Morgan Wallen surprised Saturday Night Live viewers when he abruptly departed the stage on March 29.
The country music star, making his second SNL appearance since his 2020 debut, left during the closing credits, breaking with the show’s tradition where cast members, host, and musical guest typically remain on stage chatting as credits roll. Before exiting, Wallen appeared to speak only briefly with celebrity host Mikey Madison, star of “Anora.”
According to a source speaking to the Daily Mail, “He was unprofessional the entire time and came in with a chip on his shoulder. He thought that he was this massive star that deserved to be treated as if they were lucky to have him and when he wasn’t getting that he threw a tantrum.” The source claimed this behavior has resulted in Wallen being “blackballed from ever appearing on SNL again.”
While much criticism has surrounded Wallen’s conduct, SNL veteran Colin Jost seemed more understanding. Lip reader Nicola Hicking analyzed footage of the credits sequence and told media that Jost appeared to say to a co-star: “You gotta’ remember how he is feeling.”
After his departure, Wallen posted an Instagram Story from an airport runway with the caption “get me to God’s country.” He has since launched merchandise featuring this phrase, with t-shirts priced at $58 and caps at $45.
The merchandise was announced on April 1, though his team has confirmed it isn’t an April Fools’ prank. When a fan questioned whether the products were genuine on Club Wallen, the singer’s official fan page, a team member responded: “No but we see how you’d get there.”