After a report exposed a “pretty glum atmosphere” at The Tonight Show over the years, Jimmy Fallon apologised to his workers.
Fallon reportedly addressed his team following the publication of a Rolling Stone piece that exposed the alleged “toxic workplace”.
“I’m sorry if I embarrassed you. I never set out to create that type of atmosphere at the show. I think sometimes I’m working with the best of the best, you guys are the top of the game,” he allegedly told staff on a call.
He acknowledged having engaged in “embarrassing” behaviour 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.”
Dozens of staff that have worked with Fallon over the years have spoken out about working on the show, and it seems many were unhappy with the conditions.
Seven former staffers claimed that working on The Tonight Show had a negative influence on their mental health. The report described Fallon as “erratic” at work and said that he was “inebriated” the majority of the time while he was working.
Most of these charges are outdated, according to sources close to The Tonight Show, who revealed that Chris Miller, the new showrunner, has changed the show’s atmosphere over the last few years.
It is believed that Miller emailed colleagues after reading the article, saying: “I don’t believe what is written is reflective of the overall culture of our extraordinary team,” he added: “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.”
Following the news, NBC also gave a statement, writing: “We are incredibly proud of The Tonight Show, and providing a respectful working environment is a top priority.
“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.”
What do you make of the comments?
