Morgan Wallen‘s two performances on Saturday Night Live on Saturday (March 29) weren’t the only thing about the singer’s appearance that stirred up some social media buzz this weekend.
After the live episode, fans were buzzing about Wallen’s abrupt exit from the stage. Like most musical guests on SNL, Wallen was at the front of the crowd as host Mikey Madison bid goodnight to the audience.
Wallen exchanged a hug and a few words with Madison as the credits started to roll, but then he walked offstage right past a camera. He was the only performer to do so: The rest of the SNL cast stayed onstage and mingled during the final moments of the episode. That’s usually how an episode of SNL concludes, with everyone staying onstage during the credits.
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Social media users quickly started speculating about why Wallen clocked out of SNL a little early.
“Weird — Morgan Wallen didn’t turn around to say anything to anyone,” one X user said. “He looked like he was ready to be out of there.”
“Jfc [M]organ is so disrespectful,” another opined.
“He could care less about his SNL experience this week,” a third speculated. “You could tell in the promos and performances that he just phoned it in this week.”
“This whole scenario was so awkward,” someone else said.
Wallen had a serious tone and a somber face through much of his time onstage while performing on Saturday Night Live. But in his defense, that was the persona that fit with the songs: One, “I’m the Problem,” was a ballad that dealt with some difficult subject matter. The other, “Just in Case,” was a little more uptempo, but still a heartbroken message of enduring love to an ex. So it’s likely that he took on a troubled persona to emulate the tone of the songs, not as a comment on his thoughts on being at SNL.
After the episode, TMZ also reported that a source said Wallen’s quick exit was “an oopsie moment,” and that he didn’t realize he was expected to stay onstage.
Still, the singer posted an Instagram Stories slide that indicated that he was, at the very least, excited to leave New York City and get home. As he was preparing to jet out of town, Wallen shared a snapshot of the airport tarmac, writing, “Get me to God’s Country.”
Morgan Wallen, ‘Saturday Night Live’
He also hasn’t shared any video or moments from his time on Saturday Night Live this weekend.
It’s worth remembering that Wallen hasn’t always had the easiest history with the famed sketch comedy show. He was supposed to give his debut performance as a musical guest back in October 2020, but that gig got canceled after the singer made headlines for partying maskless in multiple locations — a breach of the show’s COVID-19 policy at the time.
Read More: A Timeline of Morgan Wallen’s Legal Troubles + Controversies
The singer apologized, and two months later, he returned to SNL to make his debut as a musical guest.
Though several social media users thought his exit from this weekends show was strange — or even downright rude — there were plenty more who supported him and applauded his performances on the SNL stage.
“[Morgan Wallen] staying true to himself,” one fan praised. “Loved the backdrop as much as I loved the exit!”
“He was the best part of the show anyway,” someone else added.
Timeline of Morgan Wallen Controversies + Accomplishments
Here is a timeline of his most notable accomplishments and most controversial moments.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
