Jimmy Fallon Apologizes To Tonight Show Staff After Toxic Workplace Allegations Surface (Report)

Jimmy Fallon reportedly apologized to employees of NBC's The Tonight Show hours after RollingStone.com published an exposé on the late-night program's allegedly toxic workplace environment.

Rolling Stone had spoken to 16 current and former Tonight Show employees whose allegations against Fallon ranged from "erratic" outbursts to direct mistreatment of staffers. Some said they were berated by Fallon in front of their colleagues; others alleged that they were the recipients of passive-aggressive notes and combative emails about the quality of their work.

Eight former employees suggest that Fallon's mood was dependent on whether he was hungover. They also allude to instances of Fallon showing up to work with alcohol on his breath. (Fallon previously denied rumors that NBC was concerned about his drinking, telling the New York Times in 2017 that he "could never do a day-to-day job if I was drinking every night.")

In a Thursday evening Zoom call with employees, Fallon apologized and said that he did not intend to "create that type of atmosphere for the show," two people who were on the call told Rolling Stone.

"It's embarrassing and I feel so bad," Fallon reportedly said. "Sorry if I embarrassed you and your family and friends... I feel so bad I can't even tell you."

Fallon's tone on the Zoom call was described as "pretty earnest."

The Rolling Stone exposé also spoke to The Tonight Show's revolving door of nine showrunners in nine years — some of whom were accused of inappropriate comments and intimidation.

Fallon in Thursday's Zoom call with employees reportedly hailed current showrunner Chris Miller as a "great leader." Miller, who was also on the call, separately emailed the Tonight Show staff to "address past allegations of inappropriate behavior at the show."

"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, per Rolling Stone. "The place described in the article is not the place I know."