"I look like a melting candle." - Conan O'Brien
Self-deprecation is the act of reprimanding or undervaluing oneself. It sounds negative, but in comedy, it is a position of power.
The Status Game
Comedy is often about status. * Punching Down: Mocking people with lower status (bullies). * Punching Up: Mocking people with higher status (satirists). * Punching In: Mocking yourself.
When you punch yourself, you disarm the room. You are saying, "I know my flaws better than you do, and I'm okay with them."
Relatability
Perfect people are annoying. We resent them. But when a beautiful celebrity tells a story about clogging a toilet, we love them. It makes them relatable. It signals: "I am not a threat. I am just like you."
The Shield
It also acts as a shield. If you make the joke about your big nose first, nobody else can hurt you with it. You have taken ownership of the weapon. 8 Mile (the movie) is essentially a movie about a guy winning a rap battle by self-deprecating so hard his opponent has nothing left to say.
Warning: Don't Overdo It
A little self-deprecation makes you charming. Too much makes you look pathetic. It's a spice, not a meal.