Jim Jefferies is getting a late night show at Comedy Central
By Josh Hill
Australian comedian Jim Jefferies is reportedly getting his own late night show on Comedy Central.
Just months after canceling Larry Wilmore’s The Nightly Show an amid constant rumors about the future of The Daily Show, Comedy Central is adding to its late night lineup. Australian comedian Jim Jefferies, who is hitting the big time in his career rise, has been tapped for a new late night show.
Word came from New York Times writer Dave Itzkoff, among other reports, that Jefferies will be joining the team at Comedy Central.
“Comedy Central says it has picked up a new weekly late-night series starring Jim Jeffries starting this summer.”
Here’s what Comedy Central president Kent Alterman said about the addition of Jefferies to the lineup:
"“Jim has a huge comedic voice on the global stage. During development, we also learned his talent is only surpassed by his incredible work ethic.”"
It sounds like this isn’t going to be an Inside Amy Schumer type show for Jefferies, rater it will be a late night talk show where the comedian discusses current events. The Hollywood Reporter draws a link to the success of Samantha Bee and Full Frontal, which gives a little insight into what Comedy Central is thinking here.
To branch off that, Bee is in league with John Oliver as ex-Comedy Central comedians who the network failed to secure for the long term. Both were Daily Show correspondents and both now have weekly cable shows that have taken the world by storm. Oliver is in the fourth season of his Emmy-winning series Last Week Tonight where Bee is flying high with the growing success of her TBS show.
Jefferies is one of the hottest comedians on the circuit at the moment, having just finished a Netflix special — his second with the streaming service. He was recently featured on Real Time with Bill Maher where he beefed hard with Piers Morgan, leading some on Twitter to insist that the first guest of his new show be his new foe.
No premiere date for this untitled Jim Jefferies experience has been released.