Report: Jimmy Fallon Is Another Temperamental Bully Masquerading as a Nice Guy

By Dustin Rowles | TV | September 7, 2023 |

By Dustin Rowles | TV | September 7, 2023 |

Over the years, rumors have circulated that Jimmy Fallon, the host of The Tonight Show, hits the sauce a bit too much on occasion. However, it’s less well-known that Fallon is also allegedly a temperamental individual who frequently berates and belittles his staff, which seems surprising for a late-night personality generally seen as an amiable, over-eager puppy dog.

That’s on Fallon’s “good days,” according to a Rolling Stone profile detailing the toxic culture of The Tonight Show. On his bad days — which, at least one former staffer claims, often occur after a heavy night of drinking — Fallon can be erratic and downright mean. The show has had nine showrunners in nine years, and many of them, unable to say no to Fallon, have enabled, exacerbated, and contributed to a toxic work environment.

It’s common knowledge behind the scenes that Fallon’s temperament, mood, and treatment of staffers are erratic. Employees say they’ve seen Fallon snap at crew members, express irritation over minor issues, and berate and belittle staffers out of frustration. Three former employees claim that he berated them in front of colleagues and crew members.

“It’s like, if Jimmy’s in a bad mood, everyone’s day is ruined,” one former employee says. “People wouldn’t joke around in the office, and they wouldn’t stand around and talk to each other. It was very much a case of, focus on your work because Jimmy’s in a bad mood and you don’t want to set him off.”

“We’re up against it” was a phrase often used in the office, employees say, to warn one another when Fallon was “not having a good day,” signaling that everyone else was in for a rough one as well.

Fallon’s temperament has reportedly instilled “widespread fear” among staff members, who know to avoid eye contact with the host on his bad days. Moreover, employee feedback from Fallon often takes the form of passive-aggressive notes and personal insults. This environment is so bad that it’s led to complaints from former employees about deteriorating mental health and even suicidal thoughts.

Seven former employees say their mental health was impacted by their alleged experiences working at The Tonight Show. These staffers say it was commonplace to hear people joking about “wanting to kill themselves,” and that they would refer to guests’ dressing rooms in the office as “crying rooms” because that’s where they would go to let out their emotions when they were upset with their alleged mistreatment.

Two staffers recount an incident where Fallon scolded a cue card holder during a taping, an episode so awkward that guest Jerry Seinfeld urged Fallon to apologize (though this never aired). “It was one of the most bizarre moments, and so many people were there; it’s hard to forget.”

None of the nine former showrunners would go on record to even defend Fallon, which is unusual in the entertainment industry, according to Rolling Stone.

Source: Rolling Stone