Finding the right word: an adjective describing something that's foolish but not funny.

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I’m trying to find a word (or words) that would best describe something (e.g., a creative work) that’s painfully stupid or inept but can’t be regarded as even the slightest bit amusing because it’s too offensive, insulting, gross, disturbing, and/or nonsensical. I considered “ludicrous” as a possible word but even its definition covers things that are laughable. Any suggestions?

2

Asinine?

3

I like it.

Another, used by an old friend of mine in Abu Dhabi, is “rubbish”.

4

I was going to suggest asinine as well.

5

cretinous
moronic
half-witted
sophomoric
inane

6

That’s what a thesaurus is for.

7

I’ll go with the 4th graders on this: stoopid!

8

Idiot always works for me.

However, you need to be aware that “idiot,” “imbecile,” and “moron” were probably the earliest group of non-politically correct terms.

Those were descriptors used by health professionals and hospitals to describe low-IQ individuals.

That said, I personally use “idiot” in my every day speech to describe at least one certain individual who regularly demonstrates his absence of any functioning brain cells.
~VOW

9

In some contexts, at least: gauche.

j

10

Maybe use a phrase starting with “ridiculous”.
Ridiculously inappropriate
Ridiculously offensive
Ridiculously juvenile
Ridiculously disgusting

11

Asinine is good. Abominable is a possibility, but not quite as pure.

12

“Puerile”?

13

The problem is something that can be called “ridiculous” can often still be intentionally or unintentionally funny. The same is true with some of the other adjectives suggested in this thread with the possible exception of “asinine.” However, I find the term “asinine” also implies there’s some deliberate hostility, meanness, and/or dickishness mixed in the stupidity and that would not always be the case in these instances.

There are certain situations that can embody the type of word I’m looking for. Things that hit this bad spot perfectly. For example, there are certain types of deaths in fiction and real-life that could be defined by this word. They can’t be called truly tragic or sad because ofthe utterly undignified nature of the demise but, at the same time, they’re too ugly and disturbing to even be the source of dark humor or sick jokes.