Jason Isaacs pokes fun at Duke T-shirt controversy on ‘The White Lotus’ with cheeky response
Jason Isaacs isn’t planning on getting an honorary degree from Duke anytime soon.
Isaacs appeared on the April 17 episode of SiriusXM’s “Literally! with Rob Lowe” podcast and chatted with the show’s host about the unexpected controversy between “The White Lotus” and the North Carolina-based university.
After Rob Lowe shared that his son, Matthew Lowe, attended Duke University for college, Isaacs asked whether or not he had seen “the fuss online” about his character wearing a Duke T-shirt.
During Season 3 of the HBO hit, Isaacs’ character Timothy Ratliff learns while on vacation that he is under investigation for alleged financial crimes back in the United States. At one point, while wearing a Duke T-shirt, he contemplated a murder-suicide scene with himself and his family, with depictions shown on-screen of his violent ideations.
The scene prompted a statement from Duke University, who claimed that the show did not have the authorization to use the college’s logos in the show.
Isaacs responded to the controversy on the podcast, explaining the backstory behind why he was wearing the T-shirt in the first place.
He shared that both his character and his older son, Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger) were alumni of Duke, while his wife, Victoria (Parker Posey) and daughter Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) were alums of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This led to their younger son Lochlan (Sam Nivola) to struggle with his decision on which college to attend.
“When we’re thinking about costumes, I’m talking to Alex, the wonderful Emmy-winning costume designer, I said maybe he wears a Duke T-shirt to sleep in,” Isaacs explained. “So, we got a Duke T-shirt to wear when I’m sleeping and I’m pretty sure they got it cleared because as you know you don’t ever go on television without getting all of the logos cleared.”
He went on to explain the scene and subsequent controversy, adding, “There are scenes in it in which I am suicidal and even homicidal, and they are the ones in which I am wearing my Duke T-shirt because it’s bedtime.”
“Well, someone at Duke decided that was really untoward and was not happy with the association,” Isaacs continued. “Other people online were pointing out that there are real life alumni of Duke’s to be far more worried about than a fictional alumni.”
Not everyone was unhappy with Isaacs’ character, though.
The actor recalled being in Virginia and explained that people had driven in from Durham, North Carolina to see him at a convention.
“They drove just to tell me that they thought my accent was accurate and I shouldn’t listen to people who don’t know what a Durham, North Carolina accent is,” he said. “And they brought me Duke T-shirts, so now I have a selection of Duke T-shirts. I didn’t wear one today. If I’d known, I’d have it on now, but I am intending to wear them whenever there’s a camera around. So sorry, Duke. There goes my honorary degree.”
When Lowe pointed out that Duke was in the Final Four during March Madness, Isaacs joked, “Wouldn’t it be great if I went on and sang the national anthem?”
At the time of Duke’s initial statement, Frank Tramble, vice president for communications, marketing and public affairs at Duke, Frank Tramble, told TODAY.com in a statement that Duke did not “approve the use of its marks” in “The White Lotus.”
“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,” the statement read. “’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.”
This story references suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
