At the 2024 CMA Awards, Morgan Wallen took up the most coveted trophy of the evening, Entertainer of the Year, on Wednesday, November 20.
But he wasn’t around to take it.
When Jeff Bridges, who starred in The Big Lebowski, revealed Wallen’s name at the awards ceremony, he mispronounced it as “Waylon,” as in “Waylon Jennings.”
In absentia, Bridges then congratulated the musician on his significant victory.
Following the major announcement, Bridges stated, “I’m going to accept this award on Morgan’s behalf because he couldn’t make it tonight.” Where Wallen was and why he couldn’t make it to the event aren’t immediately known.
In this category, Wallen was one of five heavyweights nominated; he defeated Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Chris Stapleton, and Lainey Wilson to win the prize.
The three hosts of the CMA Awards, Wilson, Luke Bryan, and Peyton Manning, hurried to the stage to close the evening with jokes, celebrations, and goodwill after Wallen’s new Entertainer of the Year status was announced. It comes at the end of an exciting three-hour extravaganza that featured numerous tributes and celebrations, notable collaborations, and memorable performances.
Following his infamous racist slur scandal in 2021, Wallen was banned from competing in the CMA categories; however, he has since progressively restored his industry reputation through successful tours, charitable donations, and a constant release of new songs.
He has been busy on a tour larger than any show the artist has ever mounted since the release of his One Thing at a Time album in 2023. Over the previous year, Wallen’s time onstage has been marked by memorable surprises, special guests, and celebrity walk-outs.
Although Wallen has received two nominations for Entertainer of the Year in the past, 2024 will be his first year winning the award.
*Keep in mind that watching the CMA Awards on ABC with ToC on your phone is the best option.
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