Why did Morgan Wallen walk off of SNL? Sketch comedy variety show pokes fun at singer's abrupt stage exit

In its most recent episode, which aired on April 5, Saturday Night Live (SNL) made two jokes in response to singer Morgan Wallen's abrupt walk-off from the show. The episode came a week after Wallen's appearance on March 29, when Oscar-winning actor Mikey Maddison hosted the episode.

At the end of SNL every week, the cast and musical guest usually remain on stage, where they hug and bid each other goodbye as the credits roll. However, on March 29, Wallen left the stage as soon as Madison bid him good night.

As a musical guest, Wallen sang I'm the Problem and Just in Case on the show, which began with a sketch of Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth inadvertently disclosing war plans to high school girls in a group chat.

At the end of the episode, while the cameras rolled, he spoke to Madison, gave the Anora star a quick hug, and left the stage. The other guests could still be seen embracing and chatting onstage.

---

Morgan Wallen’s sudden departure from SNL episode made him the target of many jokes

Some hours after the incident, Morgan Wallen shared a photo of a private jet on his Instagram account with a caption that read, “Get me to God's country.” As per a Newsweek story from April 6, since then, he has also begun selling merchandise that feature the phrase.

Meanwhile, in the episode of SNL that aired on April 5, Wallen's abrupt departure was mentioned twice and made fun of. James Austin Johnson, who was portraying President Donald Trump made a reference to "God's country," a popular phrase frequently used by Trump, in a joke about tariffs.

The skit showed Johnson announcing the broad tariffs at the White House and making jokes about the Heard and McDonald Islands. While doing so, Johnson said:

"I even put tariffs on an island uninhabited by humans. It's called Heard and McDonald Island... McDonald Island. I would love to visit there. Can you imagine that? Big Mac and a hula skirt. Get me to God's country, right? Remember that?"

NBC New York's April 5 article reported that this skit referenced the widely shared dispute around Trump's new tariff plan, which the USA President unveiled on Liberation Day. These included taxes on the isolated McDonald Islands, home to penguins, seals, and seabirds, as well as the uninhabited volcanic Heard Island.

Additionally, the co-host of the show, Colin Jost, further mentioned Wallen during the show's Weekend Update segment. He compared the singer with money that has left the stock market. Jost poked fun at the nation's financial situation, saying:

"This was the worst week for the stock market since the summer of 2020. But you have to remember—back then, the president was also Trump."

He continued:

"Just in the past two days, investors have lost over $6 trillion. Money is leaving the stock market faster than Morgan Wallen at goodnights."

Meanwhile, as per USA Today’s April 5 article, Wallen's sudden departure from the show was even more odd because he previously appeared as a musical guest on SNL in 2020. At the time, he continued to hug and give high fives to cast members while he stayed back throughout the end credits.

In the meantime, as per the same source, SNL will broadcast its next episode on April 12. Lizzo will be the musical guest and Jon Hamm will host the show.