Staffers at The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon have accused the TV host of fostering a toxic work environment due to his ‘erratic’ behavior.
Concerns have been raised by 14 former employees as well as two current workers about Fallon’s workplace conduct and interactions with other bosses which left them feeling belittled or intimidated.
They claim Fallon’s inconsistent behavior, which has included ‘outbursts’ toward workers, is the starting point for a ‘pretty glum atmosphere’ behind the show’s scenes, according to Rolling Stone.
The publication spoke to people who worked in a range of different roles, from production crews to the writers’ room.
Claims emerged from 16 current and former employees about a series of issues at The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon
It’s been alleged Fallon’s ‘outbursts’ and inconsistent mood swings trickle down to other bosses
The talk show host is known for his hilarious anecdotes on screen but behind the scenes, concerns have been raised over Fallon’s ‘erratic’ behavior at work
Among the allegations, one former employee said the environment shifted during the transition from Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to The Tonight Show.
‘The producers felt this pressure, and that translated down to all of their employees. People that worked under them then felt this pressure that if you made one mistake, you were gone and would be easily replaced,’ one former employee said.
‘You have all these NBC pages in the building who are ready, willing, and waiting to take your job.’
While the talk show host is known for his hilarious anecdotes on the screen with a range of games, challenges and trivia garnering millions of weekly views online, it’s claimed Fallon’s unexpected mood swings trickle down throughout the program’s hierarchy which has seen nine showrunners over nine years.
‘I just don’t think they’ve landed on a leader who can keep it together,’ one former staffer told Rolling Stone.
Many of the staffers said they left the show due to mental health concerns, with seven saying their overall wellbeing was impacted by their alleged experiences.
Others were fired from the show where guest rooms were reportedly referred to as ‘crying rooms’ to let out their emotions when it all became too much.
One former employee says the ordeal of working for the show is ‘a bummer’ because it was their ‘dream job’.
‘Writing for late night is a lot of people’s dream jobs, and they’re coming into this and it becomes a nightmare very quickly.
Fallon appears totally fascinated with guests who feature on the show (pictured: actress Keke Palmer)
The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon is known for its popular segments and challenges
‘It’s sad that it’s like that, especially knowing that it doesn’t have to be that way.’
In a statement to Rolling Stone, an NBC spokesperson said The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon is no different to anywhere else.
‘We are incredibly proud of The Tonight Show, and providing a respectful working environment is a top priority,’ the 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.’
DailyMail.com has reached out to NBC for additional comment.