Morgan Wallen in an SNL skit making fun of him being a drunken buffoon and missing his first SNL appearance.

Look. Too much can be made about Morgan Wallen’s dalliances on the wrong side of the law and the etiquette of polite society. It was irresponsible and stupid for him to use the N-word in a private moment among friends, but he didn’t go on some racial tirade as some portrayed. He threw a chair off a building because he’s a buffoon and a yahoo, but ultimately nobody got hurt.

But why are we naming school baseball fields after him less than a year after he was charged with two felonies? Why are outlets like Rolling Stone who were actively working to cancel him a few years ago now all of a sudden promoting his singles and tour dates? And why is he getting a second opportunity to play Saturday Night Live when there are so many other worthy names from the country and roots world that are still waiting for their first one?

Sierra Ferrell just won FOUR Grammy Awards, yet didn’t even get on the television broadcast. The SNL stage was built for someone like her. Zach Bryan anyone? He’s one of the biggest musical artists of the last five years, and has lived in New York on and off. How in the world has he not made an appearance? Jason Isbell might be a prickly dude with his online persona, but he’s perfect for the SNL audience. Whose leg does he have to hump to get his opportunity?

Remember the time that Margo Price played SNL? Sure, it came way too early for her, and didn’t really launch her into the stratosphere like Jack White hoped when he called in all his favors to set that up. But there was a time when SNL was on search for the next big thing as opposed to just ceding the stage to established stars.

Tyler Childers anybody? He and Billy Strings are out there selling out arenas, yet they’re probably not even being mentioned in discussions for SNL, let alone surging country artists like Charley Crockett and Zach Top. And what sucks is that now that Morgan Wallen will play this Saturday, Lorne Michaels and the rest will say, “Yep. We had our country star for this season. Back to the parade of pop/hip-hop stars.”

Are television appearances the game changers they once were? Of course not. But if there are ones that still can move the needle if the performer makes the most of them, it’s Saturday Night Live and CBS Sunday Morning, especially for performers who still aren’t household names. Will Morgan Wallen win new fans by performing on SNL? Probably not.

So why is SNL booking him then? For the same reason Rolling Stone has lifted their Morgan Wallen moratorium: clicks and views. In the emerging attention economy, this is the only currency that matters. Rolling Stone and Saturday Night Live are supposed to be countercultural institutions. But now they’re getting in on the viper Capitalist action.

And let’s not forget that the first time Morgan Wallen got booked on the show, he duffed it by breaking the rules during the COVID-19 protocols. “BuT tHoSe PRotOcoLS wERe bUllsHit!” Maybe so, but is shows his lack of commitment, seriousness, or reverence for these opportunities that others most certainly would take more seriously.

Morgan Wallen has his. He’s one of the biggest artists in all of music, if not the biggest all things considered. And sure, put him on SNL if you wish. Just don’t stop there when covering the surging popularity of country music. And no, I’m not talking about the Brandi Carlile/Elton John collaboration booked for next week.

Country music is having a moment, and like all important cultural institutions, SNL should recognize it, and beyond the big, obvious, rehashed names.

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