Jimmy Fallon was the last TV Host accused of promoting and creating a toxic work environment. Following Dr. Phil and Ellen Degeneres, a new piece on Rolling Stone magazine has now targeted the popular host after 14 former and 2 current staff members opened up about their experiences working for Fallon on The Tonight Show.
Jimmy Fallon Accused of Promoting a Toxic Work Environment
Rolling Stone’s exposé piece gathered the testimonies of 16 staff members who decided to speak up anonymously for fear of retaliation. According to their tell-all, it was very well known for crew members that the environment always depended on Jimmy Fallon’s mood. There were “good Jimmy days” and “bad Jimmy” days, and the latter was particularly terrible since, as they claim, the hist had a volatile temper.
The article, written by the same person who exposed the same working conditions in The Ellen Degeneres Show, says that Fallon was very well known for snapping at staff members “over the smallest of things” and would “berate and belittle staffers out of frustration.” This, according to the articles would even happen in front of colleagues and other members.
Most of the 16 members even claim that Jimmy’s attitudes and “outbursts” affected their mental health and in some cases, it led to serious problems like hair and weight loss, nightmares, and even dark thoughts. “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.”
This piece has unearthed past rumors of Fallon’s alleged alcohol problem, a subject that has been denied endlessly by the host and its team. However, the employees talking in the Rolling Stone piece assured that they witnessed Fallon being drunk on the set or even smelling alcohol on several occasions. Moreover, eight of the 16 former employees added that “Fallon’s behavior seemed to be dependent on if he appeared to be hungover from the night before.”
On Jimmy Fallon’s Defense
Although the accusations have raised a lot of attention, many other former and present employees have spoken dearly about Jimmy Fallon and their work experience at The Tonight Show. Responding to the Rolling Stone piece, a spokesperson for NBC issued a statement (without mentioning Fallon’s name) that read the following:
“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.”
Producers, guests, and even assistants have also given quite positive statements to defend Jimmy Fallon against the accusations of these 16 former staff members. Neither Jimmy Fallon nor his team have commented on the matter so far.
