Saturday Night Live goodnights are a time-honored tradition, one that for a performative an effort as they may be, have come to be studied as barometer for how well the show’s cast and guests get along.
So when musical guest Morgan Wallen chose to walk offstage at the top of last night’s goodnights rather than mix and mingle with the show’s ensemble, it seemed designed to send a message. And just in case we missed it, he posted a photo to Instagram shortly afterwards, indicating that he’d skipped the show’s traditional after-party and instead flown home, captioning a photo of a private jet with the words “Get me to God’s country.”
It’s not clear what prompted Wallen to take apparent umbrage with the show, although he has developed (and some might argue nurtured) a “bad boy” reputation after video surfaced of him using the N-word in February 2021. He was suspended by his label and pulled from popular radio and streaming services in immediate wake of his racist comments coming to light, but has enjoyed great commercial success in the years since.
For those not following along, last night was not the first time Wallen has stirred controversy at SNL. His first appearance on the show in October 2020 was cancelled after he was spotted flauting the show’s then-strict COVID protocols. (He apologized and returned two months later without incident.)
Online reaction to Wallen walking off stage mid-goodnights was swift, with fans of the show condemning him for disrespecting show tradition.
“Wow, Morgan Wallen just walking off the stage during the @nbcsnl credits,” wrote one fan. “In decades of watching SNL, I don’t think I’ve ever seen that. For so many of us, that is sacred ground. What an a**hole.”
“Morgan Wallen proving once again he has ZERO self control and is a little b*tch storming off the stage before the credits even rolled,” wrote another. “Hope the tantrum was worth it because you’ll NEVER be on #SNL again.”
Some noted that Ego Nwodim and Kenan Thompson appeared to be reacting to Wallen’s early departure from the stage, while others suggested the the show’s cast seemed to be keeping a greater distance from Wallen than usual at the beginning of the segment.
The looks on Kenan and Ego’s faces as they watched his ass leave the studio 😂 https://t.co/nRxw0pzWyQ pic.twitter.com/SM437hhbZp
— travis’s video soul. (@travisfromdabk_) March 30, 2025
Wallen’s fans, meanwhile, cheered on the artist.
“It’s ain’t rocket science,” wrote one. “Morgan Wallen dipped because the entire cast (queen Mikey excluded) are a bunch of self-righteous, sanctimonious sh*tlibs who think they’re better than conservatives. I wouldn’t hang around longer than I had to either.”
“Yall can hate on Morgan Wallen all you want,” posted another Wallen fan. “But the man puts on some of the best and biggest concerts in the world and he puts out banger music! I can’t wait for his next album to drop!”
So far there’s been no official comment from anyone on the show’s cast or crew, although SNL writer Josh Patten aluded to Wallen’s instagram reel by posting his own:
As for Wallen himself, Variety reports that sources close to the country star say “he had a good time and no slight was intended with either his prominent exit or his Instagram post.”
