The third season of HBO's “The White Lotus” features spoilers ahead – adultery, stolen firearms, incest threesomes, underwater corpses, fake friendships and the crime of white colls.
It may therefore be no surprise that real-life officials at Duke University are troubled by the school's supportive roles throughout the season.
Timothy Ratliff, a wealthy businessman and Duke alumnus played by Jason Isaacs, one of the show's main characters, is on vacation in Thailand with his family. However, things rush south when he learns that he is being investigated for his role in shady financial transactions.
Ratliff deals with it by stealing Lorazepam, an anti-anxiety drug, from his wife's prescription drug cache. The pills make him a zombie-like state. Later, after plastering a handgun from one of the resort's security guards, Mr. Ratliff appears to be thinking of suicide while wearing a Duke T-shirt.
But there's more. Mr. Latliff's eldest son, Saxon, works at his father's company, played by Patrick Schwarzenegger, is a poster child for toxic masculinity. Saxon also went to Duke.
Duke's vice president of communications, marketing and public relations, Frank Trumbull said in an email that the university has not approved the use of the “mark” in its program.
“Duke appreciates artistic expression and creative storytelling,” Trumbull said.
Tramble added that the show “not only uses the brand without permission, but in our view it uses it with nasty images and doesn't reflect our values or who we are, it just goes far.”
But while Duke officials may be troubled by the depiction of the school on the show, the law is most likely on the side of HBO, said Jeanne Frommer, a professor specializing in intellectual property law at the New York University School of Law.
According to the professor, the trademark law is to protect your business from the use of “marks” in ways that disrupt consumers. For example, if someone opens a school and calls it “Duke University,” it could violate trademark laws.
However, that is not the case with “White Lotus.” Also, artists have strong protection under the first amendment to use famous trademarks for artistic and expressive purposes.
“On the other hand, I understand that Duke is about to separate himself from him,” Professor Frommer said. “On the other hand, they're paying attention to it.”
David Olson, an associate professor at Boston College Law School, said the use of trademarks in fiction and cultural commentary “enjoys a wide range of legal latitudes.” He added: “Trademarks don't give you one control over how others refer to your brand, including important ways.”
Tramble declined to comment on whether Duke would consider legal action. A representative from HBO declined to comment.
The show's college apparel has become an issue, at least in part, as the school's highly successful basketball program, has become a team that many sports fans hate, at least in part, as the school's highly successful basketball program, has won five national championships.
At university at this month's NCAA Tournament, “The White Lotus” provided material for potential memes. Mr. Latriff's image is distraught with his Duke T-shirt and carrying a gun on his head. X's post suggested that if Duke is lost, the image would appear as “the greatest meme of all time.”
This post prompted a reply from Duke's account on the platform. This warned that suicide was the cause of the second death on university campus, urging those in need of help to seek help.
“Because the image from the show is widely shared across social media,” Tramble said.
There are two episodes left in the current season of “The White Lotus,” and Schwarzenegger appeared on “The Drew Barrymore Show” and said he was uncomfortable not to watch with his family. His character already had a nude scene in the first episode, and had the aforementioned threesome with his younger brother, so it's a bold statement, and potentially awkward statement for Duke.
Aggravating Duke's Issues: Piper, played by Mr. Latriff's daughter, Sarah Catherine Hook, is, so far, the least problematic member of a dysfunctional family and appears to be hoping to spend the year at a Buddhist monastery.
She will attend Duke's rival, University of North Carolina.
If you have a suicide idea, call 988, text 988 to reach the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline, or visit speakingofsuide.com/resources for a list of additional resources.
