Some of Jimmy Fallon's 'The Tonight Show' staffers are saying he cultivated a toxic workplace he
August 2024 · 8 minute read
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Current and former "The Tonight Show" staff claim the show has been "a toxic workplace for years."
Rolling Stone reported Fallon and show bosses belittled former staff. Some quit over mental health concerns.
A source who has been at the show for two years told Insider this is not reflective of the current climate.
Jimmy Fallon is known for his goofy and easygoing, welcoming presence on late-night TV. He's the guy who throws talent softball questions. If you're going on Fallon, you're more likely to face the host in a game of flip-cup or sing songs that go viral on YouTube.
But a new Rolling Stone exposé published Thursday reports it hasn't always been fun and games behind the scenes.
Two current and 14 former staff allege NBC's "The Tonight Show" has a toxic working environment from the top down, with Fallon exhibiting erratic behavior through 2020 that went unchecked. Bosses, including Fallon, reportedly have belittled and intimidated staff to the point of tears.
However, some of the current staff, which consists of nearly 300 employees, have since come forward, defending Fallon and the show.
In a statement to Insider, a spokesperson for NBC said, "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."
Here's what staff said about working on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and what employees have said in response to allegations.
'The Tonight Show' staff said there are 'good Jimmy days' and 'bad Jimmy days'
Jimmy Fallon. Theo Wargo/Getty Images
According to Rolling Stone, a "good Jimmy day" consisted of Fallon being as charming, genial, and witty as he's seen on TV. But there were other days when staff, including showrunners, would reportedly walk on eggshells around the host, who they said would have random outbursts, "snap at crew members," or "berate and belittle staffers" in front of other coworkers.
"Nobody told Jimmy, 'No,'" one former employee, who wished to remain anonymous, told Rolling Stone. "You never knew which Jimmy we were going to get and when he was going to throw a hissy fit. Look how many showrunners went so quickly."
Rolling Stone reported that the phrase "we're up against it" was a common way to let other staff know if it was a bad day. This led to an atmosphere staffers described as "pretty glum," in which they didn't want to joke in the office.
Former staff reportedly left the job because of their mental health
Former "The Tonight Show" employees said their mental and physical health was affected, attributing anxiety attacks, nightmares related to work, hair thinning, weight loss, and suicidal thoughts to their time at the show.
"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," another former employee told Rolling Stone. "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?'"
Rolling Stone reported that employees used dressing rooms to cry and joked about wanting to commit suicide.
Staff attributed the work environment to the show's constantly changing leadership
Since the show's premiere in February 2014, the network has gone through nine showrunners in nine years and six leadership teams. Many attributed changes in the workplace to Michael Shoemaker not making the move from NBC's "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" to "The Tonight Show." Shoemaker previously led Fallon's previous late-night series and remained there to oversee "Late Night With Seth Meyers."
A former employee told Rolling Stone there was pressure to not make mistakes, or else they could be easily replaced by an NBC page, the network's prestige intern program.
A former staffer referred to two former showrunners, Jamie Granet-Bederman and Nedaa Sweiss, as "the worst bosses" they've had in their life, using their positions to bully and enable such behavior. One Black employee recalled Granet-Bederman making comments about their hair and how much food the staff ate. Two more employees accused Sweiss of bullying and yelling at them.
Sweiss left the show in 2021, while Granet-Bederman left the following year when current showrunner Chris Miller took on the role in March 2022. Vanity Fair reported there haven't been formal complaints under Miller's tenure. A source close to the show told Insider the same.
"He is just positive, communicative. He treats us all with so much respect," a current employee told People. "I really feel part of a team under Chris, and I feel more free with him than with any of our previous leaders, just to walk into his office and talk to him about anything. He'll always make time for me. I truly think he's wonderful."
Fallon was accused of scolding a crew member in front of Jerry Seinfeld, which the comedian later called an 'idiotic twisting of events'
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld during an interview with host Jimmy Fallon on August 5, 2016. Andrew Lipovsky/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images
"It was very awkward, and Jerry was like, 'You should apologize to him,' almost trying to make it a joke," a former employee explained to Rolling Stone. "It was one of the strangest moments ever and so many people were there, so it's kind of hard to forget."
Seinfeld, who has appeared on the show several times since its debut in 2014, later refuted the story, calling it an "idiotic twisting of events."
"This is so stupid. I remember this moment quite well… I teased Jimmy about a flub, and we all had a fun laugh about how rarely Jimmy is thrown off. It was not uncomfortable at all. Jimmy and I still occasionally recall it and laugh," Seinfeld said in a statement to Rolling Stone.
The New York Post reported that NBC execs were concerned about Fallon's drinking in 2016, which the host denied
In 2016, the New York Post claimed NBC bosses were concerned about Fallon's drinking after a string of incidents, which included severing his ring finger and chipping a tooth, and being seen alone at a NYC bar a 3 a.m. "very drunk" in 2015.
Fallon denied the claim in a 2017 New York Times profile, saying, "I could never do a day-to-day job if I was drinking every night," he said. "That's just kicking you when you're down."
Four employees told Rolling Stone they believed there were separate times in 2017, 2019, and 2020 when Fallon either appeared inebriated or they smelled alcohol on his breath.
Fallon apologized to staff in an all-hands Zoom
Following the Rolling Stone report, Fallon reportedly apologized to staff late Thursday, saying, "Sorry if I embarrassed you and your family and friends… I feel so bad I can't even tell you."
Current staff have defended Fallon amid the toxic workplace accusations
A source who has been at "The Tonight Show" for two years told Insider that the allegations in the Rolling Stone piece are not reflective of the show's current climate.
Multiple current staff told Entertainment Tonight that the article "misrepresents the atmosphere" of working on the show, with a current show producer saying, "being a part of 'The Tonight Show' has been nothing less than a dream come true. From team outings to everyday production meetings, it's truly such a fun and collaborative team to be a part of each day."
Jimmy Fallon during “Tonight Show Audience Trivia Night” on Wednesday, April 5, 2023. Todd Owyoung/NBC
The staff spoke fondly of Fallon, saying he shares a goal of "bringing joy to everyone" and that he's supported the staff throughout the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
Recently, Fallon and other late-night hosts including Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, Meyers, and John Oliver, launched a Strike Force Five podcast at the end of August with all profits supporting their staffs during the ongoing strikes.
Another current employee who spoke with People described Fallon as "super communicative" and "positive," saying they've never been yelled at or belittled during their time at the late-night show.
"He makes a point of commending you when you do a great job and when he's happy," the employee told People. "Any feedback I've received is always like, 'Hey, we don't need to do that again.' It's been very constructive and helpful for me in continuing to put together a show that he's happy with."
The same employee said they've never heard of dressing rooms described as crying rooms.
"I think these are very old accusations that are for some reason brought up again," the employee told People.
A representative for Fallon did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
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