Jimmy Fallon Mum On Rolling Stone Report Alleging Toxic Behavior At Tonight Show

Jimmy Fallon has declined comment about a damning exposé detailing a toxic workplace environment at The Tonight Show. 

Our sister pub Rolling Stone spoke to 16 current and former employees at the NBC late-night program, who requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation. The allegations against Fallon range from erratic outbursts to direct mistreatment of staffers. Some say they were berated by Fallon in front of their colleagues; others allege 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 from the night before. They also allude to multiple 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.")

The piece also speaks to the Tonight Show's revolving door of showrunners. The series has cycled through nine showrunners in nine years, and several stand accused of inappropriate comments and intimidation.

In a statement to Rolling Stone, NBC defended The Tonight Show, but did not mention Fallon by name. "We are incredibly proud of The Tonight Show, and providing a respectful working environment is a top priority," a 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 behavior inconsistent with our policies to report their concerns so that we may address them accordingly."

When reached for comment, NBC directed TVLine to the statement it gave Rolling Stone. Fallon's camp declined comment altogether.