Australian comedian Jim Jefferies throws tantrum at Auckland show

Comedian Jim Jefferies butted heads with the audience at his Auckland show on Tuesday night. Photo/Supplied

Kiwi comedy fans have complained that an Australian stand-up comic turned on them, swearing and threatening to walk off stage.

Australian comedian Jim Jefferies is touring the country with his show Jim Jefferies Live! and has sold out shows across New Zealand.

However, fans say the rising comic sabotaged his Auckland show at ASB Theatre on Tuesday night after firing up at a group of hecklers.

A thread on Reddit revealed that Jefferies turned on fans after facing continued interruptions from hecklers.

He reportedly called them "the worst f****** audience" he had ever had.

One fan who went to the show told the Herald he felt "so awkward" when Jefferies began attacking the crowd.

"He just stopped what he was doing and said, 'Do you guys want a f****** show or not?' and then everyone went quiet.

"Then a couple more people heckled him and then he started having a big go at everyone. He goes, 'You know what, you're the worst f****** crowd I've ever had, you're acting like a bunch of c****'."

Jefferies stopped performing for several minutes, telling the crowd, "I'm done" before getting security to throw out one of the hecklers, the fan said.

Eventually, Jefferies carried on after the remaining audience members cheered him on, and the punter told the Herald: "It was still the best $65 I've ever seen. I'd go see him again."

The Tuesday night incident comes after another awkward show on Monday night, where the Australian allegedly got drunk and made off colour jokes about deceased All Blacks player Jonah Lomu.

At his Wellington show last night, Jefferies referenced the joke, saying his Auckland show didn't go well because of it, though made no reference to the heckling or his tantrum.

Comments on the Reddit thread were mixed, with some saying they were embarrassed to be associated with the hecklers, while others slammed the comic as a "Hollywood prima donna".

Promoters Mushroom Publicity are yet to respond to a request for comment. Jefferies still has four shows to play on his tour.