History Main / CoolButStupid

* An odd case: There exists a Chess opening that runs counter to every bit of good chess strategy, known as the "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bongcloud_Attack Bongcloud Attack]]". It's widely considered cool ''because'' it's so stupid. Even TheOtherWiki says it's named that way because you'd have to be high to consider using it.

* An odd case: There exists a Chess opening that runs counter to every bit of good chess strategy, known as the "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bongcloud_Attack Bongcloud Attack]]". It's widely considered cool ''because'' it's so stupid.

* ''VideoGame/HorizonForbidden West'': In the ''Burning Shores'' DLC, Aloy and Seyka explore an abandoned theme park based on an in-universe movie series called Pangaea. At one point, the two come across a hologram depicting an apparent scene from one of the movies, where a squad of soldiers has a last stand against a pair of ''Tyrannosaurs rexes''. Seyka says that it's ridiculous but also kind of awesome.

* ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'''s {{trope nam|ers}}ing [[http://assets.amuniversal.com/7669e540784d01302116001dd8b71c47 example]]: [[EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs Tyrannosaurs]] in [[AnachronismStew F14's!]]

* ''Webcomic/KillSixBillionDemons'': [[DemiurgeArchetype The Demiurges]] are members of the mortal races who have obtained one of God's 777,777 names and [[ThePowerOfCreation thus underlying control]] of one of the 777,777 universes that make up the setting. The majority of them used this power to enhance their own physical abilities, allowing them to better beat up their fellow Demiurges in action set-pieces. Even if the setting's cynicism makes the use of Violence ''necessary'', most of them can't even use the power they hold in a particularly useful way, as proven by [[WorldsBestWarrior the most powerful warrior in the setting]] being a non-Demiurge old woman who lived in a barrel in a marketplace and was just [[BoringButPractical really good at cutting things]].
-->'''Meti-ten-Ryo:''' [[SarcasmMode Behold! The awesome fires of God. The limitless power of pure creation itself. Look carefully. Observe how it is used for the same purpose a man might use an especially sharp rock.]]

* In Creator/TeamFourStar's ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged'' version of the [[Anime/DragonBallZBrolyTheLegendarySuperSaiyan Broly movie]], Vegeta has a mental crisis over how someone as cool as Broly can be [[DisappointedByTheMotive so goddamn dumb.]] Incidentally, this seems to be the general fan consensus on the character, as well.

-->-- '''Zaphod Beeblebrox''', ''Literature/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy''

* In ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall'''s review of ''ComicBook/BruteForce'', Linkara acknowledges this about the comic.

[[caption-width-right:300:[[TropeNamer Both are correct]].]]

* In WesternAnimation/TheDragonPrince, Soren is the first to acknowledge how dangerous his zipline is, but he, Ezran, and Rayla genuinely enjoy themselves.

* Many of the things Jeremy Clarkson builds on ''Series/TopGearUK''. Past examples have included a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDlMLqdvHzI V8 powered blender]], a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COd5kAKac0U flamethrower mounted on a snowplough]], and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggROOCxcZZI modding a car so much it caught fire]]. Although May and Hammond once converted a Reliant Robin (very small plastic three wheeled car) into [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b4WzWFKQ20 a space shuttle]] (which exploded on takeoff because it couldn't properly detach from the rockets, but details). It is also their opinion of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagani_Zonda Pagani Zonda.]] The ''Series/TopGearUK'' equivalent of CoolButStupid, frequently leveled as a judgment on their own projects, is "Ambitious but rubbish."

* ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}}'' Ultra-Tech has the rocket striker. It's a swinging melee weapon ''with a rocket engine attached for extra power''. Yes, you read that right. May be either SoBadItsGood or just far too silly for the setting.

* Subverted with ''Webcomic/{{Sonichu}}'': As a general ''concept'', it would likely be this (a hybrid of two awesome super-critters, Sonic and Pikachu). Unfortunately, in execution, it's some weird SoBadItsGood / DarthWiki/SoBadItsHorrible stuff made by a very lazy HighHopesZeroTalent [[PsychopathicManchild Psychopathic Person-child]] with more hang-ups than a walk-in closet.

* ''Webcomic/{{Sonichu}}''... as a ''concept'' (not in reality)... would be this... if it wasn't some weird garbage scribbled by talentless, narcisstic hack with no work ethic and autism.

[[quoteright:320:[[ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/f14.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:320:[[TropeNamer Both are correct]].]]