Jake Shane has addressed the online backlash nearly two weeks after a viral clip from his Kacey Musgraves podcast interview circulated on social media.
Shane spoke with Musgraves on his Therapuss podcast on May 6 and discussed her career and her 2026 album Middle of Nowhere.
During the conversation, Shane asked the singer to explain a lyric from her 2018 song “Slow Burn,” referring to the line: “In Tennessee, the sun’s setting / But in Beijing, they’re going to work.”
Musgraves seemed surprised by the question, explaining that the lyric simply refers to different time zones rather than a deeper meaning.
The exchange quickly went viral, with social media users reacting to Shane’s confusion, flooding comment sections with jokes and criticism. Some questioned whether he understood the concept of time zones, while others expressed surprise that the lyric needed clarification.
One TikTok user wrote: “Why did this have to be explained??” while another joked: “Time zones honey. They’re real.”
Shane later responded to the backlash in a lighthearted manner, resharing posts from the online conversation on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram Stories.
He wrote, “As I’m ready to laugh, we can laugh,” indicating that he took the situation in stride.
Musgraves’ album Middle of Nowhere was released on May 1, 2026.
