Morgan Wallen’s ‘SNL’ Walk-Off Sparks Controversy
Morgan Wallen’s second appearance as a musical guest on “Saturday Night Live” has generated some debate among fans.
On Saturday, March 29, Oscar-winning actor Mikey Madison hosted the late-night sketch comedy series for the first time, featuring Wallen as the musical act.
During the episode, the country music sensation performed two tracks from his upcoming album “I’m The Problem,” including the title track and a song named “Just In Case.”
As the show concluded, Madison and Wallen stood in the center for their goodbyes, traditionally aired during the post-credit roll. Rather than interacting with the host and the cast – a customary part of “SNL” – Wallen was seen departing the stage almost immediately, according to a clip shared on X by the official “SNL” account.
The reason for Wallen’s early exit from the stage remains unclear. TODAY.com reached out for a statement but has not received a response.
While the singer has not addressed the incident, he did post an Instagram story early Sunday morning, March 30, shortly after the episode aired. The story featured a photo seemingly taken from an airplane window, showing another plane on the tarmac.
“Get me to God’s country,” was the caption of the post.
TODAY.com also contacted Wallen regarding his post but has not yet heard back.
Morgan Wallen / Instagram
Wallen has faced controversy since 2016, including interactions with “SNL.”
In October 2020, he was removed as the musical guest after being filmed allegedly violating COVID-19 protocols by partying without a mask. He was subsequently rebooked for a December appearance and even humorously addressed his cancellation in a sketch.
Additionally, he faced further backlash when his recording contract was temporarily suspended in February 2021 after he was caught on video using a racial slur. However, he returned the following year to award shows, winning album of the year at the Academy of Country Music Awards in May 2022.
In December 2024, Wallen pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment stemming from an incident in April where he threw a chair off a bar’s rooftop. He was sentenced to seven days in a DUI education program and received two years of probation.
How did ‘SNL’ viewers react to Morgan Wallen walking off stage
Viewers on social media shared their candid responses to the moment.
“Morgan Wallen is the first musical guest or host on SNL that I can recall who just walked off stage during ‘goodnights’ before the credits even started to roll,” remarked one tweet on the platform X.
Another tweet stated, “Morgan Wallen barely acknowledges Mikey Madison and then immediately storms off stage like a baby during the SNL goodbyes. Woof.”
“Everyone is talking about Morgan Wallen storming off stage at SNL, but we should be questioning why @nbcsnl invited him back?” one observer tweeted.
“Morgan Wallen said I didn’t want to be here either,” another tweet read. “That’s exactly what the show gets for having him in the first place. #SNL”
