The popular host of The Tonight Show, Jimmy Fallon, is accused of fostering a difficult work environment for the employees. Individuals who have either formerly worked on the show or are currently on the team have expressed issues about the working culture with Jimmy Fallon. While the host is recognised for his friendly and witty on-screen presence, a report by Rolling Stone mentions that there is a distinct contrast off-camera. Employees stated that they are used to “Good Jimmy Days” and “Bad Jimmy Days” when he is on set.
Narrating one such “Bad Jimmy Day” incident from 2017, an employee told Rolling Stone that during rehearsal, Jimmy Fallon appeared perplexed, even crossing out jokes on a cue card and then seemingly forgetting he had done so. “It was like, ‘Oh, my God, he [seems] drunk. He doesn’t know what he’s doing. This could be problematic,” one employee remarked.
According to two current and 14 former staffers, The Tonight Show has been a “toxic workplace” for years. They added that it is way beyond what is considered usual in the stressful world of late-night television shows. The sources known to the magazine stated that “several showrunners have tried in recent years to give him stability or regulate his unpredictable actions but failed in their attempts.” Reportedly, many of these employees expressed their dissatisfaction through HR complaints, yet difficulties at The Tonight Show remained.
As per the report, seven former employees alleged that their mental health worsened as a result of their time on the programme, with references to suicidal ideas and jokes about “wanting to kill themselves.” They referred to guests’ dressing rooms at the office as “crying rooms” since that’s where they went to vent their frustrations about their working conditions. Most ex-employees stated that they left the show owing to their mental health concerns, and some of them were reportedly fired.
A former staff said, “It’s a bummer because it was my dream job. Writing for late nights is a lot of people’s dream job, and they’re coming into this and it becomes a nightmare very quickly. It’s sad that it’s like that, especially knowing that it doesn’t have to be that way.” Rolling Stone contacted over 80 current and former workers before publishing this report.
The Rolling Stone report also mentioned that as a result of this investigation, Jimmy Fallon apologised to his employees on a Zoom call and said, “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,” as reported by two employees who attended the call.
Representatives for Jimmy Fallon and NBC declined to comment on the record, but an NBC spokesman defended the show and emphasised the network’s commitment to a respectful workplace.
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