Morgan Wallen On Abrupt ‘SNL' Exit: 'I Was Just Ready To Go Home'
Morgan Wallen addresses his abrupt Saturday Night Live exit that sparked controversy earlier this year.
The former Voice Season 6 contestant was a musical guest on NBC's late-night sketch show alongside guest host Mikey Madison in March. During an appearance on Sundae Conversations with Caleb Pressley, the country star talked about his perceived SNL diss.
More from Deadline
'SNL': Walton Goggins Brings Guns To The Constitution In Founding Fathers Sketch
'SNL': Sam Rockwell Joins 'White Lotus' Co-Star Walton Goggins In Musical Sketch About Man With Baby Feet
Weekend Update's Colin Jost Derides Right-Wing Ire At First American Pope: "There Are No Woke Catholics"
'Could you fix a TV, if it was on SNL?' Pressley asked the singer.
'I could change it for sure,' Wallen replied.
The podcast host then asked, 'Seriously, SNL, did they make you mad?'
Wallen said, 'No, no. I was just ready to go home. I'd been there all week.'
After his SNL appearance, Wallen took to social media to share a photo of his private jet with the caption, 'Get me to God's country.'
When Pressley recalled the post, Wallen smiled and said, 'Yeah.'
On the March 30 episode of SNL, the country star was a musical guest, and Mikey Madison was featured as the guest host. At the end of the episode, the guest host comes out to thank the cast and the musical guest for their appearance, and they traditionally stay as the credits roll on.
However, after Madison said goodnight to viewers and the credits started rolling, Wallen didn't turn back to thank the SNL cast and instead walked off the set and into the audience.
Wallen wasted no time in capitalizing on the viral moment and started selling merch with the 'Get me to God's country' text.
SNL cast member Kenan Thompson was left confused by Wallen's decision, telling Entertainment Weekly, 'I don't know what goes through people's minds when they decide to do stuff like that. I don't know if he understood the assignment or not, or if he was really feeling a certain kind of way.'
Thompson added, 'You see somebody before you get a chance to say hi or say good job or anything like that, they just dipping. I thought maybe he had to go to the potty or something.'
Watch Wallen's full interview below.
Best of Deadline
2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery
2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery
2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Steve Gerben Talks ‘Tires' Impact on Dad's Shop, John McKeever Explains That Whole 'McKeever' Thing
Tires season two rolled out on Netflix today, Thursday, June 5. Riding shotgun in the Shane Gillis-vehicle are his friends and creative partners for a decade, co-star/writer Steve Gerben and writer/director John McKeever. (For the sake of the analogy, picture a 1970s Chevy Bel Air front bench seat.) Well, really, it is McKeever (who professionally goes by just 'McKeever') steering the car with Gerben navigating — or vice versa. The 6'3' Gillis is stretched out in the backseat — that's where the celebrity goes — but he's not merely along for the ride. We'll stop forcing the metaphor immediately. More from The Hollywood Reporter Netflix EMEA Content Boss Touts 'Adolescence,' Debunks a "Myth," Talks Ted Sarandos' Acting Debut 'Lost in Starlight' Director Han Ji-won on Blending Romance and Sci-Fi for Netflix's Breakthrough Korean Animated Feature Joe Manganiello, Who Starred in 'Pee-wee's Big Holiday,' Chokes Up Remembering Late Friend Paul Reubens: "I Was His Biggest Fan" Gillis is a co-creator of the series and number one on its call sheet. He's also the guy who paid out of pocket to build the Tires set. Tires was originally shot as a 10-minute pilot for YouTube and sold as a series to Quibi. Unfortunately, Quibi lasted about as long as Gillis did at SNL. (OK, so Quibi made it six months; Gillis' Saturday Night Live stint lasted five whole days, though he's since hosted twice.) Early on in the conception phase, the guys chose a body shop setting for the most pragmatic reason possible: because Steve's dad owns one. Gillis, a successful standup comic and the co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast, put an addition onto the Gerben family business, a tire shop in Westchester, Pennsylvania. It's where they still film today. (It's also where they pull storylines: Gerben's dad had some trouble with his suppliers over a plan to sell their tires at his cost, which comes to a head in Tires season two.) So Netflix picked up Tires for the price of an oil change, basically. OK, now we're done. I liked the first season, but I loved the second. Would you agree that season two is even better than season one? JM: I think the nature of the first season was— I would almost argue it was a long cold open, and really, our whole goal with that first season was to nail down the tone and the style of the show. We really just honed in on one storyline, and mostly because we didn't have a ton of production, money, time, resources — stuff like that. So we really treated season two like a season one. Season one was famously inexpensive to make… JM: Outside of a found-footage documentary, I feel like this is about as cheap as it gets. SG: As cheap as season one was to make, we'd be remiss not to say that Shane did spend all his own money to make it. This time around, it's Netflix's money. At the time, did you guys view Shane's a bummer or a blessing? JM: