Jim Jefferies
Himself
Jim Jefferies: Intolerant
“So much disagrees with him.”
2020
1h 6m
Director: Scott Zabielski
Overview
Between scenes from an excruciating date, Jim Jefferies digs into generational differences, his own bad habits and the shifting boundaries in comedy.
Cast
Reviews
5 min readThe Comedian Who Can’t Sit Still
There’s a moment about twenty minutes into Jim Jefferies: Intolerant where the camera lingers on Jefferies’ face as he pauses mid-rant, his mouth slightly open, eyes darting like he’s just remembered something urgent. It’s not a punchline—it’s a gear shift. He abandons whatever he was saying about millennials and their avocado toast (a bit he’s clearly done a hundred times) and launches into a story about his lactose intolerance, which, as it turns out, is the real engine of this special.
The date he’s describing—some ill-fated dinner where he spends the entire evening in a panic about whether he’ll make it to a bathroom in time—becomes the spine of the hour, a shaggy dog tale that keeps threatening to collapse under its own digressions. And yet, somehow, it doesn’t. That’s the trick of Intolerant: Jefferies makes chaos feel like structure.
The special arrives at a curious point in Jefferies’ career. By 2020, he’d already spent years as the kind of comedian who thrives on being the loudest, most unapologetic guy in the room—first as a touring act, then as the host of The Jim Jefferies Show on Comedy Central, where his brand of libertarian-leaning, politically incorrect rants found a home. But Intolerant feels different.
There’s a weariness here, a sense that he’s not just performing for the crowd but also working through something. The title itself is a double entendre: he’s physically intolerant of dairy, sure, but he’s also intolerant of a lot of modern life—woke culture, germaphobes, people who take too long to order at Starbucks. The difference is that this time, he’s not just railing against the world.
He’s also laughing at himself.
That self-awareness is what saves the special from feeling like a greatest-hits reel of his most tired bits. The framing device of the disastrous date is a masterstroke, not because it’s original (it’s not), but because it gives Jefferies permission to meander. He jumps from lactose horror stories to rants about gender-swapped reboots (Ghostbusters comes up, inevitably) to a bizarre tangent about how he once tried to use a bidet in France and nearly electrocuted himself.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsJim Jefferies: Intolerant – The Unfiltered Stand-Up Special That Divided Fans
Netflix’s Jim Jefferies: Intolerant (2020) is the Australian comedian’s third stand-up special for the streamer, but it’s the one that sparked the most debate. Directed by Scott Zabielski—who also helmed Jefferies’ previous special, This Is Me Now (2018)—the 66-minute set leans into the comedian’s signature brand of provocative, no-holds-barred humor. Yet, unlike his earlier work, Intolerant zeroed in on hot-button topics like fat-shaming, millennial culture, and political correctness, latestnetflix.com contends, drawing both praise and backlash from audiences.
A Director-Comedian Duo with a History
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gARLVZQefw
Jefferies and Zabielski have a long-standing creative partnership. Zabielski directed Jefferies’ 2018 Netflix special This Is Me Now, which earned a solid 6.9/10 on SensCritique 
. Their collaboration extends beyond stand-up; Zabielski also directed episodes of The Jim Jefferies Show, the comedian’s short-lived Comedy Central late-night series. In one episode, Zabielski even appeared as a guest, joking about the show’s behind-the-scenes chaos . While Intolerant doesn’t feature any on-screen cameos, the duo’s familiarity likely contributed to the special’s tight pacing and visual gags—hallmarks of Zabielski’s direction.
Controversial Material: Fat-Shaming and Millennials Under Fire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xrKBKGQFR0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGWwM1-3qm8
Jefferies has never shied away from edgy material, but Intolerant pushed boundaries further than his previous specials. Clips circulating online highlight two particularly divisive segments: one targeting fat-shaming and another mocking millennial culture . The fat-shaming bit, in particular, drew criticism for its blunt, unapologetic tone, with some viewers accusing Jefferies of punching down. Meanwhile, the millennial jokes—ranging from avocado toast to workplace entitlement—resonated with older audiences but rankled younger viewers.
The special’s title, Intolerant, isn’t just a branding choice; it’s a mission statement. Jefferies has built his career on skewering societal norms, and this special doubles down on that approach. Whether the material lands or misfires depends largely on the audience’s tolerance for his brand of humor.
Reception: Mixed Reviews and a Decent Rating
Critically, Intolerant didn’t make waves like Jefferies’ earlier specials. SensCritique users gave it a 7/10 based on 78 votes, a slight dip from This Is Me Now’s 6.9/10 . Rotten Tomatoes, which aggregates reviews, doesn’t provide a score for the special, but the lack of widespread critical discussion suggests it didn’t break out as a standout in Jefferies’ catalog .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wva0OyWVRsM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8sTqQUROn4
That said, Netflix’s decision to greenlight a third special for Jefferies indicates confidence in his drawing power. The official trailer, released in early 2020, teased the special’s confrontational tone, with Jefferies declaring, “I don’t care if you’re offended” . For fans of his unfiltered style, that’s part of the appeal.
The Bottom Line: A Special for the Jefferies Faithful
Jim Jefferies: Intolerant isn’t for everyone. It’s a special that thrives on controversy, and Jefferies’ willingness to court outrage ensures it won’t fade quietly. While it may not have reached the cultural impact of his earlier work, it reinforces his reputation as a comedian unafraid to tackle taboo subjects—even if it means alienating swaths of his audience.
For those who appreciate his brand of humor, Intolerant delivers exactly what they expect: sharp, unapologetic, and often uncomfortable comedy. For everyone else, it’s a reminder that Jefferies’ act isn’t for the easily offended.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
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