Digest

This podcast episode features a conversation with comedian Stavros Halkias, whose career has recently taken off. The episode explores Halkias's journey from podcasting to television and now a movie, emphasizing the foundation of his success in stand-up comedy. Halkias discusses the role of social media in his career, particularly the viral success of crowd work clips, and the impact of the pandemic on his planned comedy central special. He highlights the importance of friendship and support, particularly from his friend Sam, who encouraged him to release his stand-up material on YouTube. Halkias reflects on the craftsmanship of stand-up comedy, his initial reluctance to embrace crowd work, and the value of both approaches. He shares his parents' reaction to his choice of comedy as a career, particularly his father's initial skepticism, and how his success eventually won them over. Halkias discusses the new economy in comedy, where comedians collaborate on podcasts and support each other's careers, and his experience working with MSG on a sports-themed show. He explores the appeal of sports fandom, particularly its ability to tap into childhood memories and provide a sense of tribal belonging. Halkias discusses his experience playing football at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute and how it influenced his career path. He shares his experience with immigrant guilt and how it affected his decision to pursue comedy, his struggles with depression, and his decision to seek therapy. Halkias reflects on the importance of following your dreams, even when faced with parental pressure and societal expectations, and his mother's unwavering support. He describes his journey to New York City, including his struggles to find work and his dedication to open mics. Halkias discusses the challenges of disappointing immigrant parents who have sacrificed so much for their children's future, his experience with his father's resentment, and how he has worked to repair their relationship. He reflects on the temptations of fame and how they can negatively affect the ability to do good work, his own experiences with success, and how he strives to stay grounded. Halkias shares his insights on the challenges of navigating success and maintaining a sense of balance in life, the importance of staying grounded, and prioritizing personal well-being. He discusses his ongoing pursuit of artistic fulfillment, particularly in stand-up comedy, and acknowledges that he has not yet achieved his ideal special but remains committed to creating work that he is proud of. The speaker reflects on a period of intense success where he was booked for numerous projects but ultimately felt unhappy and depressed. He attributes this to the relentless demands of the industry and the lack of personal fulfillment. The speaker discusses the challenges of maintaining a healthy balance between work and personal life, particularly in the entertainment industry. He emphasizes the importance of prioritizing personal well-being and avoiding burnout. The speaker shares his decision to step back from constant touring and pursue creative projects that are personally meaningful, such as making an indie movie. He emphasizes the importance of finding joy in creative endeavors. The speaker reveals the connection between his eating habits and his mental health, particularly during periods of intense work. He describes how the demanding schedule of filmmaking led to unhealthy eating patterns and a decline in his well-being. The speaker discusses his commitment to prioritizing his health and well-being moving forward. He shares his plans to incorporate healthy habits into his lifestyle, such as regular exercise and balanced meals. The speaker reflects on the pursuit of success and how it can sometimes lead to a sense of emptiness. He questions the value of material wealth and fame, suggesting that true happiness lies in personal fulfillment and meaningful relationships. The speaker expresses his desire to create a great stand-up special that reflects his best work. He acknowledges the challenges of the entertainment industry but remains committed to pursuing his creative goals. The speaker shares his experience of paying off his mother's debt and the realization that it was a reflection of the systemic inequalities in American society. He expresses anger and frustration at the financial burdens faced by many working-class individuals. The speaker reflects on the irony of his success being a reflection of the systemic problems in the world. He questions the values of a society where talent is rewarded while many struggle to make ends meet. The speaker concludes by acknowledging the lessons he has learned from his experiences, particularly the importance of prioritizing personal well-being and finding fulfillment in creative endeavors. He emphasizes the need to avoid burnout and maintain a healthy balance in life.

Outlines

00:00:00

The Rise of Stavros Halkias

The podcast begins with an introduction to Stavros Halkias, a comedian whose career has recently taken off. The host expresses excitement about Halkias's success and acknowledges the years of hard work that led to it. Halkias discusses his career trajectory, starting with podcasting, then transitioning to television and now a movie. He emphasizes that his success is built on a foundation of stand-up comedy.

00:00:39

The Importance of Stand-Up Comedy and Social Media's Impact

Halkias explains that stand-up comedy is his true passion and that everything else he does, including podcasting and acting, is a means to promote his stand-up career. Halkias acknowledges the role of social media in his success, particularly crowd work clips that have gone viral. He expresses surprise at the popularity of these clips, as he considers crowd work to be a less rewarding aspect of stand-up.

00:11:41

The Pandemic's Impact and the Importance of Friendship

Halkias discusses the impact of the pandemic on his career, particularly the cancellation of his planned comedy central half-hour special. He shares his feelings of depression and how he coped with the setback. Halkias highlights the importance of friendship and support in his career, particularly from his friend Sam, who encouraged him to release his stand-up material on YouTube.