When he was auditioning for SNL, I talked to him after he auditioned, and I said, 'You're gonna get it, because they don't have anyone like you.' [Shane's] an archetype that hasn't been around for a really long time. If I'm Lorne Michaels, I would see [Shane] and say, 'God, I can do so much with him' — outside of just the fact that he's mega-talented. I think of him as like Adam Sandler. And I've always thought of Steve as like Jason Bateman. These two guys are very, very good in their lanes. And if we can find a way to mash them together, that's incredible. But yeah, when, when Shane got SNL, I thought of it as like in Good Will Hunting, where Ben Affleck is like, 'I hope I knock on your door one day and you're not there.' It was that feeling where it's like, I don't want to see you go, but I'm happy you're moving on. And then when he got fired, we definitely were like, sweet, we get to do our stuff again. SG: One of the first things Shane did when he got SNL was ask Lorne Michaels if he could still do Tires, which is an insane thing to ask. OK, so what's up with the McKeever one name thing in the credits? JM: I'm so glad you asked that, because I feel like people give me shit about it. As they should. JM: Yeah. It's not the, it's not really the Madonna angle of, like, 'Ooh, mysterious.' It's more that's just what people call me. And because, you know, John is such a common name. My really close friends call me John, but most people refer to me as McKeever. And the other thing that I kind of realized when we started making Tires and when I started doing more behind-the-camera stuff and just writing, I just thought, you know, I have like, a three-second window in every episode for people to remember who I am. And I just feel like I should probably get rid of half of the stuff they have to remember. So if I can get them to get rid of 'John,' which is probably the most forgettable name out there…and I think a lot of times when people read 'John,' they almost don't even read the second part. My fear was like, it would be viewed as, like, 'Who the fuck does this guy think?' That's definitely how I viewed it. JM: I totally get it. But it was more like I have three seconds for people to remember who I am… Steve, you just did … SG: Shane wanted me to do Late Night and wouldn't do it without me. Hats off to Seth for taking that risk. But anyway, I was telling Shane, like, 'I'm very nervous.' And the way that this whole thing goes down, you know, it's very like, bing, bang, boom. You're in the green room, then hair and makeup, Seth's doing the monologue, they bring you out, 'They're like, stand here, Steve you're gonna sit there. Get together, take a picture.' And they go, '20 seconds.' And so then I'm just standing there…and I look at Shane and I go, 'I'm having some pretty bad fight-or-flight right now, man.' And he just looks back and he goes, 'fight.' I don't think I've ever heard something that cool, that badass. JM: It was so cool to see Steve be Steve, and now the world gets to see that. It is a true one-of-one. I think the nice thing about Tires is it's a true Trojan Horse. Shane gets everybody in the door, and Steve falls out. Shane plays 'Shane' and Kilah Fox plays 'Kilah' — most of the cast uses their real names — but Steve plays Will and Chris O'Connor plays Cal. When do you use real first names and when don't you? SG: Very early on I told Shane, 'Do a different name, like Sean or something.' He's like, 'Just call me Shane.' I don't know why we kept 'Kilah'… but Shane was just like — he didn't want to be bothered. JM: It was honestly a nightmare when we wrote the first season, because I would write some scripts, and I put 'Steve' because I couldn't get used to the 'Will' thing. Now it's very easy. SG: Shane does not like that I'm Will because he does not like that I'm acting. I wanted to act. I wanted, as small as it is, to separate from me the person. How's your dad's shop doing? Has the show been good for business? SG: No, he's not doing, like, better. He's not doing any worse. The [Tires shop and real shop] have different names, and— shops are just, they're tough to run. It's just really hard to hire right now, he's just, like, chronically understaffed. You would think, next to this set [it would get a boost], but it hasn't changed for much. But he's fine. Did you work at the shop? SG: I was trying to work for him, I would work the counter, and I was awful. And so, for the past 16 years, I've been working for my brother. But yeah, I just wasn't cut out for for [the shop] business, honestly. What does your brother do? SG: He is a trademark attorney. Are you a attorney? A paralegal? SG: Paralegal. (Laughs) But now, Tony, I'm an actor! The show, especially season two, covers a lot of topics that can be dicey to approach comedically. This season, Shane brings a gun to work — and that's just the first episode. Is it a purposeful choice to go hit on all of the subjects you're not supposed to joke about in polite company? SG: I'm going to take that one because John would be too modest to answer this. It's John. He knows how to walk that line, and he will also— sometimes it's very hard in the moment when everybody's pitching, like, funny ideas or whatever, to be the bad guy and be like, 'That's too far.' And yet he makes those decisions. And it is John. That is a very specific thing where it's like, he— Shane can walk a line too, we've all seen that. But insofar as the writing