(RepublicanDaily.org) – Responding to an investigative report by Rolling Stone, that revealed the “Tonight Show” was a toxic workplace behind the scenes, host Jimmy Fallon and the show’s showrunner, Chris Miller, called an all-hands Zoom meeting where the comedian apologized to staff.
Fallon reportedly said, “It’s embarrassing and I feel so bad,” to staff members who were on the call. He apologized to workers or their family or friends that he embarrassed, adding that, “I feel so bad I can’t even tell you.”
Rolling Stone first broke the news that beneath the bubbly and perky image shown on TV, the Tonight Show was anything but for many staffers, who were repeatedly subject to verbal abuse mainly from Fallon, whose behavior was described as erratic. He would also often arrive to work drunk and/or smelling of alcohol.
The publication based its report on conversations with several current and former employees, who, while acknowledging Fallon’s innate charm and charisma – which was his on-screen persona – said he could also be irritable and dismissive, was prone to “outbursts,” and would sometimes act like he was confused – a sign that he was drunk – even in front of studio audiences during rehearsals.
This behavior, the employees allege, was a major cause for a high turnover in the show, even among top-level staff like showrunners. In the last nine years, the show has also seen nine showrunners, and the constant changing of hands of the show caused undue stress down the line, causing a “glum” atmosphere for many who worked at the show behind the scenes. Employees also claimed many used the show’s empty guest dressing rooms as a “crying room” where mistreated staffers would retreat and vent out of sight. Many also started joking about “killing themselves,” and a lot of staff who quit said they did so for mental health reasons.
Staff Rolling Stone interviewed said that they also spoke to HR about the problems of the show, but their complaints were ignored. None of the staffers the publication spoke to were willing to go on record and provide their names for fear of retaliation.
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