Jimmy Fallon has reportedly apologized to his staff on The Tonight Show, after a recent bombshell report from Rolling Stone alleged that he helped cause a toxic work environment. According to a new report, Fallon spoke to his staff on a call on Thursday afternoon, admitting that he has done some “embarrassing” things in the past, and apologizing for the culture that partially resulted from that. The Rolling Stone report interviewed over a dozen different current and former staffers of The Tonight Show, who claim that Fallon’s own “erratic” behavior has contributed to a negative behind-the-scenes culture.
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“I’m sorry if I embarrassed you,” Fallon reportedly said on the call. “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.”
“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,” Fallon added, referencing the show’s current hiatus amid the ongoing WGA strike.
What Are the Jimmy Fallon Allegations?
According to the staffers — who all requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation — the work environment of The Tonight Show led to nightmares, extreme weight loss, and anxiety attacks, with four employees enrolling in therapy as a result of their tenure, and three saying that they experienced suicidal ideation. The report cites several different incidents of Fallon’s mood impacting the environment behind-the-scenes, with him allegedly berating and belittling crew members and sending them personal insults in notes and feedback. The report also dives into the 2020 controversy regarding a resurfaced video of Fallon in blackface while portraying Chris Rock on Saturday Night Live, claiming that Fallon did not directly acknowledge the situation with his staff. Although the show subsequently implemented internal diversity and culture meetings, a former employee claims that the culture was made worse once Jamie Granet-Bederman stepped in as showrunner, alleging that she bullied and mocked employees. Granet-Bederman ultimately exited the show in March of 2022.
“Mentally, I was in the lowest place of my life. I didn’t want to live anymore. I thought about taking my own life all the time,” one former employee revealed in the report. “I knew deep down I would never actually do it, but in my head, I’m like, ‘Why do I think about this all the time?’”
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