Comedian Stavros Halkias opened up about using GLP-1 treatments to manage his weight while balancing the demands of touring, filming and podcasting, telling The New York Times’ Popcast that the d*ugs have helped him maintain progress he otherwise struggles to hold onto once he hits the road.
Halkias, known for his work on podcasts and his upcoming Netflix special “Uncle Stav,” said his weight has been tied to the chaotic schedule that comes with his career.
“It’s culture caught up to me because I’ve been thinking about this my whole life,” he said, referencing the widespread conversation around GLP-1 d**ugs. “My goal is to be as honest as possible and myself on stage. I want to be the same guy on and off stage… my weight loss, weight, body image issues. These are the things that have plagued me my whole life without question.”
The comedian said he got on the treatment after reaching 357 lbs (about 162 kg). He moved back to Baltimore, cut back on outside obligations and focused on eating vegetables and taking long walks, losing roughly 40 lbs (about 18 kg) largely on his own before touring pulled him back into old patterns.
“Every time I go on tour, I gain weight,” he said. “So until I went on tour, I was off them. And then as soon as I went on tour, I was like, I just need to make sure I don’t lose the progress.”
He described the physical toll of a packed touring schedule, including poor sleep, edibles and pills used to cope with life on a moving bus.
“It’s so hard to sleep when you’re on the road,” he said. “Even with the GLP-1s, I feel like they just kind of kept me kind of flat because this year has been so stressful. I know if I wasn’t on them this year, I would have gained the weight back cause I know that’s what I would have done to get through it.”
Halkias also addressed comparisons to other public figures who have discussed the treatments, including tennis star Serena Williams, and pushed back on the idea that using them amounts to ch3ating, a framing he said is tied to broader cultural attitudes toward heavier people.
“There is something in our culture, and not just our culture… anyone that’s a little different or seen as having any kind of deficiency will get picked on,” he said.
Despite the physical setbacks of the past year, including a back injury and a broken arm, Halkias said he remains confident the changes won’t affect his comedy.
“I don’t think anything can stop me from doing that,” he said of staying funny regardless of his size or health journey.
