Earlier today, it was reported that working under conditions at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon have been toxic for years, primarily due to the behavior of its eponymous host. Two current and 14 former employee were anonymously interviewed about their experiences, including one person recalling a time when Fallon scolded a crew member and guest Jerry Seinfeld told him to apologize, which prompted Seinfeld himself to issue a clarifying response. Now word’s come in that Jimmy Fallon has issued an apology for his behavior to the Tonight Show staff.
This update comes from Rolling Stone, the same outlet that published the earlier report about Fallon. Two Tonight Show employees told RS that they attended a Zoom meeting held by the talk show host and showrunner Chris Miller. These individuals shared that Fallon said that he did not intend to “create that type of atmosphere for the show,” then stated:
It’s embarrassing and I feel so bad. Sorry if I embarrassed you and your family and friends… I feel so bad I can’t even tell you.
These employees claimed that Jimmy Fallon “felt pretty earnest” while delivering these statements, as well as acknowledged the high turnover of Tonight Show showrunners under his tenure, with nine people having filled that position in the last nine years. Regarding Chris Miller, Fallon described him as being a “great leader” who isn’t going anywhere. He continued:
I want the show to be fun, [it] should be inclusive to everybody. It should be the best show.
Rolling Stone’s original report described the Tonight Show environment since Jimmy Fallon took over the series as being a “pretty glum atmosphere” much of which stemmed from Fallon’s “outbursts” and “unexpected, inconsistent behavior.” Some employees stated their mental health was impacted by what they went through, and while complaints were made to HR, there continued to be problems. While an official statement issued by an NBC spokesperson didn’t mention Jimmy Fallon by name, it did claim that the issues brought up by these employees “have been investigated and action has been taken where appropriate,” and that they “: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.”
Meanwhile, in addition to attending the aforementioned Zoom meeting with Fallon, Chris Miller also sent an email to Tonight Show staffers after the original RS report came out that read as follows:
I wanted to make you all aware of an online story that just hit on rollingstone.com that includes past allegations of inappropriate behavior at the show. While I know the reporter reached out to many of you before the piece ran, I don’t believe what’s written is reflective of the overall culture of our extraordinary team that I’m so lucky and proud to work with every day. The place described in the article is not the place I know. Still, it’s disappointing to see something published that does not capture the positive and inclusive environment I believe we have created together.
This isn’t the only controversy to hit Jimmy Fallon in recent months. Like nearly every other talk show, The Tonight Show is on indefinite hiatus due to the WGA writers strike, and in early May, a staffer called out Fallon for claiming that he supported his writers, yet didn’t attend a meeting where they were told NBC wouldn’t pay them anymore. However, now Fallon is hosting a podcast with Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers and John Oliver called Strike Force Five, all of whom are donating their proceeds from the podcast to their out-of-work staff members.
Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates on this situation surrounding Jimmy Fallon and The Tonight Show. Feel free to also consult our 2023 TV schedule to learn what’s currently airing or will premiere soon, or resist past Tonight Show content with a Peacock subscription.