Morgan Wallen offers a no-frills defense for his awkward 'SNL' exit back to 'God's country'

When Morgan Wallen abruptly sauntered offstage during the curtain telephone that closed his astir caller “Saturday Night Live” quality successful March, helium rapidly sparked online backlash and was accused of disrespecting the drama institution. Now months since the viral moment, the state euphony prima says helium has nary atrocious humor with “SNL.”

The Grammy-nominated “Last Night” vocalist publically addressed his arguable exit for the archetypal clip successful the latest occurrence of Caleb Pressley’s “Sundae Conversation,” published Sunday. During the astir six-minute chat, Pressley joked with Wallen astir location attraction habits — similar taking retired the trash and cutting writer — to segue into the “SNL” matter. “Could you hole a TV if it was connected ‘SNL’?” Pressley asked.

Wallen, chuckling, responded: “I could alteration it for sure.”

Earlier this year, “Saturday Night Live” tapped Oscar-winning “Anora” prima Mikey Madison to big its March 29 episode and recruited Wallen to instrumentality arsenic a philharmonic guest. He made his “SNL” debut successful December 2020, delayed by immoderate pandemic-era controversy. During the March episode, Wallen performed a brace of tunes from his medium “I’m the Problem,” owed retired this week.

In emblematic “SNL” fashion, the occurrence concluded with Madison and Wallen joining the show’s formed for the “goodnights” curtain call. Usually, some the big and philharmonic impermanent bent astir with the “SNL” stars arsenic the credits roll, but Wallen seemingly had different places to be. After Wallen said goodbye to Madison, helium walked successful beforehand of the camera toward the assemblage and near the stage. Shortly after, Wallen shared a photograph from his backstage level successful his Instagram story. “Get maine to God’s country,” helium wrote implicit the image.

It’s worthy noting that erstwhile Wallen debuted connected “SNL” astir 5 years ago, helium appeared alongside big Jason Bateman successful a sketch mocking his COVID-19 partying and stayed done the credits to mingle with the “SNL” cast.

The singer’s unexpected departure and societal media station rapidly generated headlines successful March and became fodder for societal media critics, immoderate of whom saw Wallen’s “God’s country” enactment arsenic a excavation astatine New York. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, longtime “SNL” prima Kenan Thompson acknowledged Wallen’s walk-off was a “spike successful the norm” and a “pretty disposable thing.” He besides said helium recovered the musician’s “God’s country” station odd.

“What are you trying to say? You trying to accidental that we are not successful God’s country? We’re not each successful God’s country?” Thompson told EW. “We’re not each nether God’s umbrella? That’s not needfully my favorite.”

The incidental inspired reports astir Wallen’s behaviour earlier the unrecorded show, including that helium did the aforesaid exit during rehearsals. The Hollywood Reporter said that Wallen passed connected appearing successful 1 of the episode’s sketches and Joe Jonas took the spot instead. “God’s country” and Wallen’s premature exit, of course, recovered their mode backmost to “SNL,” which referenced the infinitesimal during the acold unfastened and “Weekend Update” segments of its April 6 episode.

When Pressley asked “Did [‘SNL’ ] marque you mad?” Wallen replied, “No, no.”

“I was conscionable acceptable to spell home,” helium added. “Been determination each week.”

“Sundae Conversation” touched connected much that conscionable 1 of Wallen’s caller controversies — the singer’s chair-throwing apprehension last year besides loomed implicit the chat, albeit much subtly. The “One Thing astatine a Time” and “Whiskey Glasses” singer, who was arrested successful 2020 for nationalist intoxication and faced scrutiny successful 2021 for utilizing a radical slur, was arrested successful April 2024 connected suspicion of hurling a seat from the apical of a six-story Nashville bar. In December, the 31-year-old state vocalist entered a conditional plea successful Davidson County Circuit Court to 2 misdemeanor charges of reckless endangerment. He was sentenced to 7 days’ incarceration astatine a DUI Education Center, 2 years’ probation, a $350 good and outgo of tribunal fees.

“I privation you to sanction a happening that you tin beryllium successful that besides flies done the air,” Pressley prompted his guest.

Wallen responded: “I mean there’s 1 evident answer. Why bash you privation maine to accidental that though? I mean, yeah, a jet.”

Pressley suggested determination was different reply to his riddle and Wallen, yet catching his drift, answered: “A chair.”

Toward the extremity of the segment, Pressley besides chatted with Wallen astir motorcycles, caller euphony and his Morgan Wallen Foundation. In 1 gag, Pressley suggested Wallen puts the “chair” successful “charity.”

“I enactment the ‘-ity’ successful ‘idiot,’ maybe,” Wallen responded.

Times adjunct exertion Christie D’Zurilla and erstwhile unit writer Nardine Saad contributed to this report.