The marquee outside the bar where country star Morgan Wallen threw a chair off the balcony this weekend has been altered to mock the incident that led to the embattled singer’s arrest.
The marquee outside Chief’s Bar in Nashville now reads: “Our pigs fly, not our chairs.”
Wallen was arrested Sunday night after allegedly throwing a chair from the top of the six-story Broadway bar, which was celebrating its grand opening weekend. Wallen, 30, was later charged with three counts of reckless endangerment and one count of disorderly conduct.
The phrase on the marquee pokes fun at the disturbing incident, while also highlighting the bar’s barbecue dishes.
But the city’s nightlife director stressed the incident was no laughing matter.
“I’ve been thinking about it all morning. How do you explain that a 30 year old man decides to throw a stool from the top of a rooftop bar? I’m just stunned,” Benton McDonough said.
The Chief’s bar’s new marquee reads at the top left: “Our pigs fly, our chairs don’t,” referencing the unfortunate incident that led to the arrest of country star Morgan Wallen over the weekend.
Wallen (right) is seen here in handcuffs Sunday evening after throwing a chair from the bar’s sixth-floor balcony.
The chair thrown by Wallen almost hit two police officers who were standing on Broadway in front of the honky tonk.
Wallen’s arrest affidavit claims the chair landed less than three feet from the officers just before 11 p.m. Sunday.
In security footage reviewed by authorities, Wallen is seen lunging and throwing the chair from the top of the structure.
Wallen, 30, was released later Sunday evening after being charged with three counts of reckless endangerment.
A witness told police he threw the chair at him and laughed afterwards.
The bar manager told local news outlet WSMV4 that the bar is not releasing video of the incident and has no comment at this time.
The country crooner was released from jail in Nashville on $15,250 bail.
According to his lawyers, he is cooperating with the investigation and is scheduled to appear in court again on May 3 at 10:30 a.m.
Wallen would have been youpset by his former flame Katie ‘KT’ Smith’s marriage to Luke Scornavacco on April 3, what happened just five days after their engagement.
Smith, who was once engaged to Wallen, opened up Monday about her ex’s arrest following her marriage.
“Even though it may seem correlated because of the timeline, I have no evidence that the incident had anything to do with the recent wedding announcement,” she told The Daily Beast on Monday.
“I can’t speak for Morgan, but I pray all the best for him. I pray that this is just a mistake and that he gets back on the right path that he followed previously.
The couple announced the news on their social media with a photo of Smith, 29, holding up a marriage certificate from the Wilson County Clerk’s Office in Tennessee as the two smiled at the camera.
Sources told DailyMail.com: “KT’s wedding to Luke last week just crushed her.”
The source added: “Of course he knew they were engaged and would eventually get married – but eloping just days after their engagement?
“Morgan never got over her even though he couldn’t stay faithful to her. And now another man will raise his son.
“What happened in that bar must have been the reality that hit him in the face after losing the love of his life.”
The couple dated on and off from 2016 to 2019, welcoming a son together in 2020.
Chief’s Bar is owned by fellow country artist Eric Church and was celebrating its grand opening this weekend.
Wallen was reportedly upset by his former flame Katie ‘KT’ Smith’s wedding to Luke Scornavacco on April 3, which happened just five days after their engagement.
McDonough said the bar’s nightlife staff, the Metro Beer Board, police and the fire marshal are all investigating the incident.
Currently, there are no rules regarding netting or other safety barriers that might wrap around rooftop bars to prevent objects from falling onto busy Broadway below.
Objects falling from roofs and patios at Broadway bars isn’t an everyday problem, but McDonough says he’s committed to solving the safety problem.
“I think the wider the edges of the roof racks the better, because I think it reduces the accidental spills that we see from time to time,” he said, according to local media outlet WSMV4.
“It also makes it more difficult for someone to throw an object off the roof, and it makes it more likely, with the cameras we have, in bars and that sort of thing, to be able to catch the culprit who takes this action.’
The unfortunate incident happened just days after Wallen kicked off his One Night at a Time 2024 tour.
Morgan Wallen, 30, rose to fame after wowing The Voice judges, but his career has been marred by scandals and controversies that led to his latest arrest for throwing a chair off a Nashville rooftop bar .
It seems unlikely that authorities in Nashville will completely dismiss the charges against Wallen.
In fact, authorities say the chair Wallen threw was used in a capacity that would qualify it as a “deadly weapon.”
If he were to be convicted and sentenced on all three counts, an attorney told Fox News that Wallen could face up to six years in prison. The disorderly conduct charge is a misdemeanor charge, carrying a maximum sentence of 11 months and 29 days.
The lawyer, former New York prosecutor Rither Alabre, added that the next step for the performer is to have his lawyer “engage with the prosecutors and try to resolve this case by litigating for a lesser charge, either a misdemeanor, or even possibly a lesser charge.” where he would face little or no prison time.
dailymail us
