Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. an uproar, a noisy celebration, a significant event; a drunken spree.

1903		Nebraska State Jrnl (Lincoln, NE) 14 June 9/5: They’re about to embark on a whooperino and haven’t taken the first one [i.e. drink].
1922		B. Hecht A Thousand and One Afternoons [ebook] There was music and dancing and a whoop-de-da-da in the amusement parks.
1929		W. Faulkner Sound and Fury 321: But I cant have all this whoop-de-do and sulking at mealtimes [...] I’m that way in my own house.
1941		J.M. Cain Mildred Pierce (1985) 498: After the big whoop-de-do, their whole attitude changed.
1955		‘Blackie’ Audett Rap Sheet 23: We had quite a whoop-de-do and I run into a beautiful French girl named Lili.
1965		H.S. Thompson letter 23 June in Proud Highway (1997) 527: I went on an Irish whiskey whoop.
1971		N. Cassady First Third 9: There was a big whoopdeedo among the boys when his place opened.
1999		Indep. Mag. 16 Oct. 36: For those unnerved by ghost train whoop-de-do, the amount of fright on offer is more impressive.
2009		(con. 1960s) J. Ellroy Blood’s a Rover 35: Lots of meetings, lots of whoop-de-doo.
2023		(con. 1962) J. Ellroy Enchanters 282: ‘Saturnalia Saturday’ [...] half-price drinks and much whoop-de-do.

2. used as euph., e.g. for damn n. (1)

1928		C.F. Stocking Identity of Douglas Bain 182: Ye see, Bub, th’ Bible didn’t mean a whoop-de-doo t’ me ’s long’s th’ preachers talked ’bout it like it was a book on magic.
1959		‘Monroe Fry’ Sex, Vice & Business 90: [N]either the Government nor anyone else apparently gives a whoop if citizens [...] are protected.

3. praise.

1948

J.M. Cain Moth (1950) 313: I didn’t see the dinner rated all the whoopdedo that Hannah gave it.