Liveblogging The Carradine Sex Death Press Coverage
So, it turns out that David Carradine didn't purposefully suffocate himself by hanging. Sources say he had intended to only partially suffocate himself in order to become aroused:
Thai police are now reporting that when they found David Carradine dead and naked in his closet, the rope that was tied around his neck was connected to a rope tied to his genitals— and they believe his death may have been caused by accidental suffocation during a masturbatory sex act.
That makes Carradine the most famous famous person to have apparently died of auto-erotic asphyxiation. Wikipedia notes that composer Frantisek Kotzwara's death from the act in 1791 was probably the first recorded case of death-by-hanging-for-sexual-pleasure. Kotzwara was followed by a list of British politicians and fellow musicians, including INXS singer Michael Hutchence, who is rumored to have died the same way.
Throw in Carradine, and auto-erotic asphyxiation is racking up a pretty A-list rap sheet as far as death-by-sex-act is concerned. I Googled "died having sex," but the most famous person I could find who expired the old-fashioned way was Matthew McConaughey's dad. Come on, we all know tons of famous dead people secretly died fucking.
I wonder what the mainstream newsmedia has to say about all this?
UPDATE: ABC News reports this about the death: "Sex experts say that Carradine's advanced age suggests that he may have been a lifelong practitioner of the secretive and dangerous practice, one that can go fatally awry." Wait—Carradine was old, so he must have spent his whole life secretly jacking off? I'd like to take a spin in the ABC News Mysterious Celebrity Death Logic Machine.
Also, that sex hyperlink whisks you away to a piece co-written by John Stossel—John fucking Stossel—entitled "Sex, Sex Everywhere." The first line reads, "Sex today seems to be everywhere."
Rest in Peace, David Carradine.
UPDATE 2: Somebody got Bai Ling on the line:
"I don't believe he would have killed himself. Even though he was a very complicated man he was so at peace with himself. He did so many good things and really wanted to do more things, he told me his career was just really starting and new," Ling said. "You can see thru his eyes he is a complicated but funny person – he spent 20 years mainly doing independent films which I think made him have a lot of interesting thought in his head. But he really was someone who was full of life."
There you have it, folks.
UPDATE 3: Great: "Kinky Sex Gone Horribly Wrong? – What Carradine's death can teach parents"
Who knew that lessons learned from an elderly Kung Fu star's death in a Thai closet could be applied to your tween's life? Here are the warning signs to look out for:
- Unexplained marks on necks
- Often but not always women's clothing and/or pornography in closet, under bed
- Short ropes, padded ropes, neckties tied in odd knots
- Bloodshot eyes
- Complaints of headaches
- Locks on bedroom doors
- Evidence of repetitive hanging such as unexplained marks on the neck or broken or multiple rope abrasion on closet rods
UPDATE 4: And yet, death by auto-erotic asphyxation also has the power to create celebrities. Mixed messages, mainstream newsmedia:
Last October, a medical examiner determined that the Rev. Gary Aldridge, a 51-year-old Baptist minister from Alabama, died from accidental asphyxiation while pleasuring himself. He was found wearing two wet suits, a face mask, diving gloves, slippers, rubberized underwear, two ties, five belts and eleven straps, according to the medical examiner's report.
UPDATE 5: The Village Voice has its own roundup of Carradine breaking news. By "breaking" I mean divorce papers filed in 2003. And by "news" I mean explicit sex shit. From the Smoking Gun:
Auto-erotic asphyxia is not mentioned, though an "incestuous relationship with a very close family member, which permeated our marriage" and "touching me inappropriately and wanting me to 'flash' the public with my top off" are, and that's kind of hot in a pathetic way, yes?
UPDATE 6: Thank God, John Kelly has weighed in on this.
John Kelly: Here's what I don't get, is sex for some people so mediocre that they have to resort to autoerotic asphyxiation? Maybe you get bored around age 72. And nothing says sexy like a curtain cord in a closet in a Thai hotel room.
Oooh, regular sex for John Kelly is soooo gooood, he doesn't even need to tie a rope around anything to get off, not even his dick. What is John Kelly, some sort of sexual Superman?
UPDATE: The Los Angeles Times makes a funny joke! After TMZ reports seeing an image of "a male body hanging in Carradine's hotel room closet" dressed in fishnet stockings and a wig, Elizabeth Snead quips: "Turns out there may have been accessories involved in this crime."
UPDATE: Former Carradine wife Gail Jensen (his third) told TMZ that Carradine "would spend days planning to construct elaborate sexual devices." Jensen said:
"David was pretty strange. He would like to get tied up. He would tie himself up and I would walk in and see him and say 'Oh my God, David, you got to be kidding me—and I would (turn around and) walk out. I would leave him to his own devices."
"His own devices" pun aside—it's not as if these elaborate sexual devices were sexual, or anything. Ho ho no, TMZ reports:
We spoke with Jensen, who told us although David liked tying himself up "it was never sexual." She says he liked bondage but never choked himself. Then again, they divorced in 1997.
