Well, this is awkward: Disgraced country star Morgan Wallen — who in February was caught on video hollering the N-word in the midst of a “72-hour bender” — has been banned from attending the Country Music Association Awards next month, despite still being nominated for Album of the Year.
This news is pretty mind-boggling, considering Wallen was also banned from the Academy of Country Music, revoking his eligibility for any 2021 ACM Awards. Apparently, the CMA’s decision came about in an effort to acknowledge the team behind the album, Dangerous, while still trying to limit Wallen’s association with the awards show (because “separating the art from the artist” has always worked well in the past).
“This was something we looked at from so many angles,” CMA CEO Sarah Trahern told the LA Times. “The decision, ultimately, was the man would not be allowed, but the music and the people who were part of it [songwriters and producers] could be eligible. That made his music eligible in five categories, and ultimately, he was nominated in one… Honoring him as an individual this year is not right, and he will not be allowed on the red carpet, on our stage, or be celebrated in any way.”
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Despite being blacklisted from multiple radio stations, being pulled from Spotify and Apple Music playlists, and having his record contract suspended, Wallen has still seen remarkable success with Dangerous, which came out in January. Now, his reemergence on radio is indicating he’s vying for a comeback, even after word got out that he’s probably lied about his promised donations to Black-led organizations. But making him watch the CMA Awards from home while his album is still nominated ought to show him, right? Right?