Jerry Seinfeld was brought into the allegations against Jimmy Fallon by staffers, who claim working on The Tonight Show is a “nightmare” – but the comedian has since defended the late-night show host while describing the accusations as “idiotic”.
An in-depth report published yesterday lifts the veil on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, with dozens of employees describing an atmosphere of “constant fear,” while accusing the host of “berating and belittling” crew members over “the smallest things.”
Among the myriad of claims, three staffers said they experienced “suicidal ideation.” And comedian Jerry Seinfeld was brought into the mix too, as he reportedly forced Fallon to apologize to a crew member whom he’d scolded in front of a live audience.
However, Seinfeld has since responded to the accusation, and he tells a different story.
Jerry Seinfeld supports Jimmy Fallon and slams “idiotic” claims
In the Rolling Stone report, which reached out to 80 former and current employees of the late-night chat show, two staffers recalled seeing Fallon tell off a crew member in charge of cue cards while taping with Seinfeld.
“It was very awkward, and Jerry [Seinfeld] was like, ‘You should apologize to him,’ almost trying to make it a joke,” a former employee told the outlet. “It was one of the strangest moments ever and so many people were there, so it’s kind of hard to forget.”
Although Seinfeld’s representatives didn’t respond to a request for comment, the comedian has since shared a statement with Rolling Stone, which has been published in an updated version of the article.
He said: “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. Idiotic twisting of events.”
Seinfeld’s reaction is a stark contrast to the statements shared by staffers on the show. Of the 80 people Rolling Stone reached out to, while many of them commended Fallon’s talent, “not a single one agreed to speak on the record or had positive things to say about working on The Tonight Show.”
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Jimmy Fallon responds to claims made by The Tonight Show staffers
Those who did speak with the outlet claim it’s common knowledge that there are “good Jimmy days” and “bad Jimmy days,” creating a “pretty glum atmosphere.” Some said they were belittled and intimidated by their bosses, including Fallon, who was accused of having unexpected “outbursts.”
A number of staffers spoke about the impact it had on their mental health, including nightmares, anxiety attacks, and “suicidal ideation.” Guests’ dressing rooms have also been described as “crying rooms.”
Although Fallon’s representatives didn’t initially respond to Rolling Stone’s request for comment, since the report was published, the host has reportedly apologized to his workforce in a Zoom call.
According to two people who were on the call, 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.”
Prior to this, a representative 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.”
You can read more about The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon controversy here, and how the series has ‘gone dark’ since the start of the WGA strike here.
