'Tonight Show' Employee Calls Out Jimmy Fallon Amid Writers' Strike

Jimmy Fallon has been called out by a Tonight Show employee after the Writers Guild of America decided to go on strike.

Sarah Kobos, a photographer and photo editor, specifically accused Fallon of missing a crucial NBC meeting where The Tonight Show staff and crew were told they wouldn't be paid after this week. Fallon voiced his support for the writers' strike while on the red carpet at the Met Gala on Monday, but has yet to respond to Kobos' claims.

While Fallon was slammed by Kobos, she mentioned heaped praise on both his announcer Steve Higgins and host of Late Night, Seth Meyers.

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) announced its intention to go on strike on Monday after talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) broke down. As a result, all late-night shows went off the air Tuesday, and staff are picketing outside studios in New York and Los Angeles. Both the WGA and AMPTP released statements online, blaming the other for the breakdown in negotiations.

Kobos, who according to her LinkedIn page holds the title of Senior Photo Research Coordinator at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, called out her boss on Twitter on Tuesday.

"At a meeting Jimmy wasn't even at, we are told NBC decided to stop paying us after this week and end our health insurance after this month if the strike is ongoing. They won't even tell us if we will technically be furloughed. Just active employees who aren't paid," she wrote, explaining the situation to her Twitter followers. She added that staff were also told they "shouldn't vent to coworkers."

"I'm told Seth Meyers was in their zoom production meeting and that he is going to try and take care of his staff and crew after NBC stops paying," she wrote.

Kobos also mentioned that Higgins was on the picket line with those protesting, as evidenced by a picture shared by Variety on social media. She also shared a picture of herself before heading to the picket line, wearing a T-shirt that read: "Don't be a scab."

On Monday, Fallon had voiced his support for the WGA strike during a Variety interview at the 2023 Met Gala on the carpet that was mocked for looking like toothpaste.

"I wouldn't have a show if it wasn't for my writers, I support them all the way. They gotta have a fair contract, and they've got a lot of stuff to iron out and hopefully they get it done." He added: "Whatever I can do to support the guild. I am actually in the Writers Guild, so yeah, I couldn't do the show without them and I support my whole staff."

Kobos appeared to take issue with this, retweeting the video of Fallon's interview.

"He wasn't even at the meeting this morning to tell us we won't get paid after this week. @jimmyfallon please support your staff [and crew]. Had fun bowling with ya last week, but a fun party won't pay my rent."

Newsweek has reached out to Fallon and representatives of The Tonight Show online, and will update this story if we hear back.

Kobos' mention of Meyers' support falls in line with his own statement made during a "Corrections" segment last Friday. He said he felt "very strongly that what the writers are asking for is not unreasonable."

All of the late-night shows went dark on Tuesday night, with many studios airing reruns, while weekly shows like Saturday Night Live, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and Real Time with Bill Maher expected to follow suit later this week.