Jimmy Fallon is Getting Canceled

Jimmy Fallon's image as NBC's affable funnyman has taken a hit after several unnamed employees stepped forward with allegations of mistreatment on the set of his long-running program The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

After rising to popularity on Saturday Night Live, the comedian entered the talk show arena in 2009 with Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. Five years later, he would take over from Jay Leno as host of The Tonight Show in 2014.

However, 14 former employees and two current staffers on the show have alleged to Rolling Stone that The Tonight Show has been a "toxic workplace" for a number of years, with a high-pressure environment and "erratic" behavior from the host.

With the show having gone through nine showrunners over the past nine years, the staffers shared allegations of working in a "pretty glum atmosphere," where they claim they faced intimidation from their bosses and Fallon himself.

Of those who spoke with Rolling Stone, seven people said that their mental health had been negatively impacted by the purported working atmosphere behind the scenes. They also said that it became commonplace for staffers to refer to the guest dressing rooms as "crying rooms," as the spaces had become spots of refuge for those upset by their alleged treatment.

Per the report, some of the former staffers said that they had quit the show for the sake of their mental health, while others disclosed that they had been fired.

According to the report, emails were reviewed alleging to show Fallon berating staff, as well as photographs of notes handing down harsh assessments on staffers' work.

Two staffers also alleged that a crew member handling cue cards on the set was "scolded" by Fallon in the midst of his interview with fellow comedian Jerry Seinfeld. According to the employees, Seinfeld told Fallon to apologize to the staffer, which he did.

This moment, they said, did not make it to screens.

Rolling Stone stated that more than 50 of The Tonight Show's current and former employees had been contacted during reporting for the article. The publication added that an additional 30 current and former staffers were reached out to after representatives of Fallon and NBC had been contacted.

Per Rolling Stone, all showrunners since 2014 refused to comment on the article—even to share words of support.

Without addressing Fallon directly, a spokesperson for NBC defended The Tonight Show, telling Rolling Stone: "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. 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."

Newsweek reached out to representatives of Fallon, NBC and Seinfeld via email for comment.

The potential fallout from Rolling Stone's report mirrors the issues faced by Ellen DeGeneres, who had also been seen for several years as one of America's more lovable comedians. DeGeneres' image took a hit in July 2020, when Buzzfeed News published an article in which numerous allegations were made about her eponymous show being a toxic work environment behind the scenes.

DeGeneres, who was seen as a daytime TV darling, was also criticized by certain celebrities.

In a segment at the start of season 18 of the show in September 2020, DeGeneres said of the reports: "I learned that things happen here that never should have happened. I take that very seriously. And I want to say I am so sorry to the people who were affected."

DeGeneres' talk show eventually came to an end in May 2022, after 19 seasons on the air.