‘m not talking about the kind you use in the kitchen.
Comedian Stavros Halkias is Ready to Chill the F*ck Out
After taking the comedy world by storm in the past year, Stavros Halkias is ready to kick back and relax. From producing his own debut special, Live At The Lodge Room, to dropping his first Netflix special, Fat Rascal, just over a year later, this New York-based comedian from Baltimore is finally ready to take a break.
“I’m tired of hotel rooms and Delta lounges,” Halkias shared during a recent phone conversation. “I’m looking forward to sitting on my couch, smoking weed, and just zoning out for a couple of months.”
It’s a well-deserved break for a man who seemingly rose to fame overnight. But a closer look reveals that Halkias has been working hard behind the scenes. Not only did he hit the road to prepare for his Netflix special, shooting it less than a year after Live At The Lodge Room, but he also continued with his podcast, Stavvy’s World, and wrote and filmed an indie movie, Let’s Start A Cult, set to release this year.
During our conversation, Halkias opened up about his journey to success, his relationship with weed, and how doubting his own success actually helped his comedy career unfold in a fun and organic way.
High Times Magazine: From growing up in Baltimore, was comedy always your goal?
Stavros Halkias: It was a bit of a complicated situation because, deep down, I always knew I wanted to pursue comedy. But it was almost like a forbidden thing because I come from an immigrant family and I’m the firstborn son.
I was a good student and went to college on a scholarship, so everyone expected me to become a lawyer or something. Comedy was something I couldn’t openly admit to wanting, but it was always in the back of my mind.
During my freshman year of college, there was an open mic night in the basement of my dorm. I decided to give stand-up a try for the first time, and it was a really supportive crowd. It became this secret thing for me. I don’t want to compare it to being in the closet because that’s a much harder experience, but it did feel like I was living with a secret that I didn’t want my parents to find out about. I knew I had to come out eventually, and I was always trying to find acceptable ways to showcase my funny side and my desire to pursue comedy.
You knew your calling, but external factors, like your parents, kept you in the “comedy closet.”
Stavros Halkias: Absolutely. I was definitely stuck in the comedy closet. I was actually funnier to be around before I started doing comedy because I was always trying to prove that I was funny and show off that talent. I was always joking around in school and messing with people, which is also a product of going to Baltimore City Public Schools. You have to be able to roast to survive, especially when you’re a fat kid like I’ve been my whole life. But I’ve always been comfortable with my weight, and humor has always been a way for me to deflect and avoid being made fun of. And I’m not talking about the kind of deflector you use in the kitchen.
