They killed Kumar? You bastards!

Kuttner I mean, I'm sure I was one of many House fans (Club motto: 'It's not Lupus!') who was shocked and stunned by Kal Penn's abrupt departure from the show last night via suicide. Did he ask for too much money or something?

Turns out he got a new job.

I understand it was your decision to leave House. True?

KAL PENN: Yes. I was incredibly honored a couple of months ago to get the opportunity to go work in the White House. I got to know the President and some of the staff during the campaign and had expressed interest in working there, so I'm going to be the associate director in the White House office of public liaison. They do outreach with the American public and with different organizations. They're basically the front door of the White House. They take out all of the red tape that falls between the general public and the White House. It's similar to what I was doing on the campaign.

OK, as reasons go, not a bad one, but suicide? Completely out of character. Even House doesn't buy it and for a few vertiginous moments it seems like they might apply the House format to crime solving, but no.

Here's hoping, as rewarding as his new career will doubtless be, that he feels the need to come back to acting occasionally.