Bonus #145 - Live Call Show Vol. 31 [PATREON PREVIEW]

Summary

Stavvy's World – Bonus #145: Live Call Show Vol. 31 [PATREON PREVIEW]

Host: Stavros Halkias
Date: September 11, 2025
Featured Segment: Call-in advice for a listener dealing with her father's post-divorce meltdown

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Episode Overview

This bonus episode of Stavvy’s World features a particularly explosive live call, with Stavros and co-host fielding a listener’s jaw-dropping family drama. The caller seeks advice on handling her father’s post-retirement midlife crisis, which spiraled into a failed business, an affair with a much older, eccentric woman, and a series of bizarre life decisions that threaten both his finances and familial bonds. The hosts respond with the show’s trademark mix of humor and genuine concern, offering both hearty laughs and measured advice.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Caller’s Story: From Cop to Chaos (00:16–07:06)

• Background:

  • The caller’s parents were married for 36 years—“I was like, wow, this is love. Like, good for them. Happy family.” (Caller, 00:16)
  • After retirement, her father, a career cop, bought a restaurant with his pension… and “it was the worst fucking food… so bad.” (Caller, 00:48)
  • The restaurant predictably “flops,” dragging the family down with it.

• Affair with a Waitress:

  • Dad falls for a “career waitress… in her 60s, has tiggle bitties, and is like an attractive older woman.”
  • “He tells my mom, like, I'm no longer in love with you. I'm in love with this woman. But I want to stay married.” (Caller, 01:30)
  • Hosts react:
    • Stav: “He wasn’t thinking about fucking making food. He was thinking about fucking waitresses.” (02:13)
    • “A first generation E-thot before they even had the Internet, she was an E-girl.” (Host 1, 02:00)

• Polyamorous Proposal:

  • The dad wants to have an open marriage—remains married but dates the waitress, who’s still married herself.
  • “Your dad’s coming out as Polly in his old age. I mean, this is insane.” (Host 1, 03:05)
  • Caller stands firm and convinces her mom to leave: “No, you’re not doing that… You’re getting a divorce so good.” (Caller, 03:21)

2. Fallout: Divorce & Dad’s Spiral (03:47–07:32)

• Mom’s Success, Dad’s Decline:

  • Mom is now “thriving,” doing yoga and Zumba; dad is “spiraling out of control,” in a sad apartment—“like, one piece of furniture… one piece of strange artwork.” (Caller, 04:02)
  • “Retired cop, failed restauranteur, divorce. That’s a very divorced man right there.” (Host 1, 05:18)

• Extreme Decisions:

  • Dad removes his ex-wife as beneficiary from his life insurance and names the new woman instead—“That’s crazy. Not even you, like, okay, that’s what I said. I was like, you have three children.” (Caller & Host 1, 06:06–06:13)
  • The new woman, now living with dad, “also has a husband and a kid” and is described as both gothic and manipulative.

• Host Reactions:

  • Hosts joke about the situation evolving into a murder-thriller plot for the life insurance—“What if this is just a plot to kill your father by this white trash couple?” (Host 1, 06:53)
  • The family only discovers the life insurance change via a letter; the network of “secrets” among siblings and their mother adds intrigue.

3. The Question: Can You Save Dad from Himself? (07:32–16:48)

• Caller’s Dilemma:

  • Torn between confronting her father, cutting him off, or letting him make his (bad) choices—“I can’t even like talk to him without wanting to throw my phone across the room anymore.” (Caller, 08:42)
  • “How the fuck do I convince my dad that he needs to leave this woman who’s probably slowly poisoning him for his life insurance money. Or do I just say fuck you and just stop talking to my dad?” (Caller, 08:31)

• Host Advice:

  • Stavros emphasizes you can only go so far:
    • “I don’t think you can tell him to leave this woman, right? It’s his fucking life. He wants to be a fucking idiot. Whatever… All he’s got is getting to fuck this woman, right?” (Host 1, 08:55)
    • The betrayal is not the divorce, but naming the new girlfriend as life insurance beneficiary over his own children:
      • “That I would have a big issue with… if my dad put his new girlfriend instead of his kids.” (Host 1, 10:22)
    • Advice: Address it directly; no need for covert ops—“You can very reasonably bring up to your dad post divorce.” (Host 1, 13:20)

• Family Espionage:

  • Caller reveals her mom and sister maintain an “underground network” for keeping tabs on dad:
    • “I have my sources…Your whole family is insane is what you’re telling me.” (Caller & Host 1, 12:25–12:31)
  • Suggestions to approach dad directly with practical questions, rather than relying on subterfuge—“A straightforward question might be actually a better way to go about this.” (Host 1, 13:20)

