Painterly ornate hand mirror lying face-down beside a green button on red lacquer.

Original artwork, not a still

Tom Granick

It's not that I'm down on myself. Trust me. I stink.

— Broadcast News • 1987

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

The speaker rejects the idea that this is low self-esteem and asks to be believed: the verdict is simply an honest one. Bluntly, they say they are bad, presenting it as sober assessment rather than moping. The deadpan bluntness makes the self-criticism sound like a plain fact.

Context reviewed

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