Jimmy Fallon, host of the “Tonight Show,” reportedly apologized to the staff on his show after a bombshell report was released suggesting that his “erratic behavior” has created a “toxic workplace” for those working beneath him. The late-night show host has always been erratic on air, as his often politically motivated monologues are meant to keep people tuned in until they turn the television off for the evening.
One example shared in the report from Rolling Stone was shared by a former employee who endured what they called a “bad Jimmy day.” During a rehearsal, Fallon crossed off jokes from a sheet that he was using a queue card for the show. Next, chaos struck the crew.
The employee finished the rest of the story, saying, “He couldn’t remember he had just crossed it out himself. I was like, ‘Oh, my God, he [seems] drunk. He doesn’t know what he’s doing. This could be awful — this could be the end of the show right here.’”
According to Rolling Stone, Fallon took the time following their report to apologize to those members of the staff who were embarrassed by his behavior. The host said, “It’s embarrassing and I feel so bad. Sorry if I embarrassed you and your family and friends… I feel so bad I can’t even tell you.”
Yet another employee said this of life working under Fallon. “Nobody told Jimmy, ‘No.’ Everybody walked on eggshells, especially showrunners. 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. We know they didn’t last long.”
An NBC spokesperson released the following statement about the allegations and the resolution. “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.”
The American Tribune recently wrote about the writer’s strike and how it will negatively impact the show. The industry seems largely split on the issue, with some siding with the writers who are fighting for better pay and working conditions. Others are concerned that the lack of writing will lower the profitability of shows and cause other jobs to be cut to lower expenses.
One SNL employee said, “We have to think about our crew too. I absolutely support the writers, and I want the writers to get what they deserve and need, but I don’t want our crew to be out of work. We can’t make this art without each other.”
Featured image credit: By The White House from Washington, DC – P042412PS-0748, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=51864958
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