Staffers on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon have spoken out about the alleged “nightmare” of working on the late-night series, with some left feeling “suicidal” and in “a state of constant fear.”
A new, intensive report into the behind-the-scenes experiences of past and present employees on The Tonight Show levels a number of unfavorable accounts at the host, including one incident in which Jerry Seinfield reportedly forced him to apologize to a crew member whom he’d scolded in front of a live audience.
“It was one of the strangest moments ever and so many people were there, so it’s kind of hard to forget,” one employee recalled.
On other occasions, described as “bad Jimmy days”, the host allegedly “snaps at crew members, expresses frustration over the smallest things, and berates and belittles staffers out of frustration.”
Tonight Show staffers slam “nightmare” of working with Jimmy Fallon
Rolling Stone reached out to 80 current and former staffers, and while many of them praised 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.”
One employee attributed the toxic work environment to the pressure that came with Fallon’s takeover of The Tonight Show and its inability to hold onto a showrunner for any substantial length of time. “I just don’t think they’ve landed on a leader who can keep it together,” one staffer said.
“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,” another alleged.
Several staffers shared how their mental and physical health was affected by the stress of the show: some had nightmares, one had their first-ever anxiety attack and resorted to medication, four have entered therapy since leaving the show, and three people experienced “suicidal ideation.” Guests’ dressing rooms have also been described as “crying rooms.”
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“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. 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?'” a former employee recalled.
While Fallon has denied allegations of issues with alcohol, two employees claimed they saw him drunk at work in 2017, while others alleged they smelled alcohol on his breath on other occasions and believe his mood was as a result of being hungover.
“It was like, if Jimmy is in a bad mood, everyone’s day is f*cked. 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,” another employee said.
Fallon’s reps haven’t commented on the report, but 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.”
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon has ‘gone dark’ since the start of the WGA strike, which you can read more about here.
