No More ‘Ooh Loo Loos’: A White Lotus Feud

Arguably, one of the most iconic TV show theme songs of all time belongs to the White Lotus. But, behind its three-time Emmy-winning musical composition and unforgettable, “ooh loo loos” in its opening title sequence, is a public creative feud. The show’s esteemed director, Mike White, and the show’s now-former composer, Cristobal Tapia de Veer, have entered into a publicized back-and-forth after Veer was fired from the upcoming season. Veer broke his silence on the termination this week, stating that he “tried to avoid” drama, but felt that it was important for him to share his side of the story after White addressed the split on The Howard Stern Show. On the show, White commended Veer’s talents but then named Veer’s decision to speak out—on what he deemed a “mundane issue”—a “bitch move.”
Veer, however, insists that there’s more to the story, and that, perhaps, this isn’t so “mundane.” In a pointed social media post posted by Veer following the Stern interview, he shared a screenshot of an Instagram reel with the caption “The White Lotus composer QUIT because Mike White made him cut the second half of this song and I will never forgive Mike for as long as I live.” Veer additionally accused the White Lotus’ production team of fabricating a “BS campaign” that was meant to culminate in the Stern interview, writing online that he now understands how “they work a BS campaign that builds towards an interview where the guy capitalizes on the lies they spread.”
What’s more, Veer recently released an uncut version of the show’s season three theme song, complete with the well-known “ooh loo loos” that were axed from this season under White’s orders. For the most part, fans have stood behind Veer, voicing that the White Lotus won’t be the same without his experimental and eerie musical style. This creative shift is undoubtedly a turning point for the show and demonstrates what may be a larger creative shift away from its avant-garde and exploratory soundscape.