Self-referential humor or
self-reflexive humor is a type of
comedic expression that—either directed toward some other subject, or openly directed toward itself—intentionally
alludes to the very person who is expressing the
humor in a comedic fashion, or to some specific aspect of that same comedic expression. Self-referential humor expressed discreetly and
surrealistically is a form of
bathos. In general, self-referential humor often uses
hypocrisy,
oxymoron, or
paradox to create a contradictory or otherwise absurd situation that is humorous to the audience.