A lip reader has decoded what Morgan Wallen said before his abrupt exit from the Saturday Night Live stage.
The country singer caused a stir during last week’s show when he broke SNL tradition, leaving the stage mid-credits instead of chatting with the crew or saying goodbye to the audience.
After waving to the crowd, Morgan abruptly exited, pausing only briefly to speak with host Mikey Madison without acknowledging the rest of the cast or fans.
Highlights
- Morgan Wallen told SNL host Mikey Madison he had a “wonderful time” before his abrupt exit, according to a lip reader.
- The singer made headlines after breaking SNL tradition by leaving the stage as soon as the show ended.
- NBC, which airs the comedy show, said there is no “bad blood” on their end.
According to lip reader Nicola Hicking, Morgan told the Anora actress, “Thank you all so much, I had a wonderful time, thank you all.”
Image credits: U.S. Army photo by Spc. Robert Vicens
Mikey replied, “Chatting to you was really good,” per the expert who spoke to UNILAD.
After the Grammy nominee left the stage, the camera panned to the cast members’ conversations.
On social media, viewers tried to guess what SNL veteran Mikey Day was saying to a fellow cast member and concluded he said, “That was weird,” in reference to the musical guest’s exit.
Image credits: Saturday Night Live
Additionally, Hicking believes Colin Jost, another SNL veteran, jokingly told someone, “You gotta remember how he is feeling.”
While Morgan has not addressed the controversy, a post he made after his SNL appearance confirmed to many that he did not enjoy his experience on the show.
Sharing a photo of his private jet, the musician wrote, “Get me to God’s country,” seemingly referring to his home state of Tennessee.
It’s customary for SNL cast members, musical guests, and hosts to mingle on stage and greet the audience after the show
Image credits: Saturday Night Live
SNL writer Josh Patten later poked fun at Morgan by using the exact same caption on a social media picture of a Krispy Kreme truck with the back open.
The comedian explained to a netizen that he is a fan of Morgan’s music and shared a screenshot of his top Apple Music songs in 2023.
Morgan performed I'm the Problem and Just In Case, two songs from his upcoming album, during his second SNL appearance on March 29.
Image credits: Saturday Night Live
Despite the country star’s abrupt exit and his skipping the after-party, NBC, which airs the sketch comedy show, said they’d be happy to have him back in the future.
Sources close to the network told TMZ that “there is no bad blood on their end.”
The insider said Morgan’s exit was “just an awkward moment at the end of the show,” and there wasn’t anything a cast member said that offended him.
Morgan reportedly exited the stage the same way during rehearsals.
They clarified: “There was no tension between him and the cast.”
The country singer's abrupt exit did not go unnoticed, leaving viewers questioning what triggered his behavior
However, another source had a different side of the story, as they told Page Six that the Whiskey Glasses singer was “not super friendly” on set.
“They had hopes he would do the pre-tape and perhaps more, but no joy,” the insider said.
Morgan was allegedly expected to appear in a sketch last weekend but refused, prompting Joe Jonas to step in at the last minute.
“[Morgan] was asked but declined, so they got Joe instead.”
Image credits: morganwallen
The source said Morgan “did what he was asked” by performing as the musical guest but refused to participate beyond singing.
The sketch in question was a song, Big Dumb Line, about the absurdity of standing in lines in New York City.
It featured Ego Nwodim, Chloe Fineman, Bowen Yang, Sarah Sherman, and guest host and Oscar winner Mikey Madison.
At one point in the song, the Jonas Brothers member made a cameo, urging the group by saying, “Don’t give up” and “Believe in the line.”
Image credits: Morganwallen8020
Morgan seems unfazed by the commentary about his unexpected exit. In fact, he’s looking to cash in on his new catchphrase.
The 31-year-old is now selling different products on his official online store with the phrase “Get Me To God’s Country.”
Hats and shirts are priced at $45 each in his merchandise store.
Lip reader Nicola Hicking said Morgan told host Mikey Madison he had a “wonderful time” on the popular sketch show
Image credits: Inside Edition
Image credits: Paul to my Linda
His previous SNL appearance was in December 2020. The Wasted on You singer was originally scheduled to be a musical guest in October of that year, but his performance was canceled after videos surfaced online showing him ignoring CDC COVID-19 guidelines in Alabama bars following a football game.
People continue to debate Morgan‘s unexpected exit, with some labeling him “arrogant” and others saying he had every right to leave
