meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
How To! with Mike Pesca

How To Get Sweet, Sweet Revenge

How To! with Mike Pesca

Peach Fish Projects

Education, How To

4.32K Ratings

🗓️ 15 July 2025

⏱️ 38 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Jordan is mired in a bitter war over off-leash pups at an unofficial dog park. With pro-leash forces deploying fake signage, ambush videos, and questionable zip-tie tactics in a campaign of shame aimed at her fellow dog owners, Jordan is ready to take matters into her own hands. In this first installment of How To's guide to becoming an antihero, Courtney Martin brings on writer, storyteller, and comedian Matthew Dicks to counsel Jordan in the art of getting even. (Read Slate's Revenge Week spectacular.)

A little treat: Jordan's pup, Ziggy!

Next week: How To Be an Ethical Hater. (Can't wait for antihero guidance? Check out How To Be the Next Erin Brockovich and How To Confront a Crazy Neighbor (Featuring Tig Notaro).

Are you carrying a petty grudge? Don't get over it—we want to hear your story! Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis. Our technical director is Merritt Jacob and our supervising producer is Joel Meyer. Special thanks to Sophie Summergrad.

This episode is for Slate Plus members. Join now to unlock it—plus other exclusive How To! bonus episodes and ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the How To! show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus for access wherever you listen.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Hi everyone, I'm Susie Weiss, and I've noticed there's just simply not enough podcasts in the world. So I'm launching my own. Let's go. Let's go, baby. Second Thought is a weekly show about pop culture. The stuff everyone's been binging, arguing about, obsessing over. Here's the thing about heated rivalry. I mean, even the most devoted swifties, I think we can agree, not our best work. We'll be hosting thoughtful conversations with culture's most important figures. Talk about genius.

0:22.6

Talk about generational talent.

0:23.7

Coming to headphones near you on can agree not our best work. We'll be hosting thoughtful conversations with culture's most important figures.

0:21.8

Talk about genius.

0:22.6

Talk about generational talent.

0:23.7

Coming to headphones near you on April 17th,

0:26.1

with a first guest you won't want to miss.

0:27.8

Available wherever you get your podcasts.

0:30.9

My therapist actually thinks my enemies list is great,

0:34.2

but what he did tell me was I'm concerned about the degree to which you enjoy

0:39.7

getting revenge on people. He's like, I'm not sure if that's the healthiest thing. I like my therapist.

0:45.0

But I do think that there's a certain level of joy and glee you should have in defeating terrible

0:49.8

people in the world with small acts of outrage and ridiculousness and silliness.

0:56.3

Welcome to how to. I'm Courtney Martin. We're living in a moment in history that feels

1:01.8

exhausting, frightening, frustrating, and if you're like me, you get angry at injustices

1:08.3

big and small. It's hard to know what to do with these emotions and whether

1:12.3

it's possible to kind of make things right on some level. I'm not just talking politically.

1:17.4

I'm talking interpersonally, little stuff that just drives you crazy. Where's the accountability?

1:23.5

Where's the catharsis? Here at How To, we've been talking about the idea of an anti-hero, not just the Taylor Swift song, but about the iconic trope, someone who isn't exactly the good guy, but also not exactly the villain.

1:39.3

An anti-hero is someone who might behave badly, but ultimately does the right thing.

1:45.3

For our next few episodes, we're going to explore what it takes to be an anti-hero.

1:50.1

My co-host, Carvel Wallace, will sit down with Slate Calmness, Saatchie Cole to talk about

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Peach Fish Projects, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Peach Fish Projects and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.