• Long-Term Perspective:

  • Co-host cautions:
    • “Your dad clearly had a life crisis, but… look into the future, especially if you’re thinking about, like, cutting them off… what’s your relationship going to look like?” (Host 2, 14:35)
    • “Eventually your anger towards him will soften. You will always think he’s a dumbass… But you know, just something to keep in mind.” (Host 2, 15:45)

• Ongoing Disasters:

  • Dad is now depleting joint bank accounts to invest in “platinum and precious metals.” (Caller, 15:45)
  • Hosts urge legal action: “Your mom’s got to figure that out with her lawyers. That’s insane.” (Host 1, 16:02)
  • On ‘helping’ vs. ‘controlling’ dad: “Help guide him in the direction of making less horrible mistakes in the future. But also, he’s going to do whatever stupid ass shit he’s going to do.” (Host 2, 16:33)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the dad's failed business and pivot to dating:
  • “All those minority arms broken just to fail at selling ribs.” (Host 1, 00:39)
• On the Elvira-esque new girlfriend:
  • “On her Facebook, she literally, like, dresses up like Elvira and like, straight up thinking she’s some sort of, like, sorceress.” (Caller, 01:50)
• On generational shifts in infidelity:
  • “When men had honor, they just cheated and kept their mouth shut. This guy’s trying to codify this relationship.” (Host 1, 04:36)
• On parental misreading of therapy:
  • “His therapist told him that guilt and shame are not valid emotions and he shouldn’t feel those.” (Caller, 07:40)
  • “You should have done a little more screening on this therapist. Sounds like.” (Host 1, 07:54)
• On the underlying question:
  • “You can’t tell him what to do. The amount you want to have him in your life, that’s up to you… But putting his new girlfriend over you… is weird.” (Host 1, 10:22)
• On confronting dad:
  • “I went to a psychic who told me she’s going to strangle you in your sleep. I think a straightforward question might be actually a better way…” (Host 1, 13:20)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:16 – Start of caller’s story: divorce, failed restaurant, new relationship.
• 01:30 – Dad’s bizarre polyamorous arrangement request.
• 04:02 – Dad’s post-separation struggles; apartment life.
• 06:05 – Life insurance drama begins.
• 08:31 – Caller wonders how to intervene or detach.
• 10:22 – Hosts’ core advice: Focus on the life insurance issue.
• 12:15 – The “underground secrets network” revelation.
• 13:20 – Advice on directly broaching life insurance and logistics.
• 14:35 – Co-host urges long-term thinking about family bonds.
• 15:45 – Dad’s new “investment” scheme in precious metals.

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Tone & Language

The episode is rich with comedic banter, off-color asides, and sharp-tongued observations, characteristic of Stavvy’s World. The hosts’ empathy is often laced with brutal honesty (“Your whole family is insane is what you’re telling me”), but care is shown for the caller’s predicament, culminating in practical advice and a push for maintaining familial ties—if on your terms.

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Summary Takeaway

Listeners are treated to an outrageous but relatable example of family dysfunction in the face of sudden change. In typical Stavvy’s World fashion, the show riffs on cringe details (Elvira cosplay, failed barbecue joints, secretive sisters) while dispensing real-world advice: set boundaries, communicate directly, and remember that ultimately, you can't save someone from their own foolishness—but you can decide your own limits.

Final words from Stav:
“Amen. Good luck, sister.” (Host 1, 16:48)

Transcript

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[Caller with family story]

My parents were together for 36 years. I was like, wow, this is love. Like, good for them. Happy family. And then a few years ago, my dad had what had to have been like a midlife crisis. So he was like a cop his whole life. Retired like 10 years ago, used his pension to buy a restaurant.

[Host 1]

Oh, no. All those minority arms broken just to fail at selling ribs. Go ahead.

[Caller with family story]

Literally. And it was like the worst fucking food to like American. It was so bad.

[Host 2]

But kitchen nightmare.

[Host 1]

Damn. Yeah. Where was John Taffer when you needed him?

[Caller with family story]

Nightmare too.

[Host 1]

Oh, God. Okay, so the. Right. The restaurant flops. It sounds like.

[Caller with family story]

Yes. And like, in this flop, my dad is, like, taking us all down with him. So he meets this, like, career waitress. She's in her 60s, has tiggle bitties, and is, like an attractive older woman. And he decides, like, he is absolutely in love with her.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Caller with family story]

So he tells my mom, like, I'm no longer in love with you. I'm in love with this woman.

[Host 1]

Oh, my God.

