Jimmy Fallon, host of The Tonight Show, apologized on Zoom to his staffers following a Rolling Stone article that claimed his "erratic behaviour" had led to a toxic workplace.

After a shocking report claimed that the Tonight Show is a "toxic work environment," Jimmy Fallon, showrunner Chris Miller and the rest of the staff jumped on a Zoom call where Fallon apologized. Jerry Seinfeld said he had been involved in a "idiotic twisting" of an incident.

The original story, published by Rolling Stone earlier on Thursday, featured 14 former staffers and two unnamed current employees at NBC's late-night institution who claimed that the host’s "erratic behaviour" and lashings out caused a negative experience in the backstage area.

Fallon told Rolling Stone that he felt embarrassed and bad. "I'm sorry if I embarrassed you, your family and/or friends."

I never intended to create such an atmosphere on the show. Fallon continued, "I think I work with the best of them all. You guys are at the top of your game." "I want the show to be funny, inclusive, and fun for everyone. It should be the best.

Fallon's apology and subsequent remarks were "very sincere" according to the staffers who spoke on the call with .

Staffers claimed that their superiors, including Fallon, had made them feel "intimidated and belittled" at work. Fallon was described as having "erratic and inconsistent" behavior. He also had "outbursts."

The report also noted the seemingly revolving-door of showrunners that the show has seen, with nine different showrunners in just as many years.

Fallon also addressed this on the Zoom call. He said that Miller is "a great leader" and will be around for a long time. Miller joined the show on March 20, 2022. His presence suggests a sense of stability and security for the show.

Miller also sent an email to the staff, separate from the Zoom call, "to address past allegations of inappropriate conduct at the show." He wrote, RS: "I do not believe that what was written reflects the culture of our exceptional team, with whom I am so fortunate and proud to be working every day." The article described a place that I don't know.

A source inside Daily Mail agreed with Miller, stating that the allegations made in the RS original story "happened many years ago" and are not reflective of today's atmosphere.

The report said that "nobody denies the fact that certain things have happened in the past. However, any issues from the past have been resolved and everyone has moved forward since then." "A lot are old stories that have been told before, and everyone is confused as to why they are being repeated years later."

The source continued, "Many current staff members are positive about the show but they're not being given the chance to express themselves." "This isn’t who Jimmy was, and it’s not in any way how the show is today."

One insider told New York Post Miller had brought "a renewed energy and enthusiasm to the show", praising his "availability to the staff" and being a "transparent leader". He is exactly what the show needs."

According to the original article, there were "crying areas" where staff could decompress following one of Fallon’s alleged "hissy fit" or outbursts.

The staffers said that it created a "pretty depressing atmosphere" and their mental health was affected. Four of the staffers are in therapy because of their experience with the show. Three of them have suicidal thoughts.

"Nobody told Jimmy 'No'." One staffer stated in the story that "everyone walked on eggshells - especially showrunners." You never knew which Jimmy you were going to receive.

In one story, it was revealed that Jerry Seinfeld saw Fallon scold a cue-card handler. The comedian then told Fallon to apologize. Fallon did. Seinfeld calls it a "idiotic twisting" of events. Staff called it "uncomfortable."

This is stupid. Seinfeld said RS, "I remember this moment very well," in a response submitted to The Daily Mail after their original story was published. I teased Jimmy over a mistake, and we had a good laugh about how seldom Jimmy gets thrown off. It wasn't uncomfortable at all. "Jimmy and I laugh when we remember it."

The article claimed that although many employees had voiced their concerns with HR, the problems continued. A spokesperson for NBC told RS the network's top priority is to provide a "respectful work environment".

The spokesperson for the network said, "As with any workplace, employees have raised issues. These have been investigated and appropriate action taken," she added. As always, we encourage any employee who feels they have observed or experienced behavior that is inconsistent with our policy to raise their concerns. We will then address the issue accordingly.

Get help if you or someone close to you is suffering from depression, or has thoughts of self-harm or suicide. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-8255), which provides free and confidential support to people in distress, is available 24/7.

-----------------------------------

Title: Jimmy Fallon Apologizes to Staff After 'Toxic Workplace' Claims, Jerry Seinfeld Defends Tonight Show Host
Sourced From: www.toofab.com/2023/09/08/jimmy-fallon-apologizes-to-staff-after-toxic-workplace-claims-jerry-seinfeld-defends-tonight-show-host/
Published Date: Fri, 08 Sep 2023 10:30:31 +0000

Read More