process, John is just so good at that. JM: Steve and I, we spend a lot of time on that. There's a few rules that we we follow and that we generally believe in. And one of them is like, 'Is this funny or is this mean?' If it feels mean, it's got to go. If it's to make a point, you know, if it's to make some lame political point — one way or the other — where you're trying to get people watching, not to laugh, but to go, 'Hmm, I agree with that.' Then that fucking sucks. We've spent a lot of time talking about, like, what we can and can't say. And I think we can say anything. I think anything's on the table, but it's that whole thing of, 'Are we making sure that the right person is the butt of the joke here?' And we are ingratiating our characters to the audience enough for them to grant us forgiveness. When we do those jokes, if you have a bunch of characters that are jerk offs and they're sitting around like, 'I can't stand trans people,' it's like well, your show's gonna suck. If you set it up the right way, I think you can do anything. This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Studio': 30 Famous Faces Who Play (a Version of) Themselves in the Hollywood-Based Series 22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Dakota Johnson Shocks 'Today' Show by Dropping Curse Word to Reveal Dating 'Non-Negotiable' After Chris Martin Split
After her split from Chris Martin, Dakota Johnson opened up about her "non-negotiable" when it comes to dating Multiple sources confirmed earlier this month that Johnson and Martin ended their engagement and their eight-year relationship Johnson plays a matchmaker in her new romance film, Materialists, out June 13Dakota Johnson knows what she's looking for in a romantic partner. The 35-year-old actress, who recently split from fiancé Chris Martin, is starring in the new romance Materialists alongside Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal. In the film, she plays a matchmaker, who gets caught in her own love triangle. On Monday, June 9, Johnson and Evans appeared on the Today show where co-anchor Craig Melvin asked them, 'If either of you were to engage with a real-life matchmaker, what would be the one non-negotiable for you?' While Evans, who is married to wife Alba Baptista, replied, 'Must love dogs. Gotta love dogs. If you're not a dog person, what are we doing?' Johnson had an arguably more blunt response. 'Like, not an a--h---?' she said as Melvin gasped slightly. 'That's concise,' Evans teased his costar. 'There it is. Nail on the head.' Melvin joked that NBC would have to 'clean that up for the West Code feed,' as Savannah Guthrie later noted it was proof the show didn't have a seven-second delay. Johnson laughed off the moment, not commenting on it further. Her candid thoughts come days after multiple sources confirmed to PEOPLE that Johnson and Martin had ended their eight-year relationship. "It feels final this time," a source said of the split. The couple were first romantically linked in 2017, and in 2024 an insider told PEOPLE that Johnson and Martin had actually been engaged for 'years.' While the pair have split, things between the two seem to be cordial. The Coldplay singer promoted Johnson's new film during his June 6 concert in Las Vegas. 'Thank you, everybody! Be kind to each other!' Martin said into the mic, before adding, 'Don't forget to go see Materialists!' Additionally, Martin's ex Gwyneth Paltrow intends to keep up her 'close friendship' with Johnson. The Goop founder 'fully intends on maintaining that bond,' despite Johnson's split from the Coldplay singer, a source tells PEOPLE. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Netflix Unveils Trailer For Tyler Perry's ‘Madea's Destination Wedding'
Netflix has unveiled the first trailer for Madea's Destination Wedding, the 13th installment in the comedic Madea franchise, created by and starring Tyler Perry, which is slated to premiere on July 11. Marking the second Madea film made through a creative partnership with Netflix, on the heels of A Madea Homecoming in 2022, Madea's Destination Wedding sees Madea (Perry) and her family travel to the Bahamas for her grandniece Tiffany's (Diamond White) impromptu wedding to a rapper she recently met on a yacht. The sudden engagement, with the wedding set to occur in just two weeks, raises suspicions among Tiffany's parents, Brian (also portrayed by Perry) and his ex-wife Debrah (Taja V. Simpson). As the family gathers for the celebration, tensions and comedic chaos ensue, leading to a memorable tropical adventure. More from Deadline 'The Pickup' Trailer: Eddie Murphy & Pete Davidson Are Armored Truck Drivers In Amazon MGM Action Comedy Tom Clancy's 'Splinter Cell: Deathwatch': Fans Go Wild For Clips Of Netflix Animated Series At Annecy As Creative Team Detail Inspirations Ranging From Michael Mann To Satoshi Kon To Tom Cruise 2025 Premiere Dates For New & Returning Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming Pic debuts amid the 20th anniversary of the Madea franchise, which began with Diary of a Mad Black Woman in 2005. Written, directed and produced by Perry, the film also stars Cassi Davis, Tamela Mann, David Mann, Jermaine Harris, and Xavier Smalls. Watch the trailer for Madea's Destination Wedding by clicking above. [youtube Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery Tony Awards: Every Best Musical Winner Since 1949 Tony Awards: Every Best Play Winner Since 1947