[Caller with family story]

But I want to stay married. What?

[Host 2]

Damn.

[Host 1]

Wow.

[Host 2]

Hold on. Just one. Just one little detail. You said this woman looks like Elvira, right?

[Caller with family story]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. No. So like, on her Facebook, she literally, like, dresses up like Elvira and like, straight up thinking she's like, like some sort of like, sorceress.

[Host 1]

Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha. So we've got like a. A first generation E thought before they even had the Internet, she was an E girl.

[Caller with family story]

Exactly. She is like the worst kind of human alive.

[Host 1]

So this. Oh, man. I mean, this is. By the way, your dad buys a restaurant. I mean, this is what he had in mind. He wasn't thinking about fucking making food. He was thinking about fucking waitresses, but.

[Host 2]

Fucking big titty goth girls.

[Host 1]

So, yeah, fucking leaves the force, grows his hair out, starts dating old girls. Hilarious. Okay, so. And then he proposes this insane thing to your mom where they're going to stay married, presumably because he didn't want to have to give her anything in a divorce. Is that what's going on?

[Caller with family story]

I have no idea what, like, mental state he was in, but it, like, I can't even. I don't know. He. I think he wanted just have his cake and eat it too. So, like, he wanted to stay in the house, stay married to my mom, but also be, like, stepping out with this woman who also, by the way, has a husband and a kid.

[Host 1]

Oh, my God. What the. So, yeah, yeah, I mean, your dad's coming out as Polly in his. In his old age. I mean, this is insane.

[Caller with family story]

Well, it gets worse.

[Host 1]

Keep going, please.

[Caller with family story]

So he. So I convinced my mom, like, no, you're not doing that. Because she was like, I guess this is just what I have to do now. And I was like, absolutely not. Like, you're step. You're getting a divorce so good.

[Host 1]

A generation ago. You really could make women do whatever the you wanted, man. Anyway.

[Caller with family story]

Good.

[Host 1]

Good for you. Good for you for telling your mom not to do that.

[Caller with family story]

Yeah, so my mom's actually doing great now. She's thriving. She does like yoga, lotties, Zumba. Like, she's living her best life.

[Host 1]

Good for her.

[Caller with family story]

But my dad now is like spiraling out of control.

[Host 1]

Like, no.

[Caller with family story]

6. For like six months after the separation, he was like, depressed. Like, moved out. Got like a really sad apartment with like one piece of furniture in it and like one piece of strange artwork. And like, I went to go visit him and he's like, yeah, like, I don't know what to do. Like, this won't move in with me. Like, he was complaining because, like, his hoe won't move in with him.

[Host 1]

Is she still with her husband?

[Caller with family story]

With her husband? Correct.

[Host 1]

Holy shit. Well, your dad really just doesn't. I mean, this is why in the. When men had honor, they just cheated and kept their mouth shut. This guy's trying to codify this relationship. He could have just gotten head in his supply closet every once in a while and kept his trap shut.

[Caller with family story]

Honestly, that would have been much fucking better. Like, just do it the old school way. Like, please keep us out of it.

[Host 1]

Yeah, it's none of my business. Damn, that's hilarious. So your dad is a. So and I assume the restaurant has gone. Has failed completely by now, or straight into the ground.

[Caller with family story]

Like, nosedive, like, since he took it over. Like it took a complete 180 and just went to it.

[Host 1]

Oh, my God. Retired cop, failed restauranteur, divorce. Say that's maybe one of the most divorced guys of all time. Former cop, recently failed restauranteur. Yeah, that's a. That's. That's a very divorced man right there. Has your dad gotten any back tattoos or new arm sleeves recently?

[Caller with family story]

I haven't seen him, but probably he. This is like the track he's on.

[Host 1]

Yeah. Okay, is that kind of the. Any more updates or is that kind of. What is that kind of where we're at?

[Caller with family story]

The Last. The last update, which is like the worst one, is that he now took my mom off as the beneficiary of his life insurance and put this new woman on.

[Host 2]

Wow.

[Host 1]

That's crazy. Not even you, like, okay, that's what I said.

[Caller with family story]

I was like, you have three children.

[Host 1]

That's crazy.

[Caller with family story]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

So, like, look, whatever. He takes your mom off. They got divorced. They got divorced. But put your kids as the beneficiary. That's fucking insane. And this woman is married to another man.

[Caller with family story]

Yeah. And he's even worse. Like, he's like, jacked up. Definitely has a back tattoo. Like, would kill my dad in like.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Caller with family story]

I mean, snap of his wrist.

