Sedaris explores the theme of belonging through self-deprecating humor. What are three examples of how he makes fun of himself?

David Sedaris is a humorist. Throughout his oeuvre, he points out ridiculous situations, and he makes fun of other people—and himself. This is especially true in a collection of essays like Me Talk Pretty One Day, which deals in part with the author’s struggle to learn a second language. (Anyone who’s ever studied a second language knows that language classes are fertile ground for humorous and borderline humiliating moments.)
The title itself is self-deprecating: it’s a gramatically incorrect phrase, a literal translation of the kind of sentence that Sedaris would say or write in French when he was attempting to learn the language. And that’s just the start. Let’s get to the three examples you asked about.
One of the best examples of self-deprecation in the book happens when David moves to Paris and enrolls in a French class. Not only do all the other students in the class seem to speak French better than he does, but David also notices that he’s older and less attractive than his classmates. These observations set the stage for several funny and embarrassing moments that David goes through in the class.
Another example happens earlier in the text, before David goes to France. Although he’s unqualified for the role, David is offered a last-minute teaching position when someone else drops out. The scenes that follow are full of self-deprecating moments as David practices in front of the mirror and slightly embarrasses himself in front of his new students.
A third example of self-deprecation in the book also has to do with David’s perception of his own intelligence. In the essay “Smart Guy,” the author and his boyfriend, Hugh, take IQ tests, and Hugh earns a higher score than David. That the author chooses to write about this at all is a prime example of self-deprecation.