Jake Shane addressed the online backlash nearly two weeks after a viral clip of his interview on Kacey Musgraves’ podcast circulated on social media.
Shane spoke with Musgraves on his Therapuss podcast on May 6, about his career and his 2026 album Middle of Nowhere.
During the conversation, Shane asked the singer to explain the lyrics to her 2018 song “Slow Burn,” referencing the line: “In Tennessee, the sun goes down / But in Beijing, they head to work.”
Musgraves seemed surprised by the question and explained that the lyrics simply refer to different time zones rather than a deeper meaning.
The exchange quickly went viral, with social media users reacting to Shane’s confusion and flooding the comments sections with jokes and criticism. Some questioned whether he understood the concept of time zones, while others expressed surprise that the lyrics needed clarification.
One TikTok user wrote: “Why did this need to be explained?” while another joked: “Time zones, baby. They’re real.”
Shane later responded to the backlash in a light-hearted way, sharing posts from the online conversation on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram Stories.
He wrote: “If I am willing to laugh, we can laugh,” indicating that he was taking the situation in stride.
Musgraves’ album Middle of Nowhere was released on May 1, 2026.
