Jimmy Fallon has apologized to his employees on “The Tonight Show” after being accused of fostering a toxic workplace environment.
In a report published on Rolling Stone, two current and 14 former staffers claimed the host’s erratic behavior had fostered an unhealthy work environment on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”
Fallon and his showrunner Chris Miller jumped on a Zoom call with their staff to apologize and the host insisted that he did not intend to “create that type of atmosphere for the show.”
Two employees on the call told the publication that Fallon 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.”
He added, “I want the show to be fun, (it) should be inclusive to everybody. It should be the best show.”
The staff members also noted that Fallon “felt pretty earnest” in the meeting, during which he also acknowledged the ever-changing leadership and assured them that Miller was not going anywhere.
According to reports, Miller sent an email to staffers Thursday morning to address the report.
“While I know the reporter reached out to many of you before the piece ran, I don’t believe what’s written is reflective of the overall culture of our extraordinary team that I’m so lucky and proud to work with every day,” he wrote. “The place described in the article is not the place I know. Still, it’s disappointing to see something published that does not capture the positive and inclusive environment I believe we have created together.”
A spokesperson for the network NBC said in a statement, “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.”
Fallon took over as the host of “The Tonight Show” in 2014.