For most musicians, appearing on Saturday Night Live is a career milestone. But Morgan Wallen? Apparently, he’d rather do literally anything else — or, at least, that’s what it looked like after the controversy-prone pop-country star abruptly walked off SNL last weekend. Instead of sticking to the tradition of small talk and side hugs with the cast as credits roll, Wallen — who was there to promote his upcoming album I’m the Problem (you don’t say) — whispered something to host Mikey Madison (the internet lip-readers are on it), before exiting stage left. Sorry, dead center. Naturally, viewers — and cast members, like Kenan Thompson — were left scratching their heads. Did he have a bathroom emergency, as Thompson joked? Was it due to his alleged fraught history with the show? (Wallen was disinvited in 2020 after breaking COVID-19 protocols and a source told “Page Six” he reportedly refused to appear in a sketch this time.) Could it have been one big misunderstanding, as “sources in Wallen’s camp” suggested? Or, was it a guy with a history of causing problems (see: his suspension from his record label after he yelled a racial slur, plus the drunken chair-throwing incident in Nashville) simply continuing to cause problems? 

Honestly, who knows. But as if Wallen’s Irish exit wasn’t mind-boggling enough, shortly after, the former Voice contestant (never forget his Bieber-esque bangs) posted a photo of a private plane to his Instagram Stories, with the words: “Get me to God’s country.” What, exactly, qualifies as “God’s country” remains TBD — but true to form, in the days since, the internet has done what it does best: turned the phrase into meme madness, with people sharing what “God’s country” means to them. That includes millennial institutions like Blockbuster, The Cheesecake Factory, and Neopia Central (bet you haven’t thought about that in a minute). Plus, reality TV icons, like SUR from Vanderpump Rules and former Real Housewife Dorinda Medley’s Blue Stone Manor. Meanwhile, both SNL and Wallen have found ways to make the most of the much-talked-about-moment: During last night’s episode, the show made two digs at the country singer; Wallen, on the other hand, has capitalized on the viral phrase — with yes, $45 branded merch (in this economy??). Still, one burning question remains: Who would ever pass up the chance to hug Bowen Yang and Sarah Squirm? Your loss, Wallen.