#170 - The Kid Mero

Mon Mar 02 2026

The Kid Mero joins the pod to discuss hosting Mornings with Mero on Hot97, how he now has to wake up at 3:30am for the new gig, his podcast Victory Light, Albanians, witnessing his Dominican dad live his best life and get mani-pedis in retirement, getting kicked out of Catholic school, and much more. Mero and Stav help callers including a woman who thinks her husband is sus for asking for a special move in bed, and a guy who can’t get over how his uncle tried stealing the inheritance that his father left for him years ago. Subscribe to Victory Light with The Kid Mero on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/VictoryLight Follow The Kid Mero on social media: https://www.instagram.com/thekidmero https://www.youtube.com/@accordingtothekid https://bsky.app/profile/thekidmero.bsky.social https://www.tiktok.com/@thekidmero https://www.threads.com/@thekidmero Thanks to our sponsors!! Ziprecruiter - try it free at https://www.ziprecruiter.com/stavvy Visible - https://www.visible.com/catfis...

Transcript

Mero (0:00)

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Eldis (0:15)

and

Mero (0:16)

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Eldis (0:28)

Let's Texas. Hey everybody, it's Babs. I am so excited to tell you about Birch Lane. A brand that shares my passion for classic style and joyful living. Their classic furniture and decor helps you celebrate it all. From big holiday gatherings to everyday moments at home. Each piece is carefully crafted and delivered fast and free so you can celebrate what matters most. Shop my hand picked Birch Lane collection and more classic styles@birchlane.com Opa welcome everybody. To stop his world 904, 800 stuff call in. We'll solve all your problems. Very happy on to have on the couch our boy the kid Miro. How we doing, bro? Thanks for coming, man. Yeah, but I've been trying to come out here for a minute, dude. This is me screening your emails, dude. I was like, yeah, let's get him on. So this, that's the problem with your gatekeeper is your dumb friend. When your booker, your talent booker is truly your dumbest. I mean, one of the dumbest guys I know controls so much of my life and career, it's fucking scary.

Mero (1:38)

I was very smart. I was very smart and also racist. I was like, yo, you know what I need?

Eldis (1:43)

Yeah.

Mero (1:43)

A very intelligent Asian man.

Eldis (1:45)

Smart sometimes, you know,

Mero (1:50)

freaky man.

Eldis (1:51)

El, did you hear that? You're about to get fucking. You're about to get replaced.

Mero (1:54)

Hey, come on.

Eldis (1:54)

You're about to get replaced by a Vietnamese guy.

Mero (1:59)

But they can't deal with this survivor non Albanian brains, bro, you behind you open up a pizzeria in the Bronx, bro. Exactly. I'm just trying to raise seed money for my Greek slash pizza place that I'm playing.

Summary

Stavvy's World #170 – The Kid Mero

Release Date: March 2, 2026
Host: Stavros Halkias
Guest: The Kid Mero

Episode Overview

In this lively and hilarious episode, comedian and radio host The Kid Mero joins Stavros Halkias for a deep-dive into family, culture, career changes, relationships, and growing pains. The two riff on diverse topics—from immigrant upbringing and morning-radio grind, to childhood snacks, awkward doctor visits, sexual hang-ups, and the ever-messy world of relationship advice. Through it all, Stav, Mero, and Eldis (the show’s producer and frequent third mic) maintain trademark irreverence and warmth, offering insights both earnest and absurd.

I. Culture, Family, and Growing Up (00:29–10:05)

Immigrant Upbringings & Neighborhoods

The episode opens with jokes about the inefficiency of Stav’s booking team before veering into playful ribbing about Albanian/Greek restaurant “trade secrets.”
Mero and Stavros commiserate over their immigrant “zoo animal” upbringings and reflect on being separated from their respective home cultures.
- Mero: “I had a bunch of Albanian homies. They’re more Latino than the Puerto Rican-Italian hybrids in the Bronx.” (05:12)

Albanian Pride & Stereotypes

The crew breaks down regional and ethnic pride, especially around flags and symbols.
- “The Albanian flag is incredible. Goes crazy... has that vibe with none of the supremacy.” — Stavros (07:04)
Merciless roasting of Eldis—his detachment from traditional Albanian identity, his aversion to guns, and childhood spent reading French literature.

