The Tonight Show has a toxic work environment, new report alleges; host Jimmy Fallon offers apology

Rolling Stone spoke to dozens of current and former Tonight Show staffers, who claimed that The Tonight Show ‘has been a toxic workplace for years,’ and that it all stems from Fallon’s ‘erratic behaviour’. People said that the show had ‘a pretty glum atmosphere’, and claimed that they were bullied and belittled by their bosses, including Fallon himself. The problems persisted despite complaints to HR, and affected the mental health of several staffers, forcing them to quit.

“It’s a bummer because it was my dream job,” a former employee was quoted as saying. “Writing for late night is a lot of people’s dream jobs, and they’re coming into this and it becomes a nightmare very quickly. It’s sad that it’s like that, especially knowing that it doesn’t have to be that way.”

The report said that while several people spoke highly of Fallon’s talents as a comedian, nobody would say anything on the record, even if it was positive. Not a single one of the show’s nine former showrunners since 2014 provided a statement, even if it was going to be in support of the show and Fallon. NBC, the network that has always aired the Tonight Show, admitted that complaints had been raised about the work culture, but didn’t mention Fallon in its statement.

“We are incredibly proud of The Tonight Show, and providing a respectful working environment is a top priority,” the NBC spokesperson said. “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 behaviour inconsistent with our policies to report their concerns so that we may address them accordingly.”

The Tonight Show began in 1954, with the first iteration being hosted by Steve Allen. It was then hosted by Jack Paar, but reached new heights with Johnny Carson at the helm. Carson stayed on as host for three decades, before passing the baton to Jay Leno, who hosted from 1992 to 2009, before departing briefly and then returning in 2010. In the interim, Conan O’Brien took the helm. Leno retired in 2014, which is when Fallon took over.

Similar complaints were made about Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show some years ago, before it was eventually canned.