You are putting yourself down No, I'm not, but I know you want to have a go, so I deflect your sarcasm your words fall on stony ground. The public laughed off my self-disparaging and your words embarrassed you, I fenced off your attack. As a run in the family, I learned to be the one who told jokes about my bullies, yes, my tormentors in a way they didn't get the meaning before the next day, and they could say nothing without exposing their stupidity, but it came with a hefty price I don't if praise sent my way is meant to belittle me to make me look silly in my attempt to be known as a comedy writer