Jack White steps in as Saturday Night Live musical guest after Morgan Wallen dropped

In the eleventh hour, Saturday Night Live executive producer Lorne Michaels has found a replacement for country singer Morgan Wallen, who was dropped from this weekend's episode after footage emerged of him partying without a mask.

Jack White will now serve as musical guest on Saturday's episode, which will be hosted by comedian Bill Burr, Michaels revealed in an interview with the Today show.

"I know Jack White is coming in, and there could be some other stuff," he said in a video clip that aired on Friday morning. "Calling somebody on a Thursday to be here on a Friday is complicated," Michaels added. "It has to be people who are ready to go."

White previously performed on the SNL stage as the lead musical guest first in 2012 for a Lindsay Lohan-fronted episode and then again in 2018 for a John Mulaney hosting turn. He also appeared in multiple sketches. "He's always good on the show," Michaels said.

Wallen was initially announced for Burr's episode, but videos emerged earlier this week that showed the 27-year-old Voice alum partying in large crowds following a football game without a mask. NBC has had to implement strict safety protocols in order to return to airing live episodes of Saturday Night Live. Wallen spoke in a video shared on his Instagram account on Wednesday that Michaels called him up to say he was being dropped from this weekend's lineup.

"My actions this past weekend were pretty short-sighted, and they've obviously affected my long-term goals and my dreams," Wallen said in part. "I respect the show's decision because I know that I put them in jeopardy. I take ownership for this. I'd like to apologize to SNL, to my fans, to my team for bringing me these opportunities. I let them down."

"He probably isn't the first country singer... the first person from rock 'n' roll who partied after a big, in that case, football game or a concert," Michaels said in the Today interview. "We're just living in a different time and everything is scrutinized."

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