[Host 1]

So. And this guy doesn't know this or what do you think's going on there?

[Caller with family story]

So finally she did move in.

[Host 1]

Oh, wow.

[Caller with family story]

They're living together and they're like, little cute apartment.

[Host 1]

Interesting.

[Caller with family story]

I guess he knows now.

[Host 1]

Interesting. What if this is just a plot to kill your father by this white trash couple to get his life insurance? Yeah. And this could be a good. This could be a good, like, thriller plot, honestly.

[Caller with family story]

Well, that's what I keep telling my dad. So he doesn't know that we know that my mom's off the life insurance. The only reason my mom knows is because she got like a letter in the mail saying like, hey, you've been removed from this plan.

[Host 1]

Right.

[Caller with family story]

And then it shows, like, who the new. That, like, names the new beneficiary.

[Host 1]

Yeah. Wow, that's. So have you talked to your dad about this at all?

[Caller with family story]

Well, so in the beginning, I was like, what the fuck is wrong with you? What are you doing? You need to go to therapy. Like, you're fucked up.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Caller with family story]

And he was like, yeah, my. I'm. He. I set him up with a therapist. His therapist told him that guilt and shame are not valid emotions and he shouldn't feel those.

[Host 1]

Whoa.

[Caller with family story]

I was like, no, you should definitely feel both of those.

[Host 1]

That's crazy. You should have done a little more screening on this therapist. Sounds like.

[Caller with family story]

I guess so.

[Host 1]

Guilt and shame are not valid emotions. Is that just what your dad wanted to get out of it?

[Caller with family story]

I'm sure. I'm sure he was just hearing what he wanted to hear.

[Host 2]

Yeah, that sounds like, you know your dad paraphrased in his own words.

[Host 1]

My dad would never go to theory, but I can't imagine the ways he would weaponize his misunderstandings of what his therapist said in arguments. So that is actually a very interesting point. But okay, so. So what's going on now?

[Caller with family story]

So basically, I'm like how the fuck do I convince my dad that he needs to leave this woman who's probably slowly poisoning him for his life insurance money.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Caller with family story]

Or do I just say fuck you and just stop talking to my dad? Because it's like, I don't know, I'm just kind of like over the whole situation. I can't even like talk to him without wanting to throw my phone across the room anymore.

[Host 1]

Yeah, I mean, I get that now. Look, I don't think you can tell him to leave this woman, right? It's his fucking life. He wants to be a fudgeing idiot. Whatever he's had, he, look, he, he ruined. He blew up his life for, for these old, for these big old 60 year old titties. He might as well get the suck on him, you know, he's in a fudgeing horrible apartment. His children don't respect him. He lost his fucking pension on a shitty restaurant. Like his wife is having a fucking yoga glow up now. His ex wife is actually so much better off. All he's got is getting to fudge this woman, right? Like, you know, I don't even. To me, the thing I would do is, is be like how I think stressing the life insurance thing and being like, what the fuck are you doing? Why aren't we. Why aren't your children the beneficiary? And you can, it doesn't even have to be you, but you just be like you could be one of your siblings, whatever. But it's like that's.

[Caller with family story]

That.

[Host 1]

That I would have a big issue with and that I would confront my father about and that would for me be enough if like I was. I mean, again, what is my. It's hard for me to say because like my dad has any. I don't even know if anybody would insure him. He said like three heart attacks. But like I think for me that's more of a thing that, that feels like a betrayal because look, unfortunately people get divorced. Whatever.

[Caller with family story]

He.

[Host 1]

That's. It's a weird up thing he did, but it's not, you know, you're an adult. You know how people are. I don't think that's grounds to cut your father out of your life. Yeah, but putting his new girlfriend over you after the divorce or after you're over your siblings and something like this a is weird because like I don't actually think this woman is secretly trying to kill your father, but it is like weird that he, she's on his life insurance and they're just like. And they Just moved in together. Like, who even has that conversation? I mean, maybe your dad did it to be like, you know, he maybe did it because he's mad at his ex and he's like, your mom and. And he just wants to be like, you're getting off it, and I'm putting, you know, my new on. But I still. I would feel up about it if my dad put his new girlfriend instead of his kids. So I. Maybe that's. But you can't tell him what to do. And, like, the amount you want to have him in your life, that's up to you. You know what I mean? Like, yeah, I don't think necessarily. I mean, the life insurance thing is the closest thing in my mind to a deal breaker that he's done. But if you talk to him about it and he still refuses, that's more grounds to be like, you know what? I don't know if I need to have you in my life right now. You're pissing me off. But, yeah, you know, the. I think that's a problem. Yeah.

[Caller with family story]

Oh, sorry.

[Host 1]

Go ahead. Go ahead. No, you. Please, please.

[Caller with family story]

The only problem with bringing up the life insurance to my dad directly is, like, my mom and my sister have this, like, underground network where they're getting all the earth, like, their secrets. So that's how they know, like, they moved in together. That's how they know about the life insurance. And my mom was like, don't you fucking dare tell him that I know about the life insurance. So, like, I've been trying to, like, secretly drop hints like, dad, I had a vision that, like, your. Your bitch was slowly poisoning you and.

[Host 1]

The life insurance money to two things here. What do you mean, an underground secrets network that's informing on your father? What the fuck does that mean?

[Caller with family story]

I have. Literally, I'll be like, how do you know? My sister goes like, I have my sources. Fucking drop her sources.

[Host 1]

Your whole family is insane is what you're telling me, basically. I mean, I don't. I don't think you need to draw pins. I think you'd be like, hey, so everything is finalized for the divorce. Like, whatever happened to the life insurance? You're gonna make one of us your benefit? Like, that's a. That's a very reasonable question post divorce to be like, so what? You know, like, you could ask him a handful of questions like, have you guys finalized everything? You know, about the house, about whatever, and you could even put life insurance in there, and you could be like, you should probably make one of us the beneficiaries if you want to take mom off. I mean, I think. I don't even think it's kind of thing you need to be sneaking around about. I think it's the, you know, I think it's like a logistical question that you can very reasonably bring up to your dad post divorce.

[Caller with family story]

Okay. Okay. And that makes sense.

[Host 1]

And then you can just legitimately ask him about other things you're wondering about, you know, because I'm sure you're like, I'm sure life insurance is not the only thing the, you know, his will. It's a little morbid, but it's like, if you're talking about, like, these are all things you should say, hey, now that divorce is over, we have some to figure out because mom's not, you know, in your life anymore. But, like, so let's figure this out in a way that makes sense legally, you know, I think that's reasonable. I don't think you have to, like, be like, I went to a psychic who told me she's going to strangle you in your sleep. I think a straightforward question might be actually a better way to go about this.

[Caller with family story]

No, that's literally what I was doing. I was like, I had another vision last, like, once a month, I would text him, like, you're gonna die.

[Host 1]

Fuck. Hilarious, though. That is very funny.

[Caller with family story]

Yeah. All right, well, sounds like I just need to, like, be straight with my dad and just talk to him.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Caller with family story]

What I was hoping to hear.

[Host 1]

But I'm sorry, Unfortunately, most of these calls boil down to that. Most of these calls, boy. But it is fun to hear about. I mean, your dad is out of it. That's such a hilarious retirement plan.

[Host 2]

He is a dumbass. But, you know, like, stop. Said it is his life. It's like, obviously you can harbor angst against your parents for cheating and blowing up their marriage and life, especially when it's, like, clearly so misguided. Like, your dad clearly had a life crisis, but pathetic. You have to, like, look into the future, especially if you're thinking about, like, cutting them off. It's like, you know, there's two ways this could go for your dad. It could just, like, this relationship with this girl, with this woman could just go up in flames. Or who knows? Maybe they just stay together and she's in your life. And she's in your life for, like, 10 years, 15 years, who knows? Whatever the. And it's like, you know, look into the future and consider both of those. And it's like, what is your relationship with your dad gonna look like either way, eventually you're like, anger towards him will soften. You will always think he's a dumbass. He sounds pretty fucking stupid and hilarious. But you know, just something to keep in mind. Think about this like more long term rather than the initial, like shock and anger you're feeling now.

[Caller with family story]

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, right now his new thing is like, besides being a idiot, he's like taking out thousands of dollars from like what remains of him. And my mom's like, account, bank account, and like investing in like platinum and like precious metals.

[Host 1]

I'm like, okay, their joint bank. I mean, your mom's got to figure that out with her lawyers. That's insane.

[Host 2]

That's crazy.

[Host 1]

Platinum, I thought you're gonna say bitcoin. And somehow precious metals are sound stupider to me. But hey, either way, yeah, talk to him about that too. Like, hey, don't you think it's up? You're stealing money. But hey, sounds like you got your work cut out. But you know, talk to your dad.

[Host 2]

Like you're a counselor, not like you're his.

[Host 1]

Like, true.

[Host 2]

It's like help it help guide him in the direction of making less horrible mistakes in the future. But also you know, he's going to do whatever stupid ass shit he's going to do and ultimately you don't have that much control over that.

[Host 1]

Amen. Good luck, sister.