But in conversation Mr. Jefferies, 35, is an affable sort with an easy laugh. A native of Sydney, Australia, he first found an audience for his comedy in Britain before moving to Los Angeles a few years ago. He has filled theaters in the United States since 2009 — when he boosted his profile with a popular HBO special, “I Swear to God” — and sold several series concepts along the way. But “Legit” is the first to make it to viewers.

Mr. Jefferies called Jeremy Egner from the set to discuss the show and reveal why it’s hard to run over a cat, even on cable. These are excerpts from the conversation.

Q. Stand-up comedy is a late-night profession. How are you adjusting to early-morning TV shoots?

A. I’m getting used to it. I’ve also got a newborn baby, so I’m not getting much sleep. My girlfriend played the prostitute in the pilot. That’s how we met. So I’ll always get to look at my son and go, “When I met your mother, I employed her as a prostitute.”

Q. That plot was taken from your act. Are all the episodes based on your stand-up?

A. Most of them. There are a few other stories that are lifted straight from my life. At the moment we’re filming one about me putting a girl in a trunk of a car, which I’ve never told onstage, but it’s a true story. I had a one-night stand with a woman who was a celebrity who was still married. The paparazzi were out front, so I put her in the trunk of my car, and I drove around the corner thinking I’d let her out, but they followed me, so she was in there for about 40 minutes until I could find a friend with a garage.