Morgan Wallen, a prominent figure in American country music, made waves by appearing as a musical guest on the episode of Saturday Night Live that aired on March 29, 2025. However, his performance has since taken a back seat to the controversy surrounding his conduct at the conclusion of the show.
At just 31 years old, Wallen caught viewers’ attention when he unexpectedly walked off the stage, bypassing the camera while the credits rolled. Prior to his departure, he was observed whispering into the ear of Mikey Madison, the episode’s host. This moment has ignited a significant backlash, especially on the social media platform X, where many users criticized his actions.
“Morgan Wallen walking off before the SNL credits were even over… yeah there’s a special place in hell for that man,” a netizen stated.
“Morgan Wallen said I didn’t want to be here either. That’s exactly what the show gets for having him in the first place #SNL,” another user commented.
Responses continued to pour in from viewers questioning Wallen’s commitment to the show:
“Why would he book the appearance if he doesn’t want to be there?” one user asked.
“No class whatsoever,”wrote another.
While Wallen has yet to publicly address these critiques, he did share an Instagram Story shortly after the episode, showing a private jet with the caption “Get me to God’s country,” adding another layer to the discourse around his behavior.
Sources close to Wallen have reported to outlets like Variety and Fox News that his walk-off was unintentional and reflective of his conduct during rehearsal.
Morgan Wallen’s Previous Controversies on SNL
In his latest SNL segment, Wallen introduced his new single “I’m the Problem,”from his upcoming album of the same name, scheduled for release on May 16, 2025. He also performed “Just in Case,”another track from his recent work.
This was not Morgan Wallen’s first appearance on SNL. He made his initial guest spot in December 2020, where he performed hits like “7 Summers”and “Still Goin’ Down.”During that time, he also generated buzz for poking fun at his own scandals during a sketch featuring Pete Davidson, Jason Bateman, and Bowen Yang. He humorously thanked SNL for giving him a “second Yankee chance.”
In October 2020, Wallen faced significant backlash after being filmed engaging in questionable behavior at a party in Alabama, violating COVID-19 guidelines. As a result, he was dropped from an SNL appearance that month.
“I got a call from the show letting me know that I will no longer be able to play, and that’s because of Covid protocols, which I understand… I’m not positive for Covid but my actions this past weekend were pretty shortsighted and they have obviously affected my long-term goals and my dreams,” he explained in an IGTV video at the time.
“I think I’ve lost myself a little bit. I’ve tried to find joy in the wrong places, and it’s left me with less joy. So I’mma go try to work on that. I’m gonna take a step back from the spotlight for a while and go work on myself.”
Mikey Madison, hosting SNL for the first time, has recently made headlines after winning an Oscar for Best Actress. In her closing moments on stage, she conveyed her enjoyment of the experience, thanking everyone, including Morgan Wallen. While she stayed behind to interact with others, Wallen had already made his exit, leaving viewers to speculate about the nature of his departure.