Jimmy Fallon is joining an infamous list of talk show hosts who have been accused of creating “toxic” workplace environments. He joins Ellen DeGeneres, Kelly Clarkson, and James Corden, who have all been hit with similar claims during their careers — it’s a group no one wants to be a part of.
The bombshell report in Rolling Stone highlights the experiences of 16 Tonight Show employees, two current and 14 former staff members on the series. They discuss how they divided the behind-the-scenes atmosphere into two categories: “good Jimmy days” and “bad Jimmy days.” Let’s just say, no one wanted to be there when dark Fallon was in the building. “It was like, if Jimmy is in a bad mood, everyone’s day is f**ked,” an ex-staffer said. “People wouldn’t joke around in the office, and they wouldn’t stand around and talk to each other. It was very much like, focus on whatever it is that you have to do because Jimmy’s in a bad mood, and if he sees that, he might fly off.”
These aren’t new allegations either. There have been rumors about the talk show host’s issues with alcohol going back to 2016, but he refuted the gossip to The New York Times. “I could never do a day-to-day job if I was drinking every night,” he shared. “That’s just kicking you when you’re down.” Employees often found his behavior to be “erratic” and it left them walking on eggshells because they didn’t know which side of his personality they were going to encounter. “Sometimes we would get nice Jimmy, but that sometimes was not a lot,” another former employee explained. “It was just really, really sad to me that this really talented man created such a horrible environment for the people there.”
Fallon’s staff claim they don’t get much support from NBC’s HR department or senior leadership, and they often worry about retribution if they do report any incidents. It’s a nightmare situation for many entertainment industry workers who call The Tonight Show their “dream job.” As one ex-employee warned, “I love The Tonight Show, and I love comedy. I gave my heart and soul to that place. I want to see them succeed and do well, but for that to happen, there are major changes that need to take place, starting with Jimmy.” Will NBC heed that call for help?
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