Quick to comment on the recent episode of The White Lotus is Duke’s VP of communications, Frank Tramble. Following the inclusion of a Duke University T-shirt worn by actor Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter, The Patriot) during a scene that sees his character Timothy in a suicidal daydream, TVLine reports Tramble as saying, “The White Lotus not only uses our brand without permission, but in our view uses it on imagery that is troubling, does not reflect our values or who we are, and simply goes too far.”

Tramble goes on to highlight the fact that suicide is the second leading cause of death on college campuses across the nation. A study done by University of Michigan CAPS students concluded that as much as 38% of their students have thought about or contemplated suicide. The White Lotus may have touched on a topic that needed to be in the spotlight and, unfortunately, close to home for many people. As images of the scene circulate on social media, Duke uses its unwelcome attention to bring awareness to mental health and “remind people that help is available.”

The following statement was released by Deadline, Tramble goes on to clarify the stance of Duke University.  “Duke appreciates artistic expression and creative storytelling, but characters prominently wearing apparel bearing Duke’s federally registered trademarks creates confusion and mistakenly suggests an endorsement or affiliation where none exists.”

In the now infamous episode, Timothy spirals into a suicidal state as he is facing federal fraud charges. As he realizes he could lose everything, he visualizes the graphic scene where he takes his own life as his attire consists of a Duke University trademark. Although Timothy snaps back to reality and decides not to take his life, Duke claims the damage has been done and further tarnishes their reputation by sending said mixed signals. Season three of The White Lotus is available to stream on HBO with episodes releasing every Sunday.