Nonsexual elaborate sexual devices? Finally, this story begins to make sense.
2:15 pm
Nelson Rockefeller?
5:59 pm
I am a blogger on the scene in Bangkok at the hotel where Carradine died and am blogging about this on http://magickpapers.com/blog
ICON OF AN AMERICAN FILM DYNASTY
BY ANTONIO PINEDA
The announcer for the BBC breaks the story on TV. David Carradine was found dead in the Swiss Hotel on Soi Nailert. The film star was found in the closet of his room bound by curtain rope around his neck, and the inference is that his genitals were bound as well. The news ran through the Bangkok film colony like a forest fire.
I consult investigative journalist David Walker. He is also a screenwriter and author of the cult classic book, Hello My Big Big Honey. Walker is at the hotel. He has already led a CBS crew to legendary film producer-director David Winters penthouse office. Winters is a dear friend of Carradine from their glory days in Hollywood. Walker wants to see the surveilance tapes. No chance Bagger Vance. Dr. Pornthip, a colorful Thai forensic scientist is on the scene at the hotel. Walker says Pornthip, who is famous for sporting many hued punk hair styles and is a bit of a celebrity,delares the case to be death by auto sexual strangulation.
I roll up to Winters penthouse office. He is devastated by the tragic loss of a dear friend. He has not slept. CBS and People Magazine have already come by to solicit intelligence. David is shocked by the tawdry inferrences. He has spoken to 3 of Carradines agents. The agents declare that Carradine was on the roll of a lifetime. Quentin Tarantino redefined the 72 year old actor in Kill Bill. Carradine recieved a Golden Globe nomination for his work with Tarantino. The actor of the classic cult TV series Kung Fu had starred in 13 motion pictures since Kill Bill. His salary was in the stratosphere.
The strange circumstances of the verdict by auto- sexual strangulation trouble Winters. It takes two to tango. Why indeed would a man of his talent take his own life alone. Bangkok is known as a city with love for sale. Film people come here to shoot and avail themselves of the pleasures to be found in the gilded city of sin. Kinky sex is no big deal. Could this be a coverup for a sex robbery murder. The Royal Thai Police have shut the door on this case all too quickly. The tourist industry has been severely damaged by the recession and political instability. The murder of a famous film star would be a final nail in the coffin of the tourism industry. Winters says that Carradine, son of John , iconic members of an American cinema dynasty were above the fray. David Carradine was according to Winters a consumate gentleman, a brilliant actor, and a man for all seasons.
I run into local film producer Tom Waller at a reception hosted by the Italian Embassy. Tom does not believe in the verdict of death by auto-sexual strangulation. He concludes that it was a sex robbery gone wrong, and that to cover the motives the body had been arranged to fit the profile of death by auto- sexual strangulation, a theory once confined to the genre of novels classified as psychological thrillers. The denizens of the film colony in Bangkok are incredulous at the grisly circumstances of the sad demise of this brilliant talent.
The reception is attended by beaucoup des artistes and cineastes. Film critic Nick Palevski and I schmooze at the bar. Between glasses of vino rosso and spumante Nick expresses his distaste for the tawdy belching of the media and press. He is the critic for Auteur, a web site devoted to film criticism. He can not believe the shabby and sensational manner in which this case is being exploited.
In no way is this story meant to impugn the reputation of the Royal Thai Police, their meritorious service is well known. Nor is it meant to slander the bereaved Carradine family. The American Embassy has issued a statement wishing the family the best in this tragic moment, embassy staff have no other conclusion re this case except the finding of the body. Aristotelian logic might conclude that something is rotten in Denmark. Western countries would conduct a far more sophisticated investigation.
The epilogue is delivered by my dear friend in Santa Monica Martin Zweiback. He is a writer- producer director with 50 years of credits in Hollywood. Martin scrpted the original Kung Fu series and is a close friend of David Carradine. Martin is a gentleman of class and distinction. He often graces the Bangkok film colony with his presence. It is fitting that a cineaste of his stature have the final word in this affair. I recieved this e mail from Martin, and with all due respect to this fine bloke it is represented here below as a final testament to this sordid affair.
Antonio, my friend,
Sorry I've been neglectful about keeping in touch of late.
Thinking about Carradine this day, I recall when writing the Kung Fu show, how often his image inspired the words, and how much depth he brought to them. They sometimes had to pour him onto the set but he never read a line wrong. He was a gifted and underrated actor. I saw him at a screening of Kill Bill not too long ago. He seemed vibrant and clearly excited by the "second chance" Tarantino's film had given him. Suicide in the middle of shooting a movie at this point in his life just doesn't compute -- but it does remind us to count our Blessings, Gifts, and Challenges -- and be careful what we wish for.
With All Good Thoughts,
Martin
more to follow on http://magickpapers.com/blog
12:50 am
I'm reasonably certain that Salmon P. Chase died by auto-erotic asphyxiation, or at least I kind of hope so.