Kenan Thompson shared with Entertainment Weekly an intriguing anecdote, revealing that he "absolutely witnessed" Morgan Wallen abruptly exiting the "Saturday Night Live" (SNL) stage at the show's conclusion. Traditionally, the host and musical guest remain to embrace the cast as the end credits roll, but Wallen, who performed two songs during the March 29th episode hosted by Mikey Madison, chose a different path.
"I'm at a loss to understand what motivates someone to behave in such a manner," Thompson expressed to EW, reacting to Wallen's early departure. "Whether he fully grasped the protocol or was simply feeling a certain way remains a mystery to me."
Wallen's SNL walk-off swiftly gained viral status, sparking a whirlwind of speculation on social media regarding the country music sensation's experience on the show. The singer further ignited rumors by posting a picture of a private jet on his Instagram story, accompanied by the caption: "Get me to God's country." This post only intensified whispers of Wallen harboring resentment towards SNL.
"You catch a glimpse of someone just before you can even greet them or commend them, and they're already making a swift exit," Thompson elaborated. "I figured perhaps he had an urgent need for the restroom or something… It's undoubtedly an anomaly. We're accustomed to everyone turning around, exchanging high-fives, and mutual congratulations. So, when someone bucks that trend, it leaves us pondering, hmm, what's that all about?"
Sources close to Wallen, speaking to Variety the day following the taping, insisted that there was no friction between Wallen and SNL, emphasizing that the singer had a fantastic time and meant no offense with his swift departure or Instagram post. A guest who attended the dress rehearsal confirmed that Wallen's stage exit mirrored the live taping.
"He seems like a complex individual, I suppose," Thompson added to EW about Wallen. "Prince did something similar [by walking off stage]. I'm not equating Morgan Wallen with Prince, but we weren't taken aback because Prince was notoriously aloof. It was just his nature. So, we simply thought, 'Alright, he's retreated into his own world.' But on Saturday, it felt different, so abrupt. And there were only a handful of us on stage. It was quite noticeable. You see what I mean? It was a very apparent occurrence."
"The whole 'God's country' bit is perplexing because it's like, what message are you conveying?" Thompson continued. "Are you implying that we're not in God's country? That we're not all sheltered under God's protection? That's not necessarily my cup of tea. But, hey, let's move on. We have a fresh show ahead. We have Jack Black joining us this week."
Jack Black, who is actively promoting "A Minecraft Movie," will be hosting the April 5th episode of SNL, with musical guests Elton John and Brandi Carlile. Meanwhile, Jon Ham and Lizzo will take the helm as host and musical guest for the April 12th episode.
