Self-defecating Humor

I have always enjoyed self-deprecating humor. My assumptions have been that if you say it before others do you are one up on them; they would look stupid repeating your joke -- so you are safe in the future as well; others will think that if I am willing to say it, it mustn't be true; and mostly because I think that kind of humor is funny.

I did know this one ditzy chick who didn't like it when others used self-deprecating humor. She would say things like, "You shouldn't put yourself down like that" and "Why do you have such low self-esteem?"

Personally, I've always thought it required a healthy self-esteem to be able to make yourself the brunt of your own joke. But isn't that the point of the joke, as well? Real humor comes from unexpected directions. So it is funnier when, out of the blue, you give yourself a shot.

One of the things I occasionally say upon receiving a compliment for something I've done is, "Well, even a blind squirrel gets some nuts?" I guess this would make self-deprecating humor a kissing cousin to false-modesty. But so what? If I were truly modest (I can neither confirm nor deny the reports of my modesty), would that make it funnier?

Another reason for self-deprecating humor is that the American melting pot has become a cesspool of diversity whose by-word has become political correctness. There's nobody left to make jokes about. You might offend someone. I was watching Survivor on Thursday night, 8 o'clock Eastern - 7 Central, when a member of the Asian team was stopped by his teammates from telling an Asian-centric joke. And they got into this big philosophical debate as to whether singling out a specific race for a joke is funny or not. All I'm hearing is, "Blah, blah, blah . . ." because I never got to hear the punchline to the question, "What do you call a Korean with three dogs?"

When I was growing up I thought I was Polish. I didn't care. If a Pollock joke was funny, I told it. If someone else told one and it was funny, I laughed. Nobody thought about the socio-political ramifications of their actions. We were telling jokes.

Now, everyone has to walk on eggshells. Mustn't offend the Negro Mustn't offend the Oriental. Mustn't offend the towel-heads or the Jews. It might start a war. You can't draw cartoons depicting Muhammad or quote historical figures because of past insensitivities.

Bahhh! They are all crazy and it makes being funny that much harder. So all we have left are jokes about ourselves and cows. (I'll probably get an angry reply from the National Dairy Ass-ociation or the Bovine Anti-defamation League.) Sheep are funny -- but then they expect you to call them and take them out to dinner and shit. All that leaves is me.

So, I guess that means some blind squirrels get all the nuts.