00:14:41

The Decision to Release Stand-Up Material on YouTube and the Craftsmanship of Stand-Up Comedy

Halkias explains his decision to release his stand-up material on YouTube, inspired by Sam's success. He discusses the financial and promotional benefits of this approach. Halkias reflects on his initial reluctance to embrace crowd work, due to his focus on the craftsmanship of stand-up comedy. He acknowledges the value of both approaches and how they have contributed to his success.

00:24:31

Family and Immigration and the New Economy in Comedy

Halkias discusses his parents' reaction to his choice of comedy as a career, particularly his father's initial skepticism. He shares how his success in podcasting and stand-up eventually won over his family. Halkias discusses the new economy in comedy, where comedians collaborate on podcasts and support each other's careers. He shares his experience working with MSG on a sports-themed show.

00:29:27

The Appeal of Sports Fandom and the Influence of Baltimore Polytechnic Institute

Halkias explores the appeal of sports fandom, particularly its ability to tap into childhood memories and provide a sense of tribal belonging. He discusses his own passion for sports and how it has manifested in his career. Halkias discusses his experience playing football at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute and how it influenced his career path. He shares his decision to pursue comedy instead of football.

00:41:41

The Struggle with Immigrant Guilt and the Importance of Following Your Dreams

Halkias shares his experience with immigrant guilt and how it affected his decision to pursue comedy. He discusses his struggles with depression and his decision to seek therapy. Halkias reflects on the importance of following your dreams, even when faced with parental pressure and societal expectations. He shares his mother's unwavering support and his own determination to pursue comedy.

00:48:00

The Journey to New York City and Disappointing Immigrant Parents

Halkias describes his journey to New York City, including his struggles to find work and his dedication to open mics. He shares how his mother's support helped him through this challenging period. Halkias discusses the challenges of disappointing immigrant parents who have sacrificed so much for their children's future. He shares his experience with his father's resentment and how he has worked to repair their relationship.

00:58:01

The Temptations of Fame and Lessons Learned from Success

Halkias reflects on the temptations of fame and how they can negatively affect the ability to do good work. He discusses his own experiences with success and how he strives to stay grounded. Halkias shares his insights on the challenges of navigating success and maintaining a sense of balance in life. He discusses the importance of staying grounded and prioritizing personal well-being.

01:05:34

The Price of Success and the Pursuit of Artistic Fulfillment

The speaker reflects on a period of intense success where he was booked for numerous projects, but ultimately felt unhappy and depressed. He attributes this to the relentless demands of the industry and the lack of personal fulfillment. The speaker discusses his ongoing pursuit of artistic fulfillment, particularly in stand-up comedy. He acknowledges that he has not yet achieved his ideal special but remains committed to creating work that he is proud of.

Keywords

Q&A

• How did Stavros Halkias's career take off, and what role did stand-up comedy play in his success?

  Halkias's career began with podcasting, which led to television and now a movie. However, he emphasizes that stand-up comedy is his true passion and that everything else he does is a means to promote his stand-up career.

• How did the pandemic affect Stavros Halkias's career, and how did he cope with the setbacks?

  The pandemic led to the cancellation of Halkias's planned comedy central half-hour special, causing him to feel depressed. He coped with the setback by releasing his stand-up material on YouTube, inspired by his friend Sam's success.

• What are some of the challenges of being a comedian in the new economy, and how has Stavros Halkias navigated these challenges?

  The new economy in comedy is characterized by collaboration, independent platforms, and the importance of social media. Halkias has embraced these changes, using podcasts and social media to promote his stand-up career.

• How did Stavros Halkias's parents react to his choice of comedy as a career, and how did he overcome their initial skepticism?

  Halkias's parents, particularly his father, were initially skeptical of his choice of comedy as a career. However, his success in podcasting and stand-up eventually won them over.

• What are some of the lessons Stavros Halkias has learned from his journey to success, and how does he strive to maintain a sense of balance in his life?

  Halkias has learned the importance of staying grounded, prioritizing personal well-being, and not letting success negatively affect his ability to do good work. He acknowledges the challenges of navigating fame and the importance of maintaining a sense of balance.

• What are some of the challenges of maintaining a healthy work-life balance in the entertainment industry?

  The speaker highlights the relentless demands of the industry, the pressure to constantly be available for work, and the potential for burnout. He emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries and prioritizing personal well-being.

• How did the speaker's experience of success impact his mental health?

  The speaker describes a period of intense success where he was booked for numerous projects but felt unhappy and depressed. He attributes this to the lack of personal fulfillment and the relentless demands of the industry.

• What are some of the systemic inequalities that the speaker addresses in the transcript?

  The speaker discusses the financial burdens faced by many working-class individuals, particularly immigrants, and the impact of debt on their lives. He expresses anger and frustration at the systemic inequalities that create these challenges.

• What are some of the lessons the speaker learned from his experiences?

  The speaker emphasizes the importance of prioritizing personal well-being, finding fulfillment in creative endeavors, and avoiding burnout. He acknowledges the need to maintain a healthy balance between work and personal life.

Show Notes