The Importance of Neighborhood Characters

Mero and Stav discuss the rich personalities of New York’s Bronx and the “enclaves” of different communities.
- “They got a foothold. Yeah, they got enclaves.”— Eldis (09:49)

II. Showbiz, Work, & Personal Health (10:05–23:42)

Transitioning to a ‘Real Job’

Mero discusses becoming the new Hot 97 Morning Show host—a full-circle moment after years of ‘stoner in the backseat’ dreaming.
- “Now doing it, I’m like, oh, this is ill. Except my circadian rhythm is—” (10:35)
- “It is a real-ass job. I have to fill out health insurance forms.” — Stavros (10:44)
Both comedians compare showbiz “dream jobs” with the comparatively easy and lucrative world of podcasting.

Surprising Downsides of Adult Success

Early wakeups (3:45am!), the myth of “having the whole day” after a morning shift, and the mounting physical effects of aging.
Humorous riffs about the simple baby life—being bathed, carried to bed, “getting your little nuts cleaned” (14:54).
Quote: “I would need to be chemically castrated to not get horny if somebody bathed me.” — Stavros (15:21)

Doctor Visits & Male Embarrassment

The duo exchange stories about physicals, awkward doctor moments, language barriers, and childhood insecurities about “girth” (with Spanish wordplay: “troncoso” meaning “girthy”).
- “My dad took me to the doctor… talking in Spanish. Troncoso means girthy. So I had a hog as well.”— Mero (15:21)

Chronic Health & Weight

Both bemoan trying to lose weight and the betrayals of the body (“I fucked my back up working out, that feels like it shouldn’t be allowed”—Stav, 23:30).
Mero details his journey with sleep apnea, family health history, and “getting on the shots” (weight-loss medication).
Riff on the absurdity of former fat kids acting superior after getting fit.
- “Fat people talking about former fat people being like, ‘you need more discipline’—that’s like a Cuban for Trump about to get deported.” — Stavros (28:25)

III. Boarding Schools, Youth, and Food Memories (31:34–41:40)

Boarding School Angst

Mero recalls being recruited out of the Bronx for prep school, resisting “there’s no bitches,” and pulling the “I might kill myself” card to stay in NYC (33:38).
Younger brother’s different fate—ends up at prep school and “comes back doing the Terry Crews titty bounce” (34:39).

NYC School Food & Childhood Snacks

Reminiscing over Bronx cafeteria culture: honey buns, Arizona iced tea, bodega snacks.
- “Barbecue corn chips, honey barbecue chips… salt breakfast of champions.”— Eldis (35:04)
Stories of creative, and unsanitary, ingenuity in smoking weed as teens (rolling a joint in a pizza bag, using cans as pipes).

Neighborhood Crackheads

“Where are all the New York City crackheads, bro? Now it’s all fent. Crackheads used to be jovial.” — Mero (37:19)
Commentary on the loss of community personalities as the drug epidemic evolves.

IV. Summers Abroad, Generational Vibes, and The Immigrant Dad (41:40–51:28)

Village Summers & Culture Shock

Both hosts share tales of being sent “back home” to live with family in Greece/Dominican Republic.
The bittersweetness of village life—days of swimming in rivers, being a “celebrity” for speaking English, and perspective gained from modest living.

The Old World Mentality

Even as adults, their fathers stay resourceful, social, and often hilariously inappropriate. Mero describes his now-pampered immigrant dad’s “retirement”—beer runs, pedicures, and frank sex talk with the lesbians in the family.
- “My dad’s like, my dick don’t even work!”—Mero (48:00)
Quote: “Just picking the brain of an expert. Picking the brain of a seasoned lesbian.” — Stavros (50:08)
Stav’s dad and the bathroom renovation—“Does it suck your dick too?” (51:26)

V. Listener Voicemails & Advice (54:50–100:03)

A. The Side Piece Who Wasn’t (54:50–64:33)

Timestamp Highlights:

(55:13) Caller: “I just found out I was the side guy for a five-year relationship… totally unaware…”
Stav & Mero clarify: “You weren’t the side guy. She was cheating on you!” (55:25–55:28)
Advice: Don’t go back. If you reconcile, you’re giving permission for this dynamic to continue—implicit approval for future cheating (58:21).
Mero shares personal story of similar breakup: “I was there. The denial stage… don’t walk back that path.” (64:33)

B. The Surprise Dad (66:32–73:53)

Timestamp Highlights:

(67:22) Caller: “I got my girlfriend pregnant after 3.5 months, I’m a broke LA waiter/aspiring actor. Do I go to trade school, get a new agent, what?”
(69:42) Mero: “Listen, I was making $20,000 legally, another maybe $10,000 illegally. Selling bad coke, running around with a firearm. You’ll be fine.”
Advice: It’s never the right time, but prioritize the baby, get stability, and chip away at your creative pursuits. Keep dreams alive, but the baby's #1.

C. Is it Gay if I…? (75:04–81:59)

Timestamp Highlights:

(75:13) Caller (F): “My husband wants his ass eaten, finger in the butt… part of me thinks it’s gay even though I know it’s not. I feel bad.”
Mero: “Yo, she hits you with ayo! Your wife hits you with ayo!” (75:23)
Stavros: “This is someone who’s very comfortable with you. There’s straight guys who want to get pegged… Just treat it like any other request.” (77:12, 78:06)
Mero: “You’re not walking that back. This is your life now!” (81:21)

D. The Uncle Who Borrowed $140k (82:49–92:49)

Timestamp Highlights:

(82:54) Caller: “Dad died, uncle was supposed to split life insurance, kept it… eventually paid it back, but I can’t forgive.”
Mero: “You gotta sneak him, bro, he’s gotta get jumped…” (83:32)
Stavros: “Letting that anger rule you stops you from having happy memories of your dad. Be real about yourself—how big was this sin, what did it really cost you?” (88:43)
Both: Try to allow space for forgiveness, but acknowledge anger often links back to grief.

E. Quick-Fire: Circumcision (96:52–100:03)

Timestamp Highlights:

(97:27) Caller (F): “Expecting a baby boy; thinking NOT to circumcise. Thoughts?”
Mero: “A foreskin is an entrance… If you circumcise you just got a weird little worm… let it rock!” (97:42)
Stavros: “Everyone here… unserked. We highly recommend it.” (98:57)

VI. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Cultural Hybridization:
“Every Greek restaurant is run by Albanians. They come in, steal our trade secrets, and open up.” — Stavros (02:15)
On Getting Old:
“I did my whole 20s… now I’m putting up a pullup bar for my kid and fall on my neck.” — Mero (21:10)
On Family Business:
“I literally hired three of my best friends and, you know, between all of them they’re one good employee.” — Stavros (03:35)
On Forgiveness:
“You don’t want to be doing the work to stay angry… you might get to the point where you don’t even give a shit.”— Stavros (90:33)
On Sex Positivity:
“This is a chance for you to let go of sexual hangups. Just treat it like you would any other compromise.” — Stavros (78:06)

Guest Plugs & Closing (93:05–100:03)

Mero’s plugs:
- Hot 97 Mornings with Mero, Patreon, Victory Light, and 7pm in Brooklyn show (“weed clubhouse”)—“the most fun show I work on, period.”
Mutual admiration: Both gush about each other’s career arcs and crossover fan bases.
- “Everybody was like, Mero’s the Stavros of Bodega… is that a backhanded compliment?” — Mero (95:56)
Last call: Don’t mutilate your kids, keep those baby foreskins; hygiene matters more than anything.

VII. Summary: Episode Vibe & Takeaways

This episode epitomizes Stavvy’s World at its best—raucous, honest, proudly unfiltered. The chemistry between Stavros and Mero leads to incisive (and hilarious) takes on weighty topics: identity, health, breakups, fatherhood, and sexual openness. Throughout, listeners are reminded that life’s messes are universal—and that humor, mutual support, and a willingness to “keep it twisted” go a long way.