Mike Nemeth: Niche Humor and Six-Word Stories

By Scott Katalenich, Naomi Bagdonas, Jennifer Aaker
2018 | Case No. M376 | Length 9 pgs.
Mike Nemeth was a sophomore at West Point on 9/11. The atmosphere in the weeks that followed was somber, but Nemeth soon launched an underground humor factory, taping his mildly subordinate newspaper to the inside of latrine stall doors. Nemeth and his commanding officers soon realized the publication made cadets laugh, and built esprit-de-corps. Nemeth found other ways to motivate through humor, and support the U.S. military. The case details Nemeth’s creative book that poked fun at the U.S. Naval Academy, taking the decades-long Army-Navy rivalry to new levels. Nemeth also sought to support U.S. veterans through storytelling and poignant humor, publishing a volume on “six-word stories”—this proved an effective way encourage veterans a way to write about their feelings and experiences in service to their country.

Learning Objective

Students will discuss and explore the various ways humor and storytelling can be used as tools to inspire and lead others.
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