“I’m getting there,” reflects Jefferies. “It’s taken me a while to turn heads in Australia, but I think people are starting to come around. I do enjoy coming back. I’m so busy touring that I don’t have a home a lot of time, but I’m hoping to continue making an impression in Australia.”
His world domination had recommenced and after wowing crowds at Montreal’s Just For Laughs festival, Jefferies was signed by North America’s premier talent agency CAA. It was the twilight of 2009 and he’d suddenly secured his very own stand-up special on US cable network HBO, titled Swear to God. Jefferies had made his name – sans Australia, but after selling out crowds, to his surprise, during his 2014 and 2015 Australian tours he seems to be slowly working into his hometown market. Talking a relaxed approach to his upcoming shows, Jefferies ultimates wants nothing more to make people laugh.
“I’m just trying to be funny,” he says. “There’s no political agenda attached to it. All I’m hoping is that all the people that saw me last year are as entertained as last year – if not more.” The comedian is equally motivated about bettering his act and being as sharp as he can be when he hits the stage. “I’m hoping for consistency and improvement. I don’t want to be a guy that just tours for money. I want to go out there and not let down the people who have been following me for a long time. For the people who are seeing me for the first time, I want them to enjoy themselves.”
Since establishing himself in the US he has begun exploring his talent and potential. As such, vision of his face has not only been confined to off-the-record comedy clubs and theatre stages but has emerged on television screens as well. Most notably has been his co-creation of the unapologetically crass comedy series Legit, with which he also starred in. Despite solid reviews, the show only lasted two seasons. However, Jefferies remains undismayed, admitting he would like to do more acting when the opportunity presents itself.
“I’m not as good at acting as I am at stand-up comedy, I’m not as confident. So it is harder for me but I do enjoy it,” he says. “Lately I feel like I’ve done a few projects which weren’t the best projects so now I’m just going to hold out until something good comes along.”
While Jefferies’ own show may have met an untimely end, it seems it planted the seed of further creativity within him, currently with a new project in the pipeline.
“I really enjoyed doing Legit,” he says. “My own TV show was easy because I was acting like myself and I’ve got another show that just sold in America that is going to go to pilot and we’ll see if it goes to series. If it goes to series, I’ll be back on the telly. But if it doesn’t, I won’t be. I won’t for a second say I’m a very good actor. I think I do some things well when I’m acting, but I don’t think I’m a very dramatic actor. Who knows what the future holds? I feel like acting’s one of those things that if I keep doing it enough, I might get good at it.”
BY TOM PARKER
