Who is Louis Theroux? 51-year old Documentary filmmaker becomes TikTok star with viral 'Wiggle Wiggle' rap

Theroux in his TikTok video (Image via officiallouistheroux /TikTok)
Theroux in his TikTok video (Image via officiallouistheroux /TikTok)

Since mid-April, British-American journalist Louis Theroux's influence has made its way around TikTok as a trend, beating out the likes of Jack Harlow's First Class. The documentary filmmaker's rap from 2000, titled My Money Don't Jiggle Jiggle, spread through the social media platform in the last two weeks of April.

Following the virality of his rap, Theroux joined TikTok and uploaded a video of him walking down the street with his iconic rap being played in the background. The 51-year-old journalist's video has received over 4.4 million views in just a day.

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The documentary presenter captioned the post:

"Late to the party but I made it."

Meanwhile, TikTok's UK's official page replied:

"Late?! You ARE the party, Louis!! Welcome."

Origins of Louis Theroux's My Money Don't Jiggle Jiggle rap

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The song's original version came from an episode of Weird Weekends in 2000, which featured Louis Theroux as he penned the rap. While the version on TikTok is a remix version by Duke & Jones, the original version was performed by Theroux in the 'Chicken Shop Date with Amelia Dimoldenberg' episode.

As per the BBC, the episode also showcased Theroux's travel to New Orleans in hopes of exploring and learning about the rap culture. Meanwhile, the 51-year-old wrote the rap during the BBC 2 documentary.

Later, on February 18, Louis Theroux was asked whether he still remembered the rap on a recent episode of the iconic YouTube series Chicken Shop Date.

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At the time, the documentary maker burst out into his old rap, which might have boosted its popularity. This, combined with the release of the remix version by Duke & Jones on March 16, has moved the song into new territories of popularity.


What is known about Louis Theroux?

Louis Theroux is a documentary maker and journalist who is the son of novelist Paul Theroux. The documentary maker has worked on almost 50 projects, including the likes of TV Nation, which served as the debut of Theroux's entertainment industry. The British-American documentary filmmaker is best renowned for two BAFTA-winning documentary mini-series, When Louis Met..., and Theroux's Weird Weekends.

According to Theroux's website,

"Louis has shone light on intriguing beliefs, behaviors, and institutions by getting to know the people at the heart of them – from the officers and inmates at San Quentin prison to the extreme believers of the Westboro Baptist Church; from male porn performers in California to young women with eating disorders in London."

Furthermore, Theroux has received three BAFTAs, an RTS award, and Grierson's Trustees' Award for his work. While Theroux has been recognized for decades, the documentary maker has received newfound fame with TikTok.

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