Stavvy’s World – Bonus #161: Live Call Show Vol. 36 (New Years Special!!)

Podcast Host: Stavros Halkias
Date: January 1, 2026
Episode: Patreon Preview
Key Segments Covered: 01:00–17:36 (main call and discussion)

Episode Overview

This New Year's bonus episode of Stavvy’s World is a live call-in show where Stavros Halkias, known for his candid advice and comedic sensibilities, helps a listener untangle a deeply awkward situation with his Italian immigrant father. The episode dives into generational boundaries, messy family dynamics, and establishing self-respect in difficult parental relationships, all while maintaining the show’s irreverent, heartfelt tone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Caller’s Dilemma: My Dad Is Marrying His (Much Younger) Former Student

• Background & Setup

  • The caller shares that his father, an Italian immigrant and music teacher, started dating one of his own college students when she was 23 and he was in his late 50s.
  • This relationship ignited a major family rift, especially since the father tried to involve this woman (now 28) in the caller’s high school band activities when the caller was still a teenager.
  • The caller is now 23, his father is in his 60s, and the girlfriend is about to officially become his stepmom.

• Caller’s Main Concerns

  • Difficulty reestablishing a father-son relationship given the awkward “stepmom” dynamic with someone only five years older.
  • The girlfriend tries to act like a distant, authoritative “mother figure,” which the caller finds absurd due to their close age.
  • She has previously made comments about his mother and tried to parent him, which alienated him further.
  • The father appears oblivious or indifferent to these concerns, and is even discussing wedding plans in their shared community, expecting his son to attend.

Stavros: "Your main problem here is just that...she's clearly too young to be your father's girlfriend. But wife is...28 and 60s getting married is weird, but it's not completely unheard of in society." (04:43)

Navigating Family Boundaries and Toxic Dynamics

• On the Father's Actions

  • Stavros jokes but ultimately labels the father’s behavior as "fucking crazy" for dating a student almost 40 years younger and trying to force weird family dynamics.
  • Notes that making the young girlfriend play with high schoolers, and then having her try to parent the caller, crosses several ethical and emotional lines.

• Memorable Quotes:

  • Stavros: "You're the same generation." (05:44)
  • Caller (on stepmom's advice): "She told me she had to go to rehab for weed, and I was like, pussy. Like, you know, like, there's not real..." (05:48)
  • Stavros: "This girl must have had a horrible childhood if she's marrying your father, right?...There's got to be some. Some shit like that going on for sure, right?" (05:59)

• Characterization of the Father

  • The son describes his dad as “mentally unwell” and someone who uses therapy not for improvement, but as "ammo to be manipulative," hindered only by his broken English.
  • He recalls that the father made disparaging comments about the caller’s mother, which was a tipping point for their estrangement.
    • Stavros: "If this girl wasn't so young, if she was age appropriate and she was trashing your fucking mom, that's grounds for never speaking to your dad again..." (08:19)

Advice from Stavros: Self-Respect, Boundaries, and The Importance of Standing Up

• Practical Counsel

  • Stavros strongly encourages the caller to set clear boundaries with his father—remain civil, but not accept disrespect toward himself or his mother.

  • Suggests communicating directly: if the father wants a relationship, it must be on terms that respect the caller’s boundaries.

    • Stavros:
      "You can say, look, you're getting married. Whatever. I don't really approve of this. Like, this is fucking weird to me... But you're my father. I want you to be in my life. The way that can happen is if you never disrespect my mother in front of me...[and] your wife doesn't try and speak to me like I'm her child..." (09:30)

• On Difficult Choices and Emotional Realities

  • The discussion covers the heartache of realizing a parent might pick a relationship over their own child.

    • Caller: "Part of me knows that, like, if the choice is between me and some young pussy, it's probably going to be the young pussy." (10:12)
    • Stavros: "That sentence is heartbreaking...you live in this reality where that's normal, that's fucking insane." (10:20)

  • Emphasizes that the father’s failings should not make the caller compromise his own values for a relationship that lacks mutual respect.

• Personal Anecdote:

  • Stavros draws parallels to his own Mediterranean family, describing how setting boundaries with his own father improved his life and relationships.

    • Stavros: “Standing up to my dad when I didn’t like how he treated me or my mom has made it so that...nobody treats me like that anymore in the rest of the world either.” (13:37)

Emotional Closure and Listener Connection

• Empathy and Validation

  • The caller confides that thinking about a future family is hard when there's uncertainty about their grandfather’s role, signaling long-term emotional pain.

  • Stavros reassures him that it’s healthy to hold firm, and encourages patience—sometimes time apart helps both sides gain perspective.

    • Caller: "It's just hard for me to get out of that mindset...hard for me to think about, like, the future. Because, like, you know, I'm family oriented. I want to have kids at some point..." (12:18)
    • Stavros: “For what it’s worth, you’re younger than me. And now at my age, having...time apart has helped both me and my dad to realize...it had to be about compromise.” (14:46)

• Humorous Confession (15:32)

  • Before hanging up, the caller confesses he once lied to Stavros at a live show about getting pegged, due to being “really high on mushrooms.”
  • Stavros responds with typical warmth and amusement, reminiscing about the Boston crowd.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Absurd Family Dynamics:
  "He had to get his 23 year old girlfriend to play with high schoolers at a high school production." – Stavros (03:23)

• Setting Boundaries:
  "You would be kind of selling yourself out for...a hollow version [of a relationship]. And you would allow your dad to dictate your reality." – Stavros (11:35)

• On Generational Trauma and Growth:
  “A lot of the, like, patterns...that get established for people happen with your parents one way or another...standing up to my dad...has made it so that it’s been night and day...in the rest of the world.” – Stavros (13:37)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:00] – Caller introduces situation: Father dating young student
• [02:52] – Details the fallout and ongoing awkwardness
• [05:41] – Stepmom-figure tries to parent the son
• [07:10] – Stepmom disparages caller’s mother, sparks estrangement
• [08:19] – Stavros lists grounds for cutting contact
• [09:30] – Advice on setting boundaries
• [10:20] – The cost of a father choosing a partner over his child
• [13:37] – On setting boundaries with parents and its life impact
• [15:42] – Caller’s “pegging” confession and past Boston show
• [16:24] – Closing wishes, reflection on “Italian father predicament”

Tone & Final Thoughts

Stavros employs a blend of hard truths, big-hearted empathy, and his signature humor throughout the call—never shying away from the deeply weird or painful, but always leaving the listener with actionable advice and a reminder of their own self-worth. The episode is relatable for anyone grappling with complicated parental relationships, and showcases the show’s ability to blend sincere advice with irreverent, sometimes biting comedy.

Stavros’ parting wisdom:
"There are certain things that are more important than pussy from hot girls. When you find those things from us, that’s tough. When we don’t approve of a hilarious Italian...getting pussy, you’ve gone way too far." (17:01)

For anyone navigating dysfunctional family ties, or just craving raw, honest laughs and advice, this episode offers both in generous measures.