Quentin Tarantino, Michael Madsen, and Rob Schneider went on Larry King last night to remember their friend David Carradine. They said he would never commit suicide. So, Larry asked, what's the deal with the rope? Awkward silence.

Madsen also took to the pages of the New York Post today to press the same point: There's no way Carradine would kill himself. Carradine's grieving loved ones are clearly trying to protect his memory from the ignominy of suicide. But given the fact that Thai police are now openly suggesting that Carradine died in the course of asphyxiating himself while masturbating or having sex, it seems the best way to protect his memory would be to keep quiet for now. Because the repeated insistence that Carradine would never wrap a rope around his neck with the intent of killing himself begs the question as to why, exactly, he appears to have wrapped that rope around his neck. And his genitals.

Carradine's manager did tell King that he suspected "foul play," and Thai authorities haven't completely ruled out murder. But you can tell from the looks on these guy's faces what they think happened. And if they honestly believed that Carradine was the victim of a heinous crime, you'd think they'd be shouting it from the rooftops.

We were going to say that we hope, for Carradine's sake and for the sake of his family, that he didn't die in the course of auto-erotic asphyxiation or kinky sex. But who are we kidding? It's better than the alternative. But it's all still bad. Which is why, under these circumstances, going on Larry King right now probably isn't the best way to promote his legacy.