Comedian Jimmy Fallon has apologized to “The Tonight Show” staff after Rolling Stone accused him of enabling a “toxic workplace.” An in-depth article spoke to 50 former and current employees, many of whom accused Fallon of being “erratic” at work. Even going so far as to speculate that he was “inebriated” and hungover during working hours.
Seven of the employees interviewed said that their mental health was impacted by working on “The Tonight Show.” They also pointed out how many showrunners the series has gone through including Josh Lieb, Jim Bell, Gavin Purcell, and Jamie Granet-Bederman. And having showrunners come and go rapidly is rarely a sign of anything good.
“I’m sorry if I embarrassed you. I never set out to create that type of atmosphere at the show,” Fallon apparently told staff. “I think sometimes I’m working with the best of the best, you guys are the top of the game.”
He then admitted to doing “embarrassing” things in the past. “I want this show to be fun, it should be inclusive for everybody, it should be funny, it should be the best show, the best people. I just wanted to… say I miss you guys,” he added.
The Rolling Stone article was published on the 7th, and Fallon issued an apology that afternoon. It is worth noting some sources at “The Tonight Show” say current showrunner, Chris Miller, has already made improvements to the environment. They contend that some of these claims are years old. Even if this is true, accountability has no time limit.
Miller sent an e-mail to staff saying he was “lucky” and “proud” to work with them. “I don’t believe what is written is reflective of the overall culture of our extraordinary team,” he wrote. “The place described in the article is not the place I know. It does not capture the positive and inclusive environment that I believe we have created together.”
NBC has also issued a comment about these claims. “We are incredibly proud of The Tonight Show, and providing a respectful working environment is a top priority,” said a network spokesperson. “As in any workplace, we have had employees raise issues; those have been investigated and action has been taken where appropriate. As is always the case, we encourage employees who feel they have experienced or observed behavior inconsistent with our policies to report their concerns so that we may address them accordingly.”
We certainly hope that everyone’s actions match their words and that the environment at “The Tonight Show” improves. Employees who feel respected tend to produce better content anyway.
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