laurie
- John Cleese
- Whitney Cummings
- Bryan Callen
- John Ratzenberger
- George Carlin
- Anthony Morgan
- Eddie Murphy
- Richard Pryor
- Johnny Carson
