BALTIMORE — Cynically, Baltimore comedian Stavros “Stavvy” Halkias knows brushing up on some policies would be “really good” for his career, he said last week on Vulture’s “Good Ones” podcast. But “the politics hour,” he said, is not a part of his shtick.

However, over the past several months, the stand-up performer, podcaster and actor has been “about as explicit as I’ll get” politically in his support of Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani in New York City, he noted on the podcast.

“I just voted for @zohrankmamdani and you should too if you live in NYC,” Halkias posted Tuesday on Instagram, along with his early voting sticker. “I’m only supporting candidates that billionaires are desperately trying to stop.”

Halkias, who was born and raised in Baltimore, spends time between his native city and Queens, the largest borough in the country’s largest cultural epicenter.

Although shock humor has defined much of Halkias’ career, trading in the kinds of crudeness often censured by progressives, Halkias has become more direct politically in his public appearances and on social media — a choice, he said, that “shouldn’t fall to comedians.”

“I can’t lead with that,” he said on the podcast. “I don’t think that’s where I am in my career. I haven’t dedicated my life to thinking about these issues deeply.”

Earlier this year, Mamdani defeated former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primaries, stunning the party-favorite as one of the country’s few prominent democratic socialists. His campaign, centered around making New York more affordable for working-class people, has been chastised by President Donald Trump as communist and avoided or dejected by many moderate Democrats.

Soon after his loss, Cuomo became an independent candidate to remain in the race, which also includes Republican Curtis Sliwa.

Over the weekend, Halkias, 36, attended a “New York Is Not for Sale” rally championing Mamdani and featuring U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent and self-described socialist, and Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Posting photos with all three politicians, the comedian said Tuesday that the rally was “legitimately inspiring.”

“Things don’t feel as bleak when you’re surrounded by over 10,000 people that want a better city and country for the working class,” Halkias posted. “Here’s to more grassroots campaigns all across the country, powered by thousands of regular people and not ultra rich donors. Don’t fall for the culture war bullshit, we can have a better world!”

Early voting began Saturday across New York City and will continue through Sunday. The general election will take place Tuesday.

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