Morgan Wallen Says He Took Some 'Time Away.' What Does That Even Mean?

Morgan Wallen, country music's apology king, has released a four page letter on social media, detailing that he's going to continue to take "time away" from performing until he's completed working on himself. It's the latest update on his apology tour, which hit its climax in February after a video surfaced of Wallen using a racial slur, but ultimately dates back to last May, when he was first thrown out of Kid Rock's Big Ass Honky Tonk Rock N' Roll Steakhouse for disorderly conduct. Almost at the year anniversary!

The (new) problem that we're running into here is that Morgan Wallen's apologies continue to be emptier and emptier. As a society, we've come to expect apologies from people who do wrong, but I believe what we're really looking for is an action. What Wallen's latest letter does is the furthest from that to date—it's practically a thank you to his fans for keeping his album afloat while he takes time away to do, well, no one quite knows. There's no mention of the racism. No mention of tangible progress or how he's educating himself to not speak that way. And with no action, Wallen might as well say nothing at all. It would be less offensive.

In the newest letter, Wallen talks vaguely about the past two months: the amends he's made and the growth he's experienced. He states that "I know my corner hasn't been the most popular to stand in lately," which is quite literally not the case because since his "cancellation," Wallen's album has remained at the top of the Billboard 200 chart. Actually, as of this writing, the album has not left the top five, following a 10 week reign at number one. He goes so far as to add, in bold mind you, "I'm still very proud of who I am." Shit like this has become a hallmark of country music as of late: using a lot of vague language to say nothing in particular. A shorter, more to-the-point version of this letter could have said: Thanks for making sure I can say what I want and still get that paycheck.

The timing of this letter drop is curiously perfect as well. After an impressive chart-topping streak, the album is starting to slip. Other artists are announcing the suspension of their summer tours, and then there's Wallen: with an album to promote, tour dates to back out of, and a handwritten apology with no clear mention of what he's done or where he's going. If someone woke up from a coma and this letter were the first thing they saw, they'd be absolutely confused what the hell it's referencing. And what makes this one feel even emptier than the rest (and yes, we'll do a rundown) is that it's apropos of nothing. Just a catch up to say for two pages how his album managed to thrive despite not being on country radio, and how he's adding some non-specific time away to his non-specific time away.

I believe that very few people are irredeemable. I'm not here to say that Wallen should be barred from creating music again for his past indiscretions. It would just be easier to welcome him back if any of his apologies had any specificity or actionable items other than sitting by himself, watching his album soar and stay at number one. Thank you to the fans who clearly never needed an apology. As for the people I offended, I'm growing. In what way? Up the Billboard charts.

To catch you up on Wallen's apologetic history, after being thrown out and arrested in Nashville, he announced the birth of his son less than two months later, saying, "I promise I’ll always protect you, and do my best to be an example of a good, godly man just like my daddy was for me." After a few months of smooth sailing, the 27-year-old was spotted at a college party amid the Covid-19 pandemic, maskless and kissing multiple women. He was subsequently removed as an SNL musical guest (out of safety, not punishment). He responded with a now-deleted video, saying, "On a more personal note, I think I have some growing up to do. You know, I think I’ve lost myself a little bit. I’ve tried to find joy in the wrong places, and, I don’t know, it’s left me with less joy."

And then February. After using racial slurs on camera, Wallen's music was removed from radio play rotation. Then Wallen released a video explaining he was on "hour 72 of 72 of a bender." That his behavior was unacceptable and he wanted to apologize and pull back to do some reflection. But what's lacked in all of this is any kind of action to suggest that he'll be any different moving forward. That's the difference. Yes, Wallen literally told his fans to not defend or support him in this time, but I'm reminded of this scene from the movie Doubt, when Philip Seymour Hoffman's character gives a speech about how you can never collect all the feathers from a pillow once you've ripped it open. For Wallen to put the onus on his fans to punish him is short-sighted and ignorant. It's what makes the language of all these non-apologies so pointless. The burden should be on Wallen, who from the outside looking in, has neither suffered any impactful consequence, nor done anything to tangibly make public amends with the people he dehumanized with a racial slur.

And it's exhausting, on my eyes and this world, to read another letter that says nothing. I know we've asked for apologies but perhaps we should stop. Because apologies are nothing but words that dissipate into the ether. Actions? Those can move mountains.

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