Latest news with #JimJefferies:SonofaCarpenter

What's On

Comedian Jim Jefferies chats with What's On ahead of his show this Saturday

We caught up with the laughmaker, and here's all he had to say… The Aussie comedian, actor and writer, known for his bold sense of humour, will perform at Dubai's Coca Cola Arena on Saturday, May 24 as part of his Jim Jefferies: Son of a Carpenter tour. We caught up with him in the lead-up… What's On: How do you feel about performing in Dubai at a time when comedy shows are on such an uptick in the UAE? Jim Jefferies: I'm happy to go anywhere that people are happy to come and see me. One of the beautiful things about Dubai is that it's just such a big melting pot of people from everywhere. One of the big questions I always get asked is, 'What's the difference between performing in the UK, US, Australia, Asia or elsewhere?', and performing in Dubai is like performing in all of those places, at once. This Saturday's show is going to have a little bit of everything – there's even something for the older fans, and it's going to be punchy, punchy, punchy – an hour-and-a-half, maybe more, of jokes is what you're gonna get. Images: Getty, What's On archive WO: What's one factor, aside from the metrics, that determines a successful show for you? JJ: The amount of applause I receive when I walk off stage after a performance, has to be equal to, or greater than the applause I received when I walked on to perform. When you're a known entity in any business, you get a bit more leeway. Comedy is a wonderful art form that lets you know immediately if your performance was a success or a failure, unlike perhaps, doing a scene in a movie. WO: Some crowds are easier to entertain, some others are a bit more sensitive. But over the past decade, the world's come to accept, and even expect that you'd push the envelope as far as you can. Do you tend to go all in, or are you very strategic with your humour depending on where you're performing? JJ: I'll let you in on an industry secret: you can say the boldest things, and you'll be fine – as long as the laugh's big. The more outrageous the statement, the bigger the laugh has to be. Also sometimes, I want to say to the newer guys, the reason the audience didn't laugh is because you weren't charming enough. It's more about being charming, and then that gives you more leeway. WO: A lot of newer comedians credit YouTube and social media as game changers with virality and overnight success. How much has it helped you? JJ: While it's helped, I've never personally uploaded a clip on YouTube – I'm not the most digitally-savvy. These days, many comedians will post clips about, let's say, how they handled a heckler. But I personally don't want to see a recording of my performances online, because I don't want to be overexposed. WO: How do you advise keeping your name out there, if you're just getting your name in the game? JJ: I just believe you have to brand yourself in the sense that, people can instantly tell when it's you. When I first started out, people that didn't even know my name knew me as the guy that wore the same leather jacket at all of his shows. I'm no marketing genius – I just feel like I'm lucky to be where i am, I've worked hard, and I'm really happy to be where I've gotten to. WO: You've mentioned charm/charisma. How transferable are your people skills between performing on stage and let's say, doing a talk show? JJ: A lot of your success at a talk show has to do with the rapport you have with the talk show host themselves. Quintessentially, you're doing a routine that's not a routine. But if you have someone like let's say, Jimmy Fallon, he's going to laugh at pretty much everything you say, and help you get over the line. I've been on talk show episodes with personalities like Bill Clinton and Margot Robbie, and in such situations have thought, 'This audience isn't gonna want to hear from me!' WO: What are you looking forward to exploring during your time in Dubai? JJ: I'm really looking forward to discovering a few nice restaurants while I'm in town – I love the food scene here. Jim Jefferies: Son of a Carpenter, Coca Cola Arena, Dubai, Saturday May 24, 8pm, from